TOP TIPS

6 Considerations When Selecting a

Spring for Your Application

1 Consider the differences between hard-drawn and music wire.

There are three significant differences between hard-drawn and music wire:
Chemical composition. Music wire contains more carbon and less manganese than hard-drawn wire. Additionally,
the allowed levels of contaminants such as phosphorus and sulfur in music wire are more restrictive.
Wire strength. Because of the additional carbon, music wire can be drawn to significantly higher tensile strengths
than hard-drawn wire.
Processing. Music wire is processed in a manner to provide a finished surface with smaller allowed defects than
hard-drawn wire. Music wire is also the highest quality high-carbon steel option. Therefore, music wire is often used
in high-cycle fatigue applications, while hard-drawn wire is best suited to static or very-low-cycle service conditions.

2 Consider the material and/or coating appropriate for your

application’s environment.
Should you need corrosion resistance springs, for example, there are many coatings available that can provide
this feature for wire types that would not themselves resist corrosion. Depending on the level of corrosion
resistance required for the application, you can get phosphating with oil dip or spray, powder coating, or plating.
Phosphating with an oil dip or spray will provide a dark appearance with limited corrosion resistance. Powder
coating offers options regarding color of appearance and may provide more corrosion resistance. Plating using
various materials, such as zinc or nickel, can offer a metallic finish while providing yet more corrosion resistance
compared to the other listed options. Depending on the application, if a coating is not needed, stainless steel
material might be the best option. Typically, Type 302 stainless steel is the first choice in this case, because it
yields very corrosion-resistant springs for most environments.
For high-temperature applications, consider that as temperature resistance increases, material and processing
costs typically increase as well. Therefore, it is suggested that designers select a material that provides temperature
specifications within as tight a range as possible. Wire types are available for maximum temperatures ranging
from 200°F to 550°F depending on the alloy used. Custom products with maximum temperature options of up
to 700°F or more are possible depending on material availability. Contact your vendor for specifics.

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 TOP TIPS: 6 Considerations When Selecting a Spring for Your Application 2

3 Evaluate the safe design stress that will work best for your application.
Safe design stress varies widely not only due to what the application requires, but also the type of spring and
material used. To determine a safe design stress, the designer must understand several key pieces of information
about their applications. Knowing the answers to these questions will help:
• What is the operating environment?
• What is the operating temperature?
• Will the spring operate under static or cyclic conditions?
• If cyclic, what are the minimum and maximum operating loads, deflections, or heights?
• Does the assembly include physical stops to limit spring deflection? If so, what are the limits?
Working with your vendor, the spring selected will often have a stress level appropriate for the selected material
that will assure stable spring force output over time. Note that manufacturability limitations can restrict design
stress levels. Talk with your vendor concerning this issue.

4 Know what initial tension means when applied to extension springs.

Extension springs are widely used in applications across multiple industries. Initial tension is most often discussed
as it relates to these springs, which are manufactured in a manner that requires a certain amount of force be applied
to the spring before any deflection is realized. This minimum force is referred to as “initial tension.” The spring
force increases with deflection at the spring rate only after reaching this initial tension. Also, for a tension spring,
this length between the inside diameter of the two end hooks when no load is applied is called the free length.

5 Consider maximum safe deflection for your spring.

Maximum safe deflection in a static spring application is the deflection from free (mentioned above) that will
not result in the spring taking a permanent set. For a compression spring, the permanent set will reduce free
length and force output. For an extension spring, the permanent set will reduce force output by reducing initial
tension or increasing the free length. In cyclic compression spring applications, this would be the maximum
deflection to which a spring could be compressed from free length that still assures appropriate spring life—cyclic
condition maximum safe deflection is significantly less than the static application maximum safe deflection.

6 Understand the difference between closed and closed ground ends.

Springs can be coiled with a variety of end configurations. If the space between the coils is reduced to the point
where the wire at the tip makes contact with the next coil, the end is said to be “closed.” If there is no reduction
in pitch at the end coils, the end is referred to as “open.” The most common configuration in industrial springs
is closed ends.

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