MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed.
Example 14-6-1
EXAMPLE 14-6
Design of a Helical Torsion Spring for Cyclic Loading
Problem: Design a torsion spring for a dynamic load over a given deflection.
Given: Minimum moment Mmin 50 lbf in Working deflection Δθ 0.25 rev
Maximum moment Mmax 80 lbf in Life L ∞
Assumptions: Use unpeened music wire (ASTM A228). Use 2-in-long straight, tangent ends. The coil is
loaded to close it.
6
Modulus of elasticity E 30 10 psi
Length of ends L1 2 in L2 2 in
Solution: See Figure 14-27 and Mathcad file EX1406.
1. Assume a trial wire diameter from the available sizes in Table 14-2. Assume a spring index of 9 and calculate
the mean coil diameter D from equation 14.5.
Wire diameter d 0.192 in
Spring index C 9
Mean coil diameter D C d D 1.728 in (a)
2. Find the the mean and alternating moments:
Mmax Mmin
Alternating moment Ma Ma 15.0 lbf in
2
(b)
Mmax Mmin
Mean moment Mm Mm 65.0 lbf in
2
3. Find the Wahl bending factor for the inside surface Kbi and use it to calculate the maximum compressive
stress in the coil at the inner surface.
2
4 C C 1 (c)
Kbi Kbi 1.09
4 C ( C 1 )
32 Mmax (d)
σimax Kbi σimax 125.5 ksi
3
π d
4. Find the Wahl bending factor Kbo for the outside surface and calculate the maximum, minimum, alternating,
and mean tensile stresses in the coil at the outer surface.
2
4 C C 1 (e)
Kbo Kbo 0.922
4 C ( C 1 )
32 Mmin
σomin Kbo σomin 66.4 ksi
3
π d (f)
32 Mmax
σomax Kbo σomax 106.2 ksi
3
π d
σomax σomin
σm σm 86.3 ksi
2
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MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Example 14-6-2
σomax σomin
σa σa 19.9 ksi
2
5. Find the ultimate tensile strength of this music-wire material from equation 14.3 and Table 14-4 and use it to
find the bending yield strength from Table 14-15, assuming no stress relieving.
From Table 14-4, for A228 music wire A 184.649 ksi b 0.1625
b
S ut A
Ultimate tensile d
strength S ut 241.4 ksi (h)
in
Bending yield
strength S y 1.0 S ut S y 241.4 ksi (i)
6. Find the wire bending endurance limit for unpeened springs from equation 14.34 and convert it to fully
reversed endurance strength with equation 14.35b.
45.0 ksi
Wire endurance limit S ewb S ewb 77.99 ksi (j)
0.577
S ewb S ut
Fully reversed S e 0.5 S e 46.51 ksi (k)
endurance limit S ut 0.5 S ewb
7. The fatigue safety factor for the coils in bending is calculated from equation 14.35a.
Fatigue factor S e S ut σomin
Nfb Nfb 1.4 (l)
of safety S e σm σomin S ut σa
8. The static safety factor against yielding is
Static factor Sy
of safety Nyb Nyb 1.9 (m)
σimax
These are both acceptable safety factors.
9. The spring rate is defined from the two specified moments at their relative deflection.
Mmax Mmin lbf in
Spring rate k k 120.0 (n)
Δθ rev
10. To get the defined spring rate, the number of active coils must satisfy equation 14.29, solving for Na yields:
4
Number of active d E
coils Na Na 18.2 (o)
10.8 D k rev
Note that to force k to be in units of lbf-in per rev we must multiply k by rev.
The ends contribute to the active coils from equation 14.27a as
L1 L2
Ne Ne 0.25 (p)
3 π D
and, from equation 14.27b, the number of body coils in the spring are
Nb Na Ne Nb 18 (q)
11. The angular deflections at the specified loads from equation 14.28c are
Mmin D Na
θmin 10.8 rev θmin 150 deg (r)
4
d E
Mmax D Na
θmax 10.8 rev θmax 240 deg (s)
4
d E
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