Materials chosen when designing springs can have a profound effect on their durability and performance; stainless steel springs offer corrosion resistance.
Music wire, in contrast, rusts quickly; however, other types of metal springs don’t experience the same drawback.
Compression Springs
Compression springs, the most widely used type of spring, can withstand tremendous forces through an elastic process known as compression-elasticity. This happens when one coil compresses against another to store energy that can later be released upon deflection; this energy can then be used for tasks like lifting, lowering, or extending components.
Engineers needing to select the appropriate spring for an application should first determine its load and deflection requirements before using F = k * x equation to calculate spring rate; F represents load while x is deflection.
Spring materials must withstand the demands of automotive applications, which is typically accomplished using cold-drawn, quenched and tempered all-purpose spring steel with post-heating capability to increase tensile strength values. Chrome silicon or Chrome Vanadium alloys may be selected if more strength is necessary for applications involving shock loading and impact loading.
Extension Springs
When an extension spring is tightened or stretched, mechanical energy is stored within its coils. Once this stored energy is released, according to Hooke’s law, it rebounds back to its original position and returns the spring back to its original position.
Extension springs come in many different materials depending on their purpose and working environment, with stainless steel being one such material that offers corrosion resistance as well as strength.
To create a stainless steel extension spring, the material must first be worked to harden it through rolling and reducing thickness, which increases its tensile strength. Once this step has been completed, tempering allows it to endure repeated stress/strain cycles without breaking.
Once tempering has taken place, coiling occurs, followed by rapid cooling in oil, either cold or hot, depending on specifications for your spring, before finally being coated in black oxide or gold iridite to prevent corrosion and offer durability.
Torsion Springs
Torsion springs are an integral component of many automotive devices, including door hinges and garage door systems. Used to control tension and movement, torsion springs must withstand repeated cycles without faltering in performance.
To create a torsion spring, steel must first be wound using either cold or hot winding techniques, which creates stress within the material that must be relieved before installation can take place.
High-carbon steels are among the most frequently chosen spring materials due to their balanced combination of strength, elastic limit, fatigue resistance and hardness at an affordable cost.
Other alloy options for springs include chromium manganese, silicon vanadium and phosphor bronze (the latter offering corrosion resistance and machinability), while nickel-based alloys are often chosen because they can withstand elevated and subzero temperatures while providing superior chemical resistance and good ductility; such alloys are generally utilized in larger springs that can be easily adjusted in terms of stress-strain characteristics as required by customers.
Shock Absorbers
Shock absorbers (also referred to as dampers in Britain) play an essential part in improving vehicle ride comfort and handling stability, by mitigating bumpy road surfaces to decrease wear-and-tear on suspension components over time – saving drivers significant sums on maintenance costs over time.
Depending upon project or industry requirements, specific spring materials are tailored for use in various applications. However, the type of steel alloy used during fabrication can have a significant effect on its durability and lifespan.
Stainless steel springs are an excellent choice for applications requiring corrosion-resistant springs, such as oil and gas companies that need springs that can withstand high temperatures. Constructed using a chromium-nickel base material and treated with precipitation-hardening heat treatment, they ensure they will not weaken or rust over time due to humidity or moisture exposure. Therefore, stainless steel makes an excellent material choice.
