Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus
 Springs
Definition: Spring act as a flexible joint in between two parts or bodies. It is defined as an
elastic machine element, which deflects under the action of the load and returns to its original
shape when the load is removed.

Objectives of Spring

• Cushioning , absorbing , or controlling of energy due

to shock and vibration. (Car springs, railway buffers)

• Control of motion: Maintaining contact between two

elements (cam and its follower, Brake, Clutch).

• Measuring forces: Spring balances, gages

• Storing of energy: In clocks or starters

 Types of Springs
a) Helical Spring (Extension, Compression and Torsion)

b) Laminated or leaf springs

c) Disc or Belleville Spring

d) Special purpose springs (air or liquid springs,

rubber springs, ring springs)
 Spring Materials
Selection criteria for spring material
(i) The load acting on the spring
(ii) The range of stress through which the spring operates
(iii) The limitations on mass and volume of spring
(iv) The expected fatigue life
(v) The environmental conditions in which the spring
Mostly four basic varieties of steel wire (containing 0.60
to 0.70 per cent carbon and 0.60 to 1.0 per cent
manganese.) are used.
(i) Patented and cold-drawn steel wires (unalloyed);
(ii) Oil-hardened and tempered spring steel wires
and valve spring wires
(iii) Oil-hardened and tempered steel wires (alloyed)

will operate such as temperature and corrosive (iv) Stainless steel spring wires
• Non-ferrous materials like phosphor bronze,
atmosphere
beryllium copper, monel metal, brass etc., may be
(vi) The severity of deformation encountered while
used in special cases to increase fatigue resistance,
making the spring.
temperature resistance and corrosion resistance.
 Open coil or Helical compression spring
TERMINOLOGY OF HELICAL SPRINGS

d = wire diameter of spring (mm)

Di = inside diameter of spring coil (mm)
Do = outside diameter of spring coil (mm)
D = mean coil diameter (mm)
 TERMINOLOGY OF HELICAL SPRINGS
Spring index (C), the ratio of mean coil diameter to wire diameter.

• When the spring index is low (C < 3), the actual stresses in the wire are excessive due
to curvature effect.
• When the spring index is high (C > 15), it results in large variation in the coil diameter.
Such a spring is prone to buckling and also tangles easily during handling.

Stiffness (k), it is defined as the force required to produce unit deflection.

k = stiffness of the spring (N/mm)

P = axial spring force (N)
d = axial deflection of the spring corresponding to the force P (mm)
(i) Solid Length: axial length of the spring which is so
compressed that the adjacent coils touch each other.
Solid length = Nt d
Nt = total number of coils

(ii) Compressed Length: axial length of the spring, which is

subjected to maximum compressive force. In this case, the
spring is subjected to maximum deflection δ.
• When the spring is subjected to maximum force, there
should be some gap or clearance between the adjacent coil
to prevent clashing of the coils.
• The clashing allowance or the total axial gap is usually
taken as 15% of the maximum deflection.
Total gap = (Nt – 1) * Gap between adjacent coils
(iii) Free Length: axial length of an unloaded helical
compression spring. It is the length of the spring in free
condition prior to assembly.
Free length = compressed length + δ
= solid length + total axial gap + δ
Pitch of the coil (p): axial distance between adjacent coils
in uncompressed state of spring
 End Connections for Compression Helical Springs

Active coils, the coils in the spring which contribute to

spring action, support the external force and deflect under
the action of force.

Inactive coils, A portion of the end coils, which is in contact

with the seat, does not contribute to spring action. These
coils do not support the load and do not deflect under the
action of an external force.
The number of inactive coils = Nt – N
N-Number of active coils
 STRESSES IN COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING

There are additional stresses on account of following two factors:

(i) There is direct or transverse shear stress in the spring wire.
(ii) When the bar is bent in the form of coil, the length of the inside
fibre is less than the length of the outside fibre. This results in stress
concentration at the inside fibre of the coil.
DEFLECTION IN COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING
SERIES AND PARALLEL CONNECTIONS
 DESIGN OF COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING

While designing a spring, a designer should consider the following factors

Factor of Safety: The factor of safety in the design of springs is usually 1.5 or less
DESIGN POCEDURE OF COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING UNDER STATIC LOAD
Compression springs, which cannot be
designed buckle-proof, must be guided in
a sleeve or over an arbor.
It is required to design a helical compression spring subjected
to a maximum force of 1250 N. The deflection of the spring
corresponding to the maximum force should be approximately
30 mm. The spring index can be taken as 6. The spring is made
of patented and cold-drawn steel wire. The ultimate tensile
strength and modulus of rigidity of the spring material are
1090 and 81370 N/mm2 respectively. The permissible shear
stress for the spring wire should be taken as 50% of the
ultimate tensile strength. Design the spring and calculate:
(i) wire diameter;
(ii) mean coil diameter;
(iii) number of active coils;
(iv) total number of coils;
(v) free length of the spring; and
(vi) pitch of the coil.
Draw a neat sketch of the spring showing various dimensions.
COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING DESIGN- TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD

Previous method:
• Previous method is based on the assumption that the value
of tensile strength for a given grade of spring wire is
considered as constant.
• However, it is observed that tensile strength of the material
varies with wire diameter.
 DESIGN OF COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING – Trial and error method

The trial and error procedure consists of the following steps:

(i) Assume some wire diameter (d).
(ii) Find out the corresponding tensile strength from Table 10.1 or
10.2 and using this value find out permissible stress by Eq. (b).
(iii) Find out induced stress by Eq. (d).
(iv) Check up whether permissible stress is more than induced
stress. If not, increase the wire diameter and repeat the above steps.
(v) The above mentioned procedure is repeated till the value of
induced stress comes out to be less than permissible stress.
A direct reading tension spring balance consists of a helical
tension spring, which is attached to a rigid support at one
end and carries masses at the other free end. The pointer
attached to the free end moves on a scale and indicates the
mass. The length of the scale is 100 mm, which is divided
into 50 equal divisions. Each division on the scale indicates
0.5 kg. The maximum capacity of the spring balance is 25
kg. The spring index is 6. The spring is made of an oil-
hardened and tempered steel wire of Grade-SW (G = 81 370
N/mm2). The permissible shear stress in the spring wire is
recommended as 50% of the ultimate tensile strength.
Design the spring and give its specifications.
 DESIGN OF COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING SUBJECTED TO VARIABLE LOAD

• Spring is never subjected to a completely reversed load

• Helical springs are subjected to purely compressive
forces or purely tensile forces.
• Pulsating shear stresses, which vary from zero to (S’se)

Variable or amplitude stress Stress Cycle

Modified soderberg method for helical spring
A helical compression spring of a cam-mechanism is subjected to an initial preload of 50 N. The maximum
operating force during the load cycle is 150 N. The wire diameter is 3 mm, while the mean coil diameter is 18
mm. The spring is made of oil-hardened and tempered valve spring wire of Grade-VW (Sut = 1430 N/mm2).
Determine the factor of safety used in the design on the basis of fluctuating stresses.