Module 5
Design of Springs
Springs
• Spring is an elastic member designed and constructed to give
a relatively large deformation under a given load.
• -or- Spring is defined as a resilient member whose primary
function is to deflect/distort under the load.
• These are used to exert force-or-torque, as well as store
energy.
• The force can be a linear push or pull, or it can be radial.
• The torque can be used to cause rotation.
• They operate with high values for working stresses and with
loads that are continuously varying.
Functions/Applications
• To absorb shocks and vibrations. Eg: Automobiles, railway
buffer springs, etc.
• To store energy. Eg: Watches, toys, cameras, etc.
• To measure forces. Eg: Spring balances, engine indicators, etc.
• To apply forces and control the motion. Eg: Brakes, clutches,
cams and followers, etc.
CLASSIFICATION
1. Helical springs
a. Closed coil helical springs
b. Open coil helical springs
c. Tension helical springs
d. Compression helical springs
2. Laminated/Leaf springs - a. Full elliptic, b. semi elliptic, c. cantilever
3. Torsion springs
4. Circular springs
5. Disc-or- Belleville springs
6. Flat springs
7. Conical-or- Volute springs.
8. Special purpose springs: Rubber springs, air -or- liquid springs, ring springs, etc
Types of compression springs
Spring Materials
• The material of the spring should have high fatigue strength, high
ductility, high resilience and creep resistant. It largely depends upon
the service for which they are used, i.e. severe service, average
service-or- light service.
• Severe service: refers to rapid continuous loading (above 1 million
cycles).Eg: Engine valve springs.
• Average service: refers to moderate rate of loading (up to 1 million
cycles) with intermittent operation. Eg: Automobile suspension
springs, engine governor springs.
• Light service: It refers to static loads- up to 1 million cycles. Eg. Safety
valve springs, spring couplings.
Spring Materials
LOW-ALLOY STEEL
COLD FORMED STEEL
OIL TEMPERED
BAINITIC HARDENED STEEL
STAINLESS STEEL
COPPER & TITANIUM ALLOYS
SURGE IN SPRINGS
When a spring is compressed suddenly, a compression wave is formed
which travels along the spring and is reproduced at the far end.
This wave of vibration, when it approaches resonance is termed
surging.
This results in very large deflections of the coils and very high stresses,
thereby leading to failure of the spring.
To prevent this condition the spring should not be cycled at a frequency
close to its natural frequency.
Typically the natural frequency of the spring should be greater than 15
times that of any applied forcing frequency.
The natural frequency of a helical compression spring depends upon
its end conditions.
the natural frequency is given eq.11.24c/page 144
Terms used in compression springs
Solid length: It refers to the length of the compression spring when all the coils are in
contact with each other under the action of the load
• Solid length = id, i-no. of active coils. d-diameter of wire
• Compressed length: It refers to the axial length of the spring which is subjected to
maximum compressive force.
• Active coil: It refers to coils which are free to deflect under the load.
• Inactive coil: It refers to the springs in contact with the seat and does not contribute
to spring action (deflection).
• Free length: It refers to the overall length of spring when no load is acting on it.
Pitch: It is defined as the axial
distance between adjacent coils in
uncompressed state
[Link] coils:- total of active and
inactive coils in spring body
Spring index
• Spring index is the ratio of mean diameter of a spring to the wire from
which the spring is constructed
• Spring index, C =D/d
• Low indices result in difficulty with spring manufacture and in stress
concentrations induced by curvature.
• Springs in the range 5 ≤ C ≤ 12 are preferred,
• while indices less than 3 are generally impractical.
Curvature effect in a helical spring
• For springs where the wire diameter is comparable with the coil
diameter, in a given segment of the spring, the inside length of the
spring segment is relatively shorter than the outside length. Hence,
for a given magnitude of torsion, shearing strain is more in the inner
segment than the outer segment. This unequal shearing strain is
called the curvature effect.
• Curvature effect decreases with the increase in spring index. So more
is the spring index (C= D/d) the lesser will be the curvature effect. For
example, the suspensions in the railway carriages use helical springs.
These springs have large wire diameter compared to the diameter of
the spring itself. In this case curvature effect will be predominantly
high.
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR HELICAL SPRING
1. Find the diameter of the wire using eqn. 11.13d and 11.2a
2. Standardize the wire diameter using Table 11.2, Also calculate the
mean diameter, inner diameter and outer diameter of the coil.
3. Calculate the number of coils, eqn. 11.6
The actual number of coils is calculated by assuming square and ground
ends, round-off- Table 11.7
4. The free length of the spring is calculated eqn. 11.20b - Here a is the
clearance between coils assumed as 1 mm per coil
5. The pitch of the spring is calculated – Table 11.7
6. Calculate the stiffness of the spring- eqn 11.7a
Problem
1. A helical spring is made from a 8 mm diameter wire and has a outer
diameter of 100 mm, if the permissible shear stress is 420 MPa and
modulus of rigidity is 84 GPa. Find the axial load the spring can carry
and the deflection per active turn: (a) neglecting curvature effect (b)
considering curvature effect.
Solution: d = 8 mm, Do = 100 mm, t = 420 MPa = 420 N/mm2,
G = 84 GPa =84 x 109 N/mm?.
Therefore, mean diameter, D = Do - d = 100 - 8 = 92 mm, and C = D/d =
92/8 =11.5mm.
2. Design a closed coil helical spring subjected to a load of 800 N deflects by
40mm. The diameter of each coil is 10 times that of wire and the maximum
shear stress is not to exceed 350 MPa. Take modulus of rigidity as 84 GPa.
• Solution: F= 800 N, y = 40 mm, D= 10d, i.e, C= 10, =350 MPa, G = 84 GPa =
84 x 10N/mm².
• Design: wire diameter(d),coil diameter(D),Number of coils(i),Free
length(lo),Pitch(p), spring stiffness(Fo)
wire diameter(d),
• Use equation 11.1(d) to find d, for K use eqn. 11.2(a)
• d=8.16mm(ans)
Use table 11.2/P188 to standardize d, d=8.5mm(ans)
coil diameter(D)
find mean diameter, D=10d D=85mm(ans)
Inner coil dia. and outer coil dia.
Inner coil dia. Di = D-d
Outer dia. Do = D+d
Number of coils(i), use eqn, 11.6/P170 5 turns(ans)
Use table No. 11.4 to get end conditions of spring square and ground
end iT = i+2; iT = 7 turns(ans)
Free length(lo),
Use equation 11.18(b), use table 11.4 and figure 11.6
lo= 95mm(ans)
Pitch(p),
Use table No. 11.4
For square and ground end , io = ip+2d
p= 15.6mm = 16mm(ans)
spring stiffness(Fo) Use equation 11.7(a)/P170
Fo = F/y = 800/40 =20N/mm (ans)