Manufacture of compression springs

Coiled springs

Compression springs are wound from round or profiled wire to accumulate, store and release force in the axial direction. They are longest when at their free length. They take the form of an open helix, but can also have a conical, elliptical, circular or even rectangular cross-section. Compression springs are the most common type of coiled springs. They are found wherever energy needs to be absorbed or stored.

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Conical, concave and convex springs

Compression spring variants

Compression springs can be cylindrical, conical, convex or concave. Conical springs are used in applications where the height of the fully compressed spring must be minimised, such as in buttons and electrical contacts. The rarer convex (barrel) or concave (hourglass) springs offer additional stability to longer springs.
CGR relies on its STRAIN advanced research laboratory to develop specific technical solutions for complex compression spring sizing and manufacturing problems.

Compression spring materials

Treatments and finishes

We manufacture compression springs from all the usual materials, including steel, stainless steel, alloy steels and other more technical materials. After winding, compression springs can undergo various secondary treatments:

Heat treatments to improve the durability and performance of springs, hot and cold setting or scragging
Surface treatments to increase corrosion resistance and fatigue life
Mechanical treatment by grinding, shot-blasting, deburring and cleaning to ensure perfect integration of the spring into its mechanism or sub-assembly.

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FAQs

1How is the fatigue resistance of a compression spring calculated?

To predict the fatigue life of a spring we use the Goodman Equation. Taking the fluctuating stress and comparing this to the fatigue limit of the material. This can then be shown graphically here.

2What causes compression spring failure?

There are seven causes of spring failure we come across. Fatigue, relaxation, corrosion, cracking, embrittlement, wear and overload. An approximate likelihood of each is:

Fatigue50%

Relaxation20%

Corrosion20%

Cracking2%

Embrittlement5%

Subject to wear2%

Overload1%

3What is the best material for corrosion-resistant compression springs?

The choice of material to make the spring from is down to the environment the spring operates. We have materials used on ships at sea, chemical facilities, nuclear power plants, sour gas, engines, inside the human body, the list is as varied as the world and space is diverse. Each environment has its challenge with an engineered material solution for the spring maker to choose.

4Can compression springs be customized for high-temperature environments?

Yes, we can customize springs and materials to work up to 1100°C for static applications and around 550°C for dynamic applications. New materials are becoming available every year and springs can be made from composite materials to achieve the desired results.

5How can noise and vibration be reduced in compression springs?

We can reduce noise by using various coatings or through design with conventional materials or we can produce from composite materials. Vibration with springs is a common problem we face. Any applied force or dynamic application can produce vibration. We tend to talk of “frequency” and “natural frequency “both of which we can use good design practices to mitigate or solve.