Chapter 19

Springs
Chapter 19: Springs
Springs Characterized By:
Ability to deform significantly without
failure
Ability to store/release PE over large
deflections
Provides an elastic force for useful purpose
Chapter 19: Springs
How used in mechanical design?
Shock/Vibration protection
Store/Release PE
Offer resisting force or reaction force for
mechanism
Example:
Valve spring pushes rocker arm so lifter follows cam
VCR lid torsion springs keeps door closed
Types of springs
Chapter 19: Springs
Our focus will be on Helical Compression
Springs
Standard round wire wrapped into cylinder,
usually constant pitch
We will cover design process and analysis
Chapter 19: Springs - Terminology
Helical Compression Springs:
ID inside diameter of helix
OD outside diameter of helix
D
m
mean diameter of helix

L
f
free length

L
s
solid length

L
i
installed length

L
o
operating length
F
f
zero force
F
s
solid force
F
i
min. operating force
F
o
max. operating force
k spring rate
C spring index = Dm/Dw
N number of coils
N
a
number of active coils (careful N
a
may be different from N
depends on end condition see slide 9)
p pitch
pitch angle
cc coils clearance
K Wahl factor
f linear deflection
G shear modulus
t torsional shear stress
t
o
stress under operation

t
s
stress at solid length

t
d
design stress
Chapter 19: Springs - Terminology
Spring Rate
Chapter 19: Springs
Chapter 19: Springs Analysis Process:
Determine: K,
o
,
s
to determine if OK for your application

1.) Calc spring rate :
2.) Based on geometry:
Shear mod table 19-4 Wire dia. Table 19-2
C = spring index = D
m
/D
w
**Need to know k to get spring forces to get spring stresses**
3.) Shear stress in spring:
(accounts for curvature of spring)
**Compare
o
&
s
to material allowable (Figure 19-8 19-13)**
Key Equations:
Show slide
Chapter 19: Springs Analysis Process:
4) Buckling Analysis usually final analysis done to
make sure theres no stability issue. If so, may be
as simple as supporting the spring through id or od
Calculate Lf/Dm

From Fig 19-15, get fo/Lf

fo = buckling deflection you
want your maximum deflection
to be less than this!!
Buckling procedure
2 Categores:

Spring Analysis spring already exists
verify design requirements are met (namely,
stiffness, buckling and stress is acceptable)

Spring Design design spring from scratch
involves iterations!!
Given: Spring- 34ga Music Wire
D
m
= 1.0
L
f
= 3.0 L
i
= 2.5 L
o
= 2.0
Na = 15 (squared and ground end)

Find: Spring rate,
o
,
s
D
w
= .100 (table 19-2)
Spring Analysis Example:
Fo = k L = 9.875 lb/in (1 in) = 9.875 lb
operating force
L
f
- L
o
3 2

IS this stress ok? See figure 19-9
(severe or average service)
Spring Analysis Example:
o
Squared and ground
(Max force)
Spring Analysis Example:
IS this stress ok? See figure 19-9
(light service since only happens
once!!)
CHECK FOR
BUCKLING!!!
Given: L
o
= 2.0 in F
o
= 90lb
L
i
= 2.5 in F
i
= 30 lb
Severe service
Find: Suitable compression spring
. / 120
5 .
60
in lb
in
lb
L
F
k = =
A
A
=
i f
L L in
in lb
lb
k
F
L = = =
A
= A . 25 .
. / 120
30
in in in L L L
i f
75 . 2 25 . 5 . 2 = + = A + =
Looks OK compared
to ~ 3 in. length
Spring Design Example:
Generally all thats
given based on
application!!
Guess: D
m
= .75 in. Try: Cr Si Alloy, A-401
Guess:
allow
= 115 ksi (Figure 19-12)
3 / 1
) )( ( 06 . 3
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
allow
m
w
D F
D
t
. 1216 .
/ 000 , 115
) 75 )(. 90 ( 06 . 3
3 / 1
2
in
in lb
in lb
D
w
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Try: 11 gage = .1205 in. (Table 19-2)
Spring Design Example:
o
FROM APPENDIX 19-5:

severe allow
= 122 ksi (operating max.)

light allow
= 177 ksi (solid max.)
224 . 6
. 1205 .
. 75 .
= = =
in
in
D
D
C
w
m
242 . 1
615 .
4 4
1 4
= +

=
C C
C
K
( > 5, so OK )
Spring Design Example:
psi
in
lb
D
KFC
w
o
048 , 112
) 1205 (.
) 224 . 6 )( 90 )( 242 . 1 ( 8 8
2 2
= = =
t t
t OK < 122 ksi
Na
FC
fGD
GD
Na FC
f
w
q
= =
3
3
8
8
83 . 5
) 224 . 6 )( 90 ( 8
) 1205 )(. / 10 2 . 11 ( 75 .
3
2 6
= =
lb
in in lb x in
Na
Spring Design Example:
o
in in Na D L
w s
942 . ) 2 83 . 5 ( 1205 . ) 2 ( = + = + =
(squared and ground ends assumed)
lb in in in lb L L k L k F
s f s
217 ) 942 . 75 . 2 ( / 120 ) (
2
= = = A =
psi
in
lb
D
C KF
w
s
s
129 , 294
) 1205 (.
) 224 . 6 )( 217 )( 242 . 1 ( 8 8
2 2
= = =
t t
t
294 ksi > 177 ksi - WILL YIELD, NOT ACCEPTABLE
Spring Design Example:
How to check buckling:
667 . 3
75 .
75 . 2
= =
in
in
D
L
m
f
Critical ratio = ?
For any f
o
/L
f
This spring is below fixed end line and
fixed-pinned. If pinned-pinned critical ratio = .23
273 .
75 . 2
0 . 2 75 . 2
=

=
in
in in
L
f
f
o
.273 > .23: So it would buckle
Spring Design Example:
Trials
Dm Dw C Na s
1 1.00 0.1350 7.41 3.88 292
2 1.25 0.1483 8.43 2.89 280
3 0.75 0.1483 5.06 13.38 Ls > Lo
4 1.00 0.1483 6.74 5.64 185
5 1.00 0.1620 6.17 8.04 101
6 1.10 0.1620 6.79 6.04 140
Select one of these
Spring Design Example:
But.
allow
and K depend on D
w

SoGuess K is mid-range, about 1.2

Then:
Side Info: How determine initial estimate for D
w

3
8
w
m
D
KFD
t
t =
Equation for shear stress
where geometry is known
Re-arrange.
3 / 1
0
) )( ( 06 . 3
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
allow
m
w
D F
D
t
06 . 3
) 2 . 1 ( 8 8
= =
t t
K
This D
w
is about where to start for spring design. Both K and
allow

may be found for selected D
w
.