Elements of Mechanical Engineering

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5. Springs i. It should have resilience

5.1 Classification and Applications of springs. ii. It should be ductile
5.2 Spring terminology. iii. It should have high static strength.
5.3 Stresses in helical compression springs. iv. It should have high fatigue strength
5.4 Selection of helical compression springs using v. It should be creep resistant
manufacturer catalog. vi. It should be non-corrosive

D. Classification of Springs
5.1 Spring:

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A spring is defined as an elastic body, whose function is
to distort when loaded and to recover its original shape
when the load is removed.

A. Functions of springs.

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i. To cushion, absorb or control energy due to either
shock or vibration as in car springs, railway
ii. buffers, air-craft landing gears, shock absorbers and

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vibration dampers.
iii. To apply forces, as in brakes, clutches and spring-
loaded valves.

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iv. To control motion by maintaining contact between E. Types of Springs.
two elements as in cams and followers.
v. To measure forces, as in spring balances and engine i. Helical springs. The helical springs are made up of
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indicators. a wire coiled in the form of a helix and is primarily
vi. To store energy, as in watches, toys, etc. intended for compressive or tensile loads.
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B. Application of Springs.
i. To absorb or control energy in automobiles
suspension springs, vibration. dampers, railway
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buffers.
ii. To apply forces in brakes, clutches, valves of IC
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engines. Compression Helical Spring Applications:

iii. To store the energy in watches and toys. i. Motorcycle’s suspensions.
iv. To measure forces in spring balances, gauges.
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ii. Pen
v. To provide clamping force in toolings like jigs and Tension Helical Spring Applications:
fixtures, etc. i. Lever mechanisms
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vi. To control motion by maintaining contact between ii. Counterbalancing of garage doors
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two elements, as in the case of cam and follower, iii. Weighing machine,
etc. iv. Vise-grip pilers
vii. To exert a force, as in spring-loaded safety valve
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viii. To support moving masses or to isolate vibration.
ix. Tension springs are used in Industrial Robots, door
locks.
x. Torsion springs are used in clothes pins, garage
doors.
ii. Conical and volute springs.
The conical and volute springs, as shown in Fig., are
used in special applications where a telescoping spring
or a spring with a spring rate that increases with the load
is desired.

C. Desirable properties of spring material:-

The spring material should possess the following
properties.

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v. 5. Disc or Belleville springs.These springs consist

of a number of conical discs held together against
slipping by a central bolt or tube as shown in Fig.

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iii. Torsion springs.These springs may be of helical or

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spiral type as shown in Fig.. The helical type may
be used only in applications where the load tends to
wind up the spring and are used in various electrical Applications:
mechanisms. i. Slip Clutch

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ii. Overload Clutches
iii. High Pressure Valve
iv. Drill Bit Shock Absorber

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F. Desirable properties of spring material:-
The spring material should possess the following
properties.

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1. It should have resilience.
Torsion Spring Applications: 2. It should be ductile.
i. Mouse trap 3. It should have high static strength.
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ii. Rocker switches 4. It should have high fatigue strength.
iii. Clothes pin 5. It should be creep resistant.
iv. Automobile starters 6. It should be non-corrosive.
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v. Door hinges
G. Materials used for Helical Springs:
Spiral Spring Application: The material for the springs are:
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i. Automotive seat recliners i. Carbon steel

ii. Alarm timepiece ii. Music wire
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iii. Watch iii. Oil tempered wire

iv. Window Regulators iv. Hard-drawn spring wire
v. DC Motors v. Stainless-steel wire
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vi. Monel metal

iv. Laminated or leaf springs.The laminated or leaf
vii. Phosphor bronze
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spring (also known as flat spring or carriage spring)

viii. Brass
consists of a number of flat plates (known as leaves)
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of varying lengths held together by means of clamps

5.2 Different Terms used in Compression Springs
and bolts.
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i.Solid length.When the compression spring is

compressed until the coils come in contact with each

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other, then the spring is said to be solid. The solid length Torsional Shear Stress
of a spring is the product of the total number of coils
and the diameter of the wire.

LS = n'd
Direct Shear Stress:
where LS= Solid Length
n' = Total number of coils, and
d = Diameter of the wire.

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ii. Free length.The free length of a compression spring,
Combined Torsional & Direct Stress:
as shown in Fig., is the length of the spring in the
free or unloaded condition.

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LF= n'.d + δmax+ 0.15 δmax

iii. Spring index.The spring index is defined as the ratio Due to Curvature Shear Stress:
of the mean diameter of the coil to the diameter of

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the wire.
C=D/d
Where, D = Mean diameter of the spring coil,

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D = Mean diameter of the coil, and d = Diameter of the spring wire,
d = Diameter of the wire. n = Number of active coils,
G = Modulus of rigidity for the spring material,
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iv. Spring rate/ Spring Stiffness/ Spring Constant.The P = Axial load on the spring,
spring rate (or stiffness or spring constant) is defined τ1 = Maximum shear stress induced in the wire,
as the load required per unit deflection of the spring. C = Spring index = D/d,
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k=W/δ p = Pitch of the coils, and

where, δ = Deflection of the spring, due to an axial load P.
W = Load, and 5.4 Selection of helical compression springs using
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δ = Deflection of the spring manufacturer catalog.

i. Based on functional specifications generate a first
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v. Pitch.The pitch of the coil is defined as the axial

conceptual sketch. Incorporate any restrictions
distance between adjacent coils in uncompressed
imposed, including maximum outer coil diameter,
state.
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minimum inner coil diameter, limits on free length or

p = LF / n′ – 1
solid length, or limits on operating displacements.
where LF = Free length of the spring,
ii. Identify potential failure modes.
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n' = Total number of coils.

iii. Select a tentative spring material.
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iv. Select an appropriate design safety factor.

5.3 Stresses in Helical Springs of Circular Wire
v. Calculate the design stress σd.
Following Stresses may be induced in Helical spring
i. Pure Torsional
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ii. Direct Shear Stress

iii. Combined Torsional, Direct and Curvature vi. Determine wire diameter, d, mean coil radius, R, and
number of active coils, N, it should satisfy strength,
Shear Stresses life, and spring rate. If design performance
specifications are not met, change d, R, and/or N,,
until specifications are satisfied.

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vii. Using the tentative values of d, R, and N, determine

spring rate, k, and check to assure that it also meets
any other functional requirements for k.
viii. Select an appropriate end configuration and
determine the number of inactive coils. Calculate
total number of coils in the spring.
ix. Determine solid height, free height, and operational
deflection to make sure that no design requirements

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are violated.

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