Types of Springs

What is a Spring?
Spring is an elastic object that stores mechanical energy and is usually made of steel.
When a conventional spring (without stiffness) is compressed or stretched from its rest
position, it exerts an opposing force approximately proportional to the change in length.

The spring rate or spring constant is the change in its force, divided by the difference in
the spring's deflection. Simply put, it is the gradient of the force versus deflection curve.
The rate of an extension or compression spring is expressed in units of force divided by
distance (N/m or lbf/in).

Nowadays, springs are used in almost every industry. In addition, there are many
spring designs, shapes, and sizes available. Each type of spring can be further
characterized. To understand all these, we are going to discuss different types of
springs, their advantages, and disadvantages, along with their applications.

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Types of Springs
1. Helical springs
2. Extension springs
3. Torsion springs
4. Compression springs
5. Spiral springs
6. Disk springs
7. Leaf springs
8. Linear springs
9. Variable-rate springs
10. Flat springs
11. Machined springs
12. Molded springs
13. Serpentine spring
14. Gas springs
15. Balance springs

#1 Helical Springs

Helical springs are regarded as the most common type of springs in product
manufacturing. These types of springs are wrapped so that they look like a thread.
Wires in a helix shape (like the name) with different cross-sections can form helical
springs.

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These springs generally operate on Hooke's law which states that within the limits of
elasticity, the applied stress is directly proportional to the tension produced. These are
highly reliable and can offer a constant spring rate. Helical springs are further divided
into four main types, discussed below.

Advantages of Helical Spring Disadvantages of Helical Spring

Helical springs are highly reliable The main drawback of helical springs is that
compared to other types. they are quite expensive.
They have an excellent constant spring
There is also the problem of load bearings.
rate.
These springs generally have good
stability.

#2 Extension Springs

Extension springs are designed to absorb and store energy, as well as to resist pulling
force. When pull force is applied, it results in the extension of the spring. Unlike
compression springs, extension springs are closed coils and are also known as tension
springs.

These springs are usually attached to other components at both ends, and when they
are separated, the spring tries to bring them together again. Extension springs
experience loads at zero deflection due to their initial tension. It is commonly used in
automotive interiors and exteriors applications, garage door assemblies, carburetors,
etc.

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Advantages of Extension Spring Disadvantages of Extension Spring

These can fully expand and contract when Extension springs generally require more
operating overhead doors. parts.
There is a possibility of wear and tear
This spring can last up to 10,000 cycles.
with extension springs.

#3 Torsion Springs

Torsion springs work by rotating their end along their axis, a flexible elastic object that
stores mechanical energy when twisted. When it is rotated, it exerts torque in the
opposite direction, which is proportional to the amount of rotation.

Because of the rotation, these springs use the radial direction when the force is acting
radially. These are generally seen in applications that rotate less than 360 degrees.
Torsion springs last a long time and can be easily adjusted in all types of vehicles. It is
commonly used in clothes pins, clipboards, swing-down tailgates, and garage doors.

Advantages of Torsion Spring Disadvantages of Torsion Spring

These springs are solid and last for a long Torsion springs generally cannot
time. provide a progressive spring rate.
A torsion spring is easy to lubricate and
maintain compared to an extension spring.
These springs allow for controlled motion.

#4 Compression Springs

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 Types of Springs

The compression spring is usually of coil type, which offers resistance to the force
exerted to compress the spring. These are usually pressed or squeezed by the load and
can resist compressive or push force.

The perfect example of its application is the ballpoint pen, which is responsible for the
popping result. In addition, it is also applied in valve and suspension system
applications. In addition to their benefits, they can provide constant pressure and return
the component to its desired state.

Advantages of Compression Spring Disadvantages of Compression Spring

Compression springs may oppose the
Compression springs are expensive.
movement of another component.
The spring loses its shape and stability
It can return the component to its desired state.
when it is overused.
These springs usually provide constant If the spring is broken, it isn't easy to
pressure. repair.

#5 Spiral Springs

Spiral springs consist of coiled wire usually in a flat spiral or a helix shape. These
springs are commonly used for energy storage. These types of springs are made by
joining rectangular metal strips to plane spirals.

When used, it stores an appropriate amount of energy and can release it at a constant
rate. This continuous release feature makes it suitable for mechanical watches, toys, and
seat recliners.

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#6 Disk Springs

Also known as Belleville springs, these are ideal for high-load applications, especially
where space is limited. This spring is composed of a convex disc where the outer edge is
driven opposite the center of the disc. Due to this, it creates a high spring force within a
small area of movement.

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 Types of Springs

Disc spring supports high loads with relatively small deflection and has low solid
height compared to standard helical designed springs. These types of springs are
versatile and are utilized in manufacturing and plant applications. Disc springs are
further classified into four types which are described below.

Advantages of Disc Springs Disadvantages of Disc Springs

Disc springs provide high energy storage Load deviation in disc spring is
capacity and long service life. difficult to guarantee.
Using these springs saves space.
It gives good shock absorption and energy
dissipation.

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#7 Leaf Springs

A leaf spring made of several strips of metal curved slightly upwards and clamped
together on top of each other. It is a simple form of spring commonly used for
suspension in wheeled vehicles. These are made of rectangular metal plates, also known
as leaves.

These are sometimes referred to as the elliptical spring, or cart spring, one of the oldest
spring forms. A leaf spring forms a thin arc-shaped length of spring steel of a
rectangular cross-section. In the most common type, the center of the arc provides space
for the axle, while loops at either end provide for attachment to the vehicle chassis.

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Advantages of Leaf Spring Disadvantages of Leaf Spring

Leaf springs are light in weight and are Ride comfort is not as good due to the inter-leaf
known to be strong. friction between each leaf.
This spring provides good support to As time passes, these springs lose their shape
the axle and chassis. and can sag.
It can withstand a higher amount of
load than helical springs.

#8 Linear Springs

The linear spring has the same diameter along its entire length, and this uniform
diameter provides it with a constant spring rate. In other words, the rate of the spring
does not change regardless of the load acting on the spring, and the deflection of the
spring will be proportional to the applied force.

Some linear springs store energy through compression rather than expansion. For
instance, when you compress a spring in a typical jack, you work on the spring, which
is stored in the spring as energy. These types of springs are also known as constant rate
springs.

#9 Variable-rate Springs

The spring rate of variable-rate springs increases with spring deflection. A variable-rate
spring does not have the same spring rate across its axial length and is usually not
constant or linear. These springs are employed when the manufacturer wants to control
the spring rate.

A cone-shaped compression variable spring is typically found in the battery box. These
springs may have multiple rates, or while the spring is compressing, they may have a
progressively increasing or decreasing spring rate. This offers many advantages, and
many products rely on variable-rate springs to deliver optimum performance.

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#10 Flat Springs

Flat springs generally come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. These are made from steel
and are ideally suited for applications where space is limited or where spring can be
used as part of a mounting assembly.

These are essentially sheet metal parts that can be formed by stamping. Spring washers,
PCB spring contacts, and retainer clips are good examples of flat springs. However,
there are also coiled flat springs, such as clock springs and volute springs. They also
require heat treatment to shape.

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#11 Machined Springs

A machined spring is a piece of material that has been precisely designed and machined
to the spring characteristics. As the name suggests, machined springs are typically
made on CNC lathes and mills.

It is designed to provide precise performance in the form of compression, extension,

torsion, lateral translation, or lateral bending spring. These types of springs are used for
heavy-duty applications with high strength and precision requirements.

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#12 Molded Springs

Molded springs are nothing but plastic or composite springs commonly found in
corrosive environments such as food production, medicine, and marine applications.
Because of the creep, molded springs should be used only in irregular cycles.

The mold spring mainly has a small installation volume, excellent elasticity, strong
rigidity, high precision, a rectangular material shape, surface color separation coating,
and an aesthetic appearance. Compared to regular springs, they are relatively new to
space, and supplies are not as great.

#13 Serpentine Spring

Serpentine springs zigzag on the seat or back and provide excellent comfort and
durability. These springs are springs made from steel wire shaped into a continuous (S)
shape.

They have higher quality, are thicker, more stable, and are usually corrosion resistant.
These types of springs are made from rigid spring steel wire and are delivered on a roll
to the sofa manufacturer. Some zig-zag springs are thin and are often installed in
inexpensive sofas.

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#14 Gas Springs

A gas spring uses compressed gas (Nitrogen gas and oil) within
an enclosed cylinder sealed by a sliding piston to store potential
energy pneumatically and to withstand an external force
applied in a parallel direction of the piston shaft.

These are rods that provide support for doors, hatches, lids, and
covers that are hinged horizontally. They act as supports in
various ways, including raising, positioning, and lowering.
Since they are versatility, therefore they are used in a wide
variety of applications.

#15 Balance Springs

It is a spring that is attached to the balance wheel in a

mechanical timepiece. This causes the balance wheel to
oscillate with a resonant frequency when the timepiece moves.
It controls the speed at which the timepiece's wheels turn, thus
the rate of movement of the hands.

The balance spring is a fine spiral or helical torsion spring used

in mechanical watches, kitchen timers, and alarm clocks to
control the balance wheel's oscillation rate. The balance spring is an essential accessory
for the balance wheel, causing it to oscillate back and forth.

Wrapping It Up
As we have already discussed above, springs generate a large deflection and are used
for many applications. Generally, most springs are made of steel. These can be
connected in series as well as parallel.

So now, I expect I’ve covered everything about “Types of Springs“. If you still have
any doubts or questions on this topic, you can contact us or ask in the comments. If you
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