Haider Ali

Chapter # 10
Mechanical Springs
Springs
A spring is defined as an elastic body, whose function is to
distort when loaded and to recover its original shape when
the load is removed
Applications of Springs
• To cushion, absorb or control energy due to either shock or
vibration as in car springs, air-craft landing gears, shock absorber
sand vibration dampers.

• To apply forces, as in brakes, clutches and spring loaded valves.

• To control motion by maintaining contact between two elements

as in cams and followers.

• To measure forces, as in spring balances and engine indicators.

• To store energy, as in watches, toys, etc.

Types of Springs
• Wire Springs
• Flat Springs
• Special Shaped Springs
Types of Springs
• Wire Springs (Helical Springs)
• Round or Square (Tension, Compression, Torsion)
• Flat Springs
• Cantilever and Elliptical Type, Belleville Springs
• Special Shaped Springs
Helical Springs
The helical springs are made up of a wire coiled in the form of a
helix and is primarily intended for compressive or tensile
loads.
• The cross-section of the wire from which the spring is made
may be circular, square or rectangular.
Advantages of Helical Springs
• Easy to manufacture.
• Available in wide range.
• Reliable.
• Constant spring rate.
• Performance can be predicted more accurately.
• Characteristics can be varied by changing dimensions.
Helical Springs
• Stresses in Helical Springs

• Spring Index (A measure of Coil Curvature)

• Preferred values for C ranges between

4 to 12
Helical Springs

• Shear Stress-Concentration Factor

• Now shear stress is;

• Curvature Effect:
The curvature of the wire causes a localized increase in stress on the
inner surface of the coil, which can be accounted for with a
curvature factor.
• Effect of direct Shear Factor

(Prefered)
Helical Springs
• Curvature Correction Factor

• The largest shear stress can be calculated using the relation

• Where;
Deflection of Helical Springs
• The total strain energy for a helical spring is composed of a
torsional component and a shear component.

• N = Number of active coils

• Using Castigliano’s Theorem;
Helical Springs
Example 10.1
Example 10.1

• Using Table A-28

Example 10.1

• Using Table 10-4 for material;

Example 10.1

• Spring Index
Example 10.1

• Table 10.1
Example 10.1
Example 10.1

• Table 10.1
Example 10.1
Example 10.1
Helical Compression Spring Design for Static Service
• Limit the design solution space by setting some practical
limits
• Preferred ranges

• where ns is the factor of safety at solid height.

• Figure of merit, cost of wire
Design Strategy (Steps to follow)
• Make some prior decisions
• hard-drawn steel wire the first choice
• Choose a wire size d
• generate a column of parameters:
d, D, C, OD or ID, Na, Ls, L0, (L0)cr, ns, and fom
• By incrementing wire sizes available
• Scan the table of parameters and apply the design
recommendations by inspection.
• After wire sizes are eliminated, choose the spring design with
the highest figure of merit
Assignment # 4
• Problem No. 10-3, 10-6, 10-7, 10-20, 10-21
• From Shigley’s Machine Design 10th ed.

• Due Date: 21st May 2020 (Thursday)

Problem 10-3, 10-6
Problem 10-7, 10-20
Problem 10-21