Types of Springs

An elastic object that stores mechanical energy is defined as spring. These are typically made up of spring steel which contains many steel designs. In daily use we often call it a coil spring. Without stiffness variability feature, when a conventional spring is stretched or compressed in it’s rest position it also exerts an opposing force approximately equal to its change in length. It can be said that the spring constant or rate of the spring is the change in forch which it exerts, divided by the change in deflection. That is gradient of force versus deflection curves.

Compression Helical Spring

Energy efficient storage devices are known as the compression helical spring. These are also as open coil helical springs. They offer resistance against the linear compressing force applied along their axis. These springs get compressed on the basis if load is applied.  When the load is released then the string gets back to its original position. Based on their design they are classified into 4 types: 

1) squad and closed compression helical string.

2) ground and closed compression helical string.

3) double closed compression helical string

4) open end compression helical string 

The design of helical spring depends on two factors: 

• Type of material used in the fabrication process of helical spring, stainless steel, music wire, chrome silicon are some common uses in the conduction of the spring.

• The second one involves the service environment in which the spring operates, which can be either cyclic or static. The spring design process depends on the application environment in which spring is used. The spring designer selects the appropriate material during the statistic condition, which helps the spring to generate proper output force over the given time period. However, during cyclic conditions, apart from the output force the spring must be able to tolerate harsh conditions too without breaking.

The other designing factor includes: 

• Springs given tolerable limits.

• Temperature and pressure types environment factors.

• Space consideration.

• Accuracy and reliability of spring.

 Types of Spring Steel

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A wide range of steel is given this name-spring steel. It is used in manufacturing steels, mostly in automotive and industries. Spring steels are low alloy manganese, medium- carbon steel or high carbon with a high yield strength. This allows the objects made of steel to return to their original shapes. The application of spring steel involves:

Piano wires or we can also call music wires such as ASTM A228, antennas, springs and spring clamps and the vehicle coil spring, leaf springs, S-tines. 

These strings are also used in manufacturing metal swords for stage combat due to its resistance to bending or shattering. 

For the use in fabrication these spring steels are very popular, for lockpicks due to its resilience and pliability.

Tubular springs are used in gear landing of some aircrafts.

It's also used in making knives, nepalies kukri.

Types of Springs and Their Applications

A variety of materials are used in making steel, especially commonly being steel.from pre hardened stock small steel can be wound, while the larger ones are made up of annealed steel, and these are hardened after fabrication. Some of the non ferrous metals are also used like phosphors bronze and titanium for parts requiring corrosion resistance and beryllium copper for those strings which carry electricity. 

Throughout human history the simple non coiled springs were used. For example the bow and arrow.  More sophisticated spring devices were used in the bronze age with a high proportion of tin. A method was developed by the Ctesibius of Alexandria developed a method for making bronze with spring-like characteristics; they do so by producing an alloy of bronze with an increased proportion of tin and then hardening it by hammering it. 

In the 15th century the coiled spring in the door locks, in that century appeared the first spring powered clocks, and they were incorporated into the first large watches by the next century. 

In the year 1676 came the hooke's law which stated that the force which the spring exerts is proportional to its extension.

Classification of Springs on Load Applied

Depending on how much force or load is applied on the strings they can be classified

Extension or tension string: this string is designed to operate with the tension load, so as the load is applied on it the spring stretches. 

Compression String: as its name suggests that it is designed to deal with compression load. So as the load is applied to the string so the spring gets shorter.

Torsion Spring: in the above the load is in the axial force, but the load applied in the torsion spring is a twisting force or torque. And rotation takes place at the end spring where the load is applied. 

Constant Spring: in constant spring the supported load remains the same throughout the deflection cycle.

Variable Spring: in variable string resistance of the coil to a load varies during compression. 

On the basis of the spring shapes also we can differentiate them. Like flat springs are made up of flat spring steel, machined springs are made up by manufacturing by machining bar rocks.