ME 308

MACHINE ELEMENTS II

CHAPTER 2

SPRING DESIGN_2

27.03.2021 CHAPTER 2 SPRING DESIGN 1

 2.8 Extension springs

 Extension springs are designed to carry tensile loads

since compression springs are not suitable to carry
tensile loads.
Hooks are used at two ends of the
extension spring for the loads to be
applied.
In addition, coils are no more
seperated from each other, on the
contrary coils are made to be in
close contact with each other to
resist tensile loads.
F ?? F
 There are different hook configurations of extension springs.
 However the most widely used one is the circular shape hook
with hook diameter equal to coil diameter.
 ‘Hooks’ at two ends of the spring are made by forming the
ends of the wire
 Since extension springs are produced as close-wound (shut coils)
there is always a preload (Fp) on the spring.
This pre-load has to be overcome by the applied external load (Fe)
to create an elongation on the spring.

Fe Fe  Fp d 4G
k 
Fp y 8D 3 N a

y Lb  body length  d N a  1

Due to preload (Fp) the coils are always under

a pre-stress even if thereis no external load on
the spring 8F D
 p  KS p
if (Fe =< Fp )
d 3
8 Fe D
 K if (Fe > Fp)
d 3
The deflection Δy in an extension spring under an external
load of (Fe) is calculated as:

Fe  Fp d 4G 8 D 3 N a Fe  Fp 
k  y 
y 8D 3 N a d 4G

G
where N a  N body  and used in the deflection formula
E to include effect of hook end deformations

The critical natural frequency of extension springs is again

 2 d 2 DN a 
fn 
1 kg
cycle / sec  Wa 
2 Wa 4
ρ is the material weight density (N/m3)
and f n ≥ 15 fforce is still suggested for a reliable functioning.
 2.8 Extension springs under load
Extension spring coilbody is similar to
compression spring coil body
(except close wound condition). Hook bending
stress, σA
Therefore similar shear stress (as ithe
case of comp.springs) occurs in
the coil body of the extension
spring under tensile load.

In addition to this, two more stresses

occur in extension springs:

One; torsional shear stress in the

hook
Two : bending stress in the hook.

Hence, extension springs should be

designed (or checked) against
three different failures of the spring Body coil shear hook shear
stress τ (same as
material (body shear, hook shear &
hook bending) in compression stress, τB
springs)
 A B
M  Frm

KA  rm
ri

Torsion plane
Bending plane

8 Fe D KB  rm
  KS ri
d 3
At point A

F Mc but due to curvature

  effect
A I
F Mc
M  Frm
A B
  K normal stress
A I in the hook
F
where
rm
K
ri
d2
A
4
d4
I 
64
d
c
2
 Example for extension springs

A helical tension spring is made of 1.2 mm wire having yield strengths of

1280 MPa and 740 MPa in tension & torsion, respectively.

The springs has an OD of 12 mm, 36 active coils, and hook ends with
mean radii at the ends 5.4 mm for bending and 3 mm for torsion.

The spring is pre-stressed to 75 MPa during winding which keeps it

closed solid until an external load of sufficient magnitude is applied when
wound, the distance between the hook ends is 70 mm.

a)What is the spring preload?

b)What load would cause yielding?
c)What is the spring rate?
d)What is the distance between the hook ends if the spring is extended
until the stress just reach the yield strength.
SOLUTION:
d=1.2 mm (4<C<12)
OD=12 mm ; D=OD-d =10.8 mm C=D/d=9 (4<9<12) OK
0.5
S y  1280 MPa S sy  740 MPa N a  36 Ks  1  1.055
C
rm 5.4
rmb  5.4 mm  K b    1.125 Lb  d N a  1
ri d
5.4  70mm  44.4 mm
2
r 3
rmt  3.0 mm  K t  m   1.25
ri 1 .2 12mm
3
2
 p  75 MPa,& L f  70 mm a) since
8FD  pd 3

 p  75 MPa  K s  Fp 
d 3
K s 8D

d w  1.2 mm Fp 

75 106  1.2 10 3 
3

 4.467 N
3
1.055  8 10.8 10

Fp  450 gr  0.45 kg  450 gr

 b) There are three types of yielding:
Mc F
  h  Kb   Sy
1)Yielding in hook due to bending effect I A
8FD
2)Yielding in hook due to torsional shear   h  Kt  S sy
d 3

8 FD
3)Yielding in coils due to torsional shear   coil  K s  S sy
d 3
Frmb  d
F
For 1   h  1.125 2   1280  10 6
Pa  F1  34.88 N
d 4
d 2

64 4
8  F  0.0108
For 2   h  1.25  740  10 6
Pa  F2  37.19 N
 0.0012 3

8  F  0.0108
For 3   coil  1.055  740  10 6
Pa  F3  44.07 N
 0.0012 3

The smallest is the safest one Fmax  34.88 N cause yielding in the hook.
 c)
k
d G 4

0.0012  79.3 109
4

8  0.0108  36
3 3
8D N a
k  453.2 N m

d) Since
Fmax  Fe  34.88 N
Fe  Fp 34.88  4.467
y    0.0671 m  67.1 mm
k 453.2
Lnew  L f   y  70  67.1  137.1 mm
Fe

Fp
y
HELICAL TORSION SPRINGS
 Here are some examples of torsion springs
 Here is the geometry of torsion springs
And these are the different legs/ends of the torsion springs
Torsıon Sprıngs Under Load
While the torsion springs are used in applications where torque is
required (e.g. door hinges, dress catcher etc.) the wire itself is
subjected to a bending moment of M= Fxr which produces a
normal stress in the wire

r F

M  F r

Mc

I
Mc
 K
I stress multiplier
due to curvature
of the coil-arm
connection
 In curved beams of torsion springs

Mc d 4
 A  Ko at outer fiber C
D
I
I d 64
Mc
 B  Ki at inner fiber
I
4C 2  C  1 4C 2  C  1
Ko  & Ki 
4C C  1 4C C  1
Whichever of the Ko & Ki is larger it is used in design calculations as K.

Thus,
Mc 32 Fmax r
 max  K max  K max
this is the max. bending stress
I d 3 occurs in round-wire torsion springs

 max  S y n for static design

Sy
or ns   1.0
 max
 Deflection of torsion springs,
for an element of dx length

1
du  Strain energy  Md
2
Also
1 d
dx  d or 
 dx

and
1

M
 from ME 224
 EI
M
Thus d  dx
EI
1 1 Mdx M 2 dx
int o du  Md  M du 
2 2 EI 2 EI
 M 2 dx
for small element dx; du 
2 EI
L
M 2 dx
for whole length; u
0
2EI
And for torsion springs; L  dN & M  Fr
DN
Fr  dx 
2 DN
F 2 r 2 dx
u 
0
2 EI 
0
2 EI

Using castiglione’s theorem u

for deflection: y
F
In torsion springs; y= r θ
 With relation y= r θ

u gives the deflection y along the direction of F

y
F under the effect of force F.

DN
DN DN 2
u 2 Fr 2 dx Fr 2 dx Fr x Fr 2DN
y  r 
F
 
0
2 EI
 
0
EI
 
EI
 r
EI 0
FrDN d 4
Thus   where I 
EI 64

this is the angular deflection of the spring

64 FrDN
 in radians under the effect of force F at a
d 4E distance of r from the spring center.
The torsional spring rate (similar to d 4G
k
linear deflection F=k x) is then 8D 3 N a

M Fr d 4E
M  k or k    in Nm radians
 64 FrDN 64 DN
d 4E

d 4
E Nm 2 rad d 4E Nm
or k 
'
( ) in
64 DN rad 1 rev 10.2 DN rev
4
d E Nm
or k 
' will give better results
10.8DN rev when compared with test
results.
 The compressive forces, F’s winding up the
spring, cause an inner diameter reduction
in torsion spring.
Since the round bar (fitted inside the
torsion spring) is rigid the inner diameter of
the spring can’t be less than diameter of
the bar when the loads are applied.

Di' N '  Di N
Fr
Also N  N  N
'
and N  '
k
where Di & N are the inside diameter & coil
number when the load isn’t
applied.

Di' & N ' are the inside diameter & coil

number after the load is
applied.
 Example for torsion springs
Do  16mm
A stock torsion spring is made of 1.5 mm
music wire, has 6 coils and straight ends 50
mm long and 180o apart. The outside  d  1.5mm
diameter is 16 mm.

F r r F
a) What value of torque (Fxr) would 32 Fr
cause a maximum stress equal to   K i ,o Where Fr  ?
the yield strength? d 3

b) Compute the angle of rotation FrDN 

M
 in revs
 ?
corresponding to the torque found EI k'
in (a)

c) If the torque found in (a) is used

as the maximum working torque, Di'  Di N / N '  ?
what will be the smallest value of
the inside diameter. (Di’=?)
Answers :
32 Fr
a)   K i ,o  Sy Where Fr  ?  S yd 3 / 32 K i
d
3

A 2170
  S y  0.75Sut  0.75 m  0.75  S y  1534MPa
d 1.50.146

4C 2  C  1 D
Ki  , C  9.67
4C C  1 d
K i  1.08

Frmax 
S yd 3

6

1534 10   1.5 10 
3 3

32 K i 32 1.08
Frmax  0.47 Nm  470 Nmm
b)

Fr
 ' ' , k 
' d 4
E

1.
5  10 
3 4
 207  10 9
 1.115
Nm
k 10.8 DN 10.8  0.0145 6 turn
0.47
 '  0.421 turns
1.115
   '360  0.421 360  151.6 deg rees

c)
Di' N '  Di N Di  Do  2d  16  2 1.5  13 mm
N N 6
D  Di '
i
'

N N '  N  N  6  0.421

N 6
D  Di '
'
D  13'
 12.147 mm
6  0.421
i i
N
 Design procedure for the helical springs
Most of the spring parameters are unknown at the beginning of a design stage.
Each design is an iteration procedure of assuming some parameters & values
(material, C, d, or Do, Di etc).
Afterwards, you have to check whether other geometric constraints & failure
criteria are satisfied or not. However, reaching a suitable solution may require lots
of iteration and calculation steps
To ease the design process, most spring design problems can be put into a
tabulation-iteration form similar to (spreadsheets) as seen in following example

KS
 max Sut Sy S sy  max  ? S sy
Assume C MPa MPa MPa MPa Notes
d
6mm 861>536 failure
7mm 549>521 failure
8mm 372<508
satisfactory
 Example:
A helical compression spring of hard-drawn wire with a mean diameter of
40 mm and squared and ground ends is assembled with a preload of 500
N and will operate to a maximum load of 1700 N.
a) Compute the wire diameter based on static failure with safety factor 1.25.
b) How many of total coils are required if the spring scale is required to be
127 kN/m (end condition squared & ground) ?

8 Fmax D
a) For static failure  max  S sy / n  max  Ks and
d 3

0.5 D
Similarly Ks  1 &C 
C d
S sy  0.577 S y &
Everything is
S y  0.75S ut & dependent on d
A
S ut  m
d Here again strength is dependent on d which is
already unknown
However we can make use of informations in Table
for “ Hard drawn wire” d = 0.7-12 mm
Table 1.1 Spring materials and constant for estimating tensile strength

Material Size range Exponent, m Constant, A

(mm) (MPa.mmm)

Music wire 0.10-6.5 0.146 2170

Oil-tempered wire 0.50-12 0.186 1880

Hard-drawn wire 0.70-12 0.192 1750

Chrome-vanadium 0.80-12 0.167 2000

Chrome silicone 1.60-10 0.112 2000

 Here  max  S sy Given:
comp spring
8 Fmax D
 max  Ks hard-drawn wire
d 3
D=40mm,
where K  1  0.5 &C 
D
s
C d squared&ground ends
A
S sy  0.577 S y & S y  0.577 Sut & Sut  Fmax=1700N
dm
Thus if we use a table of iteration with d assumed (to be between 0.7mm &
12mm) and rest checked, we can reach a feasible solution

KS
 max Sut Sy S sy  s  S sy  max
d C MPa MPa MPa MPa Notes
6mm 6.67 1.075 861 1240.6 536.8 861>536 failure
7mm 5.71 1.0875 549 1204.4 521.2 549>521 failure
8mm 5.0 1.10 372 1174 508 372<508
satisfactory

s  508 372  1.36 Satisfactory

b)

NT  N a  N D For squared & ground ends ND  2

Na  ?
4
d G
k
8D 3 N a

Na 
d 4G

0.008  79.3 109
4

8D k 8  0.043 127 103

3

Na  5
NT  5  2  7 coils
Optimization of spring design
Springs are usually optimized in
two categories:
1)Objective is to minimize In both categories of the
a) weight optimization all the design
b) volume requirements have to be satisfied
c) wire diameter e.g.
d) Length •Static safety factor,
e) spring rate •buckling,
2)Objective is to maximize •critical frequency,
a) work done by spring •fatigue safety factor,
(W=F*y) •geometrical constraint (OD, ID
b) Deflection etc.)
c) factor of safety
d) Reliability
e) fatigue strength
 Fatigue Loading Of Springs
In most applications springs are subjected to fatigue loading since they
have to deflect between some points.
The life of the springs may change from a few thousands cycle to
millions of cycle (as in the valve spring application of automotive
vehicles)
Contrary to the rotating shafts under a vertical force in which completely
reversed stresses are quite ordinary, springs can only be used either as
compression or as tension but not together and most of the time they are
installed with a preload.

Fmin

Fmax
Thus the stress-time diagram of
F Fmax
Fa
Fm
or
Fp
with no pre-load t with pre-load t

occur in helical springs.

The worst condition is with no-preload (τ min = 0)

In designing springs to resist fatigue failure, we start with calculating

alternating and mean components of the force.
Fmax  Fmin Fmax  Fmin
Fa  & Fm 
2 2 where
0.5
KS  1
8 Fa D 8Fm D C
 a  Ks &  m  Ks D
d 3 d 3 C
d
 Springs under varying (fatigue) loads should always
be checked against both static failure and fatigue
failure.
 If the spring is compression type this is done for the
shear stress in the body of the spring
 If the spring is extension type then we have to check
all three conditions; shear in body, shear in hook and
bending in hook.
 If the spring is torsion type then we have to check
bending in the arm/leg of the spring

For example
1)Check for static safety S sy   m   a   max  n

2)Check for fatigue safety  a  S se n for infinite life

For fatigue safety  a  S se n should be satisfied for infinite life

S se  kc  k d  ke  S ' S se  endurence limit

se strength in
where shear with relebility life,
temperature and stress
kc  reliabilit y factor concentration factor.
k d  temperature factor
1
ke   stress concentration factor
Kc
4C  1 0.615

K wahl correction factor 4C  4 C
Kc   
Ks stress multiplier 0.5
1
C
S se'  310 MPa 45 kpsi for unpeened springs corrected for
S se'  465 MPa 67.5 kpsi for peened springs k a & kb
For finite life cases where
  S ; &  a  S sf 
c  log
0.8  S su 2

 a se

S se
Relation S sf 10c  N b is used where
1 0.8  S su
b   log
S su 3 S se
S sf S su  0.60  S ut
Sse S su & S se areinMPa
N Millions of cycles

When analyzing or A
designing springs to Sut  m or Sut  3.45 HB in MPa
resist fatigue, it is always d
important to check critical Sut  500 HB in psi
(natural) frequency to be
sure that spring surge will fn  k 
f force   fn 
1

not be a problem; 15  2 * 3.14 m 

Example for failure of compression springs

A compression coil spring with; d=12 mm, Di = 140 mm, Nt = 12

coils, squared and ground ends, HB of 380 after heat treatment,
Lf=500 mm is assembled into a machine by compressing it to a
length of 458mm.
When the machine runs, the spring is compressed an additional
254 mm so that the maximum load on the spring corresponds to a
spring length of 458-254= 204 mm and the minimum load to a
length of 458 mm.
a) Calculate the spring rate (k).
b) Would this spring develop a permanent set if compresses solid? why?
c) Is the spring likely to buckle?
d) Based on 50% reliability and infinite life, will the spring fail by fatigue?
e) What will be the safe fatigue life for the spring if it is to work with in an
environment of 400 0C with a reliability of 99%?
f) What should be the maximum forcing frequency of the spring to prevent
spring surge if spring is held between parallel flat plates?
 Solution:
d  12 mm, G  79.3 109 Pa N m 2   for steel
a) d 4G D  Di  d  140  12  152 mm
k
8D 3 N a N a  N T  N D  12  2  10 coils

k
12  79.3 103
4
 5.85 N mm or 5850 N m
8  152 10
3

b) In case of compressing solid, permanent set occurs if τ s > Ssy

A
S sy  0.577  0.75  Sut ; & Sut  or Sut  3.45 HB MPa
dm
Sut  3.45  380  1311 MPa
S sy  567 MPa 8Fs D
 s  Ks
d 3
0.5
Ks  ? 1 8Fs D
C C 
D 152
 12.66  s  Ks
Fs  ?  k L f  Ls  d 12 d 3
4  C  12 Acceptable  s  485 MPa
Fs  5.85500  144 Ls  NT  d
Fs  2082.6 N Ls  12 12  144 mm
Since  s  S sy 485  567 
0.5
Ks  1  1.04 No-permanent set occurs when compressed solid
12.66
 Lf 500
c) Buckling ?   3.3  3.8
D 152
ymax . there is no risk of spring buckling for either of
Lf . the end conditions (A&B).
. B curve A: flat-to-rounded- end
A B: flat-to-flat ends.
.
3.8 LF
D
S se
d) For infinite life condition;  a  S se or n   1.0
a
S se
if  a  S se or n   1.0 this means the spring has a finite
a life and it fails based on infinite life
requirements
S se  kc  k d  ke  S '
se
S se'  310 MPa for unpeened springs
kc  1 Table 7 ? 50% reliabilit y 
S se  1.0 1.0  0.934  310 k d  1 No temp. is given
S se  289.5 MPa 4c  1 0.615

1 K w 4c  4 c 1.113
ke  ; Kc   
Kc Ks 0 .5 1.04
1
8 Fa D c
 a  Ks ke  0.934
d 3 Fmax  Fmin
 a  173 MPa Fa 
2
k 500  204  k 500  458
Fa 
2
S se289.5 254
n   1.673  1.0 Fa  k  743 N
a 173 2
no fatigue failure based on infinite life.
spring has INFINITE LIFE.
 e) R  99 %  kc  0.814 Table 7 ? S se  0.814  0.5  0.934  310
T  400 oC  k d  0.5 Chpter 7 ? S se  118 MPa
1
ke   0.934  a  173 MPa as before
Kc
S se 118
n   0.68  1.0
For finite life region a 173
 a  S sf  10 N
c b
f
this means spring will have a
0.8  S su 
Su 2
Ta ......
.
c  log
FINITE life; Nf
S se .....
.
.
.
S se S su  0.60  Sut
1 0.8  S su S su  787 MPa
.

Nf b   log
3 S se
173 MPa  103.53  N f 0.243
c  3.53
N f 0.243  0.051
b  0.243
N f  208300 cycles
This is the max. safe number of cycles that the spring can be loaded
before failure.
f)

Hz cycle / sec  k N m
fn
f force  1
fn 
2 * 3.14 ms kg
15

 12 2  9 m 3 
  152  12  10
kg
ms  A  L    
3 
 7800 3
4  mm  m
ms  5.055 kg
k  5850 N m
1 5850
fn   5.44cycle / sec
2 * 3.14 5.055
5.44
ff   0.36 Hz
15
f f max  0.5 cycle / sec
Example for torsion springs
Design a straight ended helical torsion spring for
F
static loading of 100 Nm at a deflection of 45o with
a safety factor of 1.25 for static loading. Specify all
parameters necessary to manufacture the 
.
.
45o
spring&state all the assumptions. .

Tmax  Fr max  100 Nm  100 000 Nmm

.
.

r F
.

 max  45  turnsrevs
o 1
For r = 100 mm
8 F=1000 N (100kg)
100 Nm T Nm
spring rate k   '
 800
 1 turns turns if d & D are known then
8 N can be determined.
4
d E d 4E
Also k 
'
or N where
10.2 DN 10.2k ' D 4C 2  C  1
Ki 
n
Sy
 1.25 or n

0.75 A d m  4C C  1
32Fr max
Since
 max Ki
d 3
Use tabulation method of iteration(assume oil tempered with
A= 1880 MPa, m=0.186, d=0.5-12 mm)
S
Assume S y MPa  max MPa y
d, mm C=8 D, mm n NOTES D
 C
4 32 1089 17548 0.062 Not safe d
for
C  8; K i  1.102
10 80 918 1123 0.817 Not safe C  4; K i  1.23
C  12; K i  1.066
11 88 902 844 1.068 Not safe
12 96 888 650 1.36 SAFE
C=12
10 120 918 1085.7 0.845 Not safe
11 132 902 816 1.105 Not safe
12 144 888 628.5 1.41 SAFE

N

12 10   207 10
3 4 9 d  12 mm D  96 mm
N  5.25 turns
10.2  0.096  800
N  5.175 turns  5.25 turns made of oil tempered wire
 Example for torsion springs(10-20)
A stock torsion spring is made of 1.5 mm music wire, has 6 coils and
straight ends 50 mm long and 180o apart. The outside diameter is 16 mm.
Do  16mm
a) What value of torque (Fxr) Would cause a maximum
stress equal to the yield strength?
b) If the torque found in(a) is used as the maximum  d  1.5mm
working torque, what is the smallest value of the inside
diameter. (Di’=?)
c) Compute the angle of rotation corresponding to the
torque found in (a)
F r r F
d) If the spring is to be used in an application subject to fatigue loading
based on the information;
-R=95%,
-max torque = M,
-min torque=0.25M ,
-infinite life.
What value of the maximum torque M can safely be applied?

e)What no-of cycle would be possible to run if a loading of Mmin= 0.25 Mmax
& Mmax = 1.0 Mmax is applied with Mmax = 0.4 Nm? (N= ? )
Answers :
a, b and c were previously solved

Frmax 
S yd 3

6

1534 10   1.5 10 
3 3

32 K i 32 1.08
Frmax  0.47 Nm  470 Nmm

0.47
n  0.421 turns  156 deg rees
1.115

6
Di'  13  12.147 mm
6  0.421
 d) Fatigue safety?
M max  M min M  0.25M 0.75M
M max  M Ma     0.375M
2 2 2
M  M min 1  0.25M 1.25M
M min  0.25M M m  max    0.625M
2 2 2

Based on Modified Goodman theory of fatigue failure

a m 1
  for infinite life
S e Sut n
Or based on Soderberg approach
a m1
  for infinite life
Se S y n
32M a 32M m
In both cases  a  Ki &   K
d 3 d 3
m i

32  0.375M
 a  1.02
d 3
 a  1.198 109 M N m 2 ,  m  1.997 109 M N m 2 
M in N  m
 S e  k a  kb  kc  k d  S e'
Where Se'  0.5 Sut if Sut  1400 MPa
700MPa if Sut  1400 MPa
 Se'  700MPa since Sut  2045 MPa for music wires
k a  0.63 kb  1.0
kc  0.868 k d  1.0
ke  not used since K i is used  as increaser.
Se  0.63 1.0  0.868 1.0  700
Se  383 MPa
a m 1
a m 1 ii)soderberg app.  
i) Mod. good   Se Sy n
S e S ut n
1.198 109 M 1.997 109 M 1 1.198 109 M 1.997 109 M 1
   
383 10 6
2046 10 6
1 383 10 6
1534 10 6
1
M  0.238  N  m  M  0.221 N  m
 THE END

27.03.2021 CHAPTER 2 SPRING DESIGN 50