In the physics of spring design, the spring constant dimensional formula provides the appropriate equation necessary to meet the application requirements of a particular type of spring—such as a compression or extension spring. A dimensional formula relates fundamental units like meters and kilograms into dimensional quantities such as mass and length to express an equation… Read more »
The ingenuity of the coil spring function is in its simplicity, for it is the essence of what a coil spring truly is. Found in numerous products, the coil spring is not simply a mechanical device, but an integral component necessary for those products to function. Manufacturers, companies, and entire industries rely on coil springs… Read more »
In the manufacture of custom springs for an application, engineers must first accurately calculate a helical spring formula to achieve the ideal spring design. Formulas and equations vary, too, for each type of helical spring. For example, a lot to do with calculating the formula for a helical spring relates as much to the type… Read more »
Specialized metals are used in the fabrication of springs and wire forms when certain physical, chemical, and mechanical properties are required for an application. Though specialized metals may refer to a specific metal, in general, as a material choice, they often refer to a range of metal alloys that hold the desirable characteristics needed for… Read more »
When it comes to understanding the difference between compression vs extension springs, look no further than the springs themselves. True, compression and extension springs have certain shared characteristics. For starters, both are easily recognizable by their familiar tightly wound, helical coils. Each is commonly made of spring steel or another non-ferrous metal. When a force… Read more »
In manufacturing springs, a key performance indicator—one that may often be assumed if not taken for granted—is reliability. Whether a cell phone, a retractable pen, a garage door or a vehicle’s shock absorber, users expect that the spring in their application will work efficiently and consistently through innumerable cycles. An expectation perhaps, unreasonable or not,… Read more »
In the design and fabrication of a metal spring, corrosion protection is essential to ensure the application performs as required over its intended service life. The materials selected and the environmental conditions in which the application will function are prime design considerations to protect the spring from corrosion and its harmful effects on the metal… Read more »
Though there are many types of metal springs engineered for products and applications, the majority of them are designed to serve one of 4 functions when a mechanical force is applied—compressive, tensile, torque, or counterbalance. As a result, it’s more than likely that designers and engineers will look for a custom solution with a compression,… Read more »
The history of the Slinky, and its humble origin, is one of innovation, imagination, and perseverance as much as it is chance. Richard James, the founder of James Spring & Wire Company, invented the much-loved precompressed helical spring toy in 1943 while serving as a naval engineer at the William Cramp & Sons shipyards in… Read more »
Specialty springs are custom-designed springs manufactured to fulfill a specific mechanical function in a particular mechanism. Specialty springs will vary in design in relation to the spring requirements and spring force—compressive, tensile, or torsion—needed for the application. Because specialty springs are uniquely designed for a specific application—they are not a stock item found on shelves—spring… Read more »
