What is a Coil Spring? Types, Functions, and Applications

28 Oct.,2024

 

What is a Coil Spring? Types, Functions, and Applications

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Introduction to Coil Springs

Coil springs are used to absorb shock, maintain force, support structures and facilitate controlled movement in various mechanical applications. They can be used in a wide range of systems, from automotive components to industrial machinery.

 

Definition of a Coil Spring

A coil spring is a mechanical device made from elastic materials, such as metal wire, coiled into a helical shape. This design enables the spring to compress, extend, or rotate under load and then return to its original shape once the load is removed. The properties of coil springs allow them to store energy temporarily and release it as needed, providing solutions for managing force and motion in mechanical systems.

 

How Coil Springs Work

A coil spring functions by resisting force through compression or extension, absorbing energy when force is applied and then releasing that energy to return to its original shape. This mechanism allows it to manage shock, maintain force and facilitate controlled movements in various applications.

 

Types of Coil Springs

The three main types of coil springs include compression springs, tension springs and torsion springs; each has different advantages and functions.

 

Compression Springs

Compression springs store and release energy when subjected to a compressive force. As the spring compresses, it stores energy within its structure. When the force is removed, energy is released, and the spring expands to its original length. In their original state, compression spring coils have space between them; they absorb shock and maintain force between components.

 

Compression Springs at Work

Compression spring applications include automotive suspension systems, industrial machinery and valve and actuator systems. Other uses include everyday household items such as pens, door locks, mattress springs and buttons in electronic devices.

 

Tension Springs

This type of spring, also known as an extension spring, works by resisting a pulling force. It absorbs and stores energy as it extends and then at a certain length, will create a return force and bring two components back to their original position. In their original, unloaded state, the adjacent coils will touch each other - however, the initial tension must be overcome before a tension spring extends.

 

Tension Springs At Work

Tension springs are used in a wide range of industries for products such as trampolines, retracting seat belts, garage doors, power tools, motorsport throttle linking systems, vibrating screens in mining, plus architectural designs.

 

Torsion Springs

Torsion springs function by applying torque or rotational force. They activate when a force is applied to their arms, twisting the spring. The energy stored during this twisting motion is released as the spring returns to its original position. They are ideal for applications requiring controlled, rotational movements.

 

Torsion Springs & Their Functionality

Torsion springs are used in pegs for gripping clothes, garage door mechanisms for lifting and lowering the door, hinges to return doors to a closed position, mouse traps for the snapping mechanism, watches for the winding mechanism, and vehicle suspension systems for stabilising and controlling movement.

 

Design Considerations for Heavy-Duty Applications

When designing coil springs for heavy-duty applications, it is important to consider factors that ensure durability, efficiency, and performance under extreme conditions. Applications demand springs that can withstand high stresses without failing, and so the choice of materials, as well as spring rate, is fundamental to product success.

 

Material Composition

Common materials used in the coil spring manufacture process include stainless steel, carbon steel, chrome silicon, chrome vanadium, Inconel, elgiloy, titanium, phosphor bronze and beryllium copper. Each material varies in its strength, elasticity, corrosion resistance, and fatigue life. For example, high-grade steel alloys are commonly used for their excellent tensile strength and durability. Whereas, materials like stainless steel are preferred for environments where corrosion is a concern. Nickel and galvanised steel coatings can then further enhance corrosion resistance.

 

Spring Rate

The spring rate, or stiffness, indicates how a spring will perform under load. It is defined as the amount of load required to compress the spring by a unit of length. In heavy-duty applications, selecting a spring with the correct spring rate is essential to ensure that the spring can absorb the required forces without compromising its structural integrity or functionality. A higher spring rate indicates a stiffer spring, which is beneficial for applications involving heavy loads, but it must be balanced with the need for flexibility and shock absorption.

 

Applications of Coil Springs in Heavy-Duty Machinery

Coil springs are integral to heavy-duty machinery across various sectors, such as in the automotive, construction and agricultural industries. Let&#;s explore how they enhance performance, safety, and durability in these applications.

 

Automotive Industry

In the automotive industry, coil springs are used in car suspension systems to ensure vehicle stability, shock absorption, and comfort. They are designed to withstand the repetitiveness of daily use and harsh driving conditions across every vehicle type from domestic cars to heavy-duty trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles. Other uses include seat mechanisms, clutch assemblies, brake systems, engine valves and vibration dampening to reduce noise inside the vehicle.

 

For more information, please visit automotive suspension springs.

Construction Equipment

Construction equipment relies on coil springs for vibration control and operational efficiency. They are used in machinery such as bulldozers, excavators, and cranes to absorb shocks, maintain equipment alignment, and reduce wear and tear, ensuring reliability and safety on construction sites. Other common types of uses include concrete mixers, truck tailgates and vibrating screens and feeders.

 

Agricultural Machinery

Agricultural machinery, including tractors, combines, and ploughs, use coil springs to manage the uneven terrain and heavy loads. They maintain stability, improve ride quality, and extend the lifespan of machinery in demanding environments. Other uses include tractor seats, baler machinery, and sprayer arms for crops.

 

Custom Springs for Specific Needs

Compression springs, tension springs and torsion springs can be custom-made and manufactured to your specific needs. Our advanced hot and cold coiling technologies and manufacturing capabilities enable us to coil springs from 3mm to 65mm wire diameter. Plus, our prototyping and sample services enable you to test your product before it goes into production. 

Here is a quick overview of the process of designing a custom spring.

 

The Process of Designing Custom Springs

 

1. Free Consultation

Our free consultation explores the application of your spring. We find solutions to questions such as &#;What is its failure mode?&#; and &#;Are you looking to improve an existing design, or does it need to be lighter, stronger and more corrosion resistant?&#;

 

 2. Spring Specifications

We explore limiting factors and evaluate the final dimensions, then create a suitable production drawing that meets all of your requirements.

 

3. Material Research

We carry out material research, considering factors such as tensile strength, durability, efficiency and corrosion resistance, to find the best material for you.

 

4. New Design

Our spring technicians then develop a new coil spring design using the most advanced spring software programme - Optispring. Plus, we book a feedback session with you to evaluate the success of the design.

 

5. Prototypes & Samples

We deliver manufactured metal spring samples so that you can test them in real-world applications. This guarantees that you are happy with the spring and that it is reaching optimal performance before going into production.

 

6. Quality Check

Our quality team will then review various aspects of the process, including the initial drawings, testing procedures, powder coatings, and print markings, and then carry out the Almen Arc test. These steps ensure you are satisfied with every step of the approval process - and then production begins!

 

Conclusion

Coil springs are essential components in various mechanical applications in a wide range of industries. The three main types of coil springs are compression springs, tension springs and torsion springs - each works by resisting compression, extension or torsion forces. However, the main functions of all types of coil springs include shock absorption, maintaining force, supporting structures and facilitating controlled movement. It is important that materials and spring rates are considered for each type of coil spring during the design and manufacture process.

 

Contact Us for Custom Spring Solutions

Do you need guidance to select the best material for your custom spring?

At Lesjöfors, we work with a large range of materials and hold the largest global stocks of chrome silicon and chrome vanadium anywhere in the world. We can also optimise your spring performance with top-quality materials such as steel, copper and titanium alloys and super alloys, such as Inconel, Hastelloy and Nimonic. 

Get in touch with our expert team to receive expert guidance and find out how to order a custom spring. 

Get in touch with our experts

The Basics of Coil Springs and Their Impact on Suspension

Many factors will determine how your car&#;s suspension behaves on the road. That being said, coil springs are near the top of the list. Choosing the right set of springs can completely change the way your car drives.
Whether you&#;re looking for OEM performance, sportier, or more comfortable driving characteristics, you can do a lot of tweaking by merely using a different set of springs. Today we&#;ll cover the basics of spring selection, how this part affects ride height, and ride quality.

What are Coil Springs?

Coil springs are an integral part of modern automotive suspension systems. When combined with shock absorbers, coil springs serve to minimize the vibrations coming from the road surface. More importantly, automotive suspension works to keep the wheel on the ground at all times.
The grip is everything when it comes to control. If you don&#;t have positive contact between the road surface and the wheel, you essentially have no control over your vehicle.
Shock absorbers and springs work in unison to manage the way your car behaves on the road. Springs serve to soak up all of the energy coming from the road imperfections, acceleration, braking, etc. On the other hand, shocks are there to dissipate that energy optimally for the purposes of grip.

Different Types of Coil Springs

Although they come across as reasonably simple, coil springs are much more than just thick piece of iron that&#;s been bent into a helical shape. There&#;s far more to them than that. For starters, springs are created to match specific vehicles&#; weight and performance.
The way springs are coiled can tell a lot about their performance. Some are tuned to be linear in the way they respond to the road surface. On the other hand, progressive springs offer two very different performance profiles in a single spring.

Spring Rates

The whole progressive spring design vs. linear spring design leads us straight into spring rates. Spring rate tells us how stiff the spring is. In most cases, this rate is expressed in kilograms per mm. Here&#;s a simple example. Say your spring rate is 5kg/mm. That means that you&#;d have to place 5 kilograms of weight on a spring to compress it one millimeter.
There&#;s also a matter of sprung and unsprung weight, but we won&#;t go into that right now. These terms and many others will be covered in a more advanced coil spring guide!

Lowering Ride Height Using Different Springs

Spring rate is a factor when you decide to lower your car. As we all know, a vehicle with a lower center of gravity achieves a better grip. That&#;s suspension tuning 101. But, there&#;s a catch. You can&#;t just go and trim your springs to lower the car. Doing so would change your ride height but not your spring rate. As a result, you&#;d be left with a vehicle that pitches forward and backward far too much for its new height, thus running the risk of bottoming out.
The only way to do this properly is to fine-tune the spring rate to match the ride height. Understanding this simple concept will put you far ahead of many drivers who are just looking to slam their ride.

Selecting the Right Coil Spring

If there&#;s one piece of your suspension that you don&#;t want to cheap out on, it&#;s the coil springs. Sticking to proven brands is a surefire way to get the right ride quality and durability. Brands such as Lesjöfors are a safe bet and often the recommended choice.
Lesjöfors, in particular, makes high-quality springs that match OEM specs while they also run a line of aftermarket springs for those who want something more out of their car. The company is originally from Sweden and has more than 160 years of experience under its belt. Over the years, they&#;ve grown to cover a wide range of European car brands, going so far as to make coil springs for some pretty obscure models. Needless to say, you won&#;t have trouble finding a solid pair for your car.

Always Change Springs in Pairs

Springs fail from time to time. Sometimes you can catch the symptoms before it&#;s too late, other times, you can&#;t. What&#;s important is to change springs in pairs. The idea behind this advice is simple &#; springs tend to lose some of their properties over time. Endless cycles of compression and expansion will do that. When one spring fails, and you replace it with a brand new part, you&#;ll find that your car is sitting unevenly now.
The new spring will ride higher more often than not because it&#;s brand new, while the other side will sag. By buying coil springs in pairs, you can avoid this issue altogether.

Are Stiffer Springs Always the Answer?

Better handling is something most car enthusiasts appreciate. However, does that mean that stiff springs are the answer for everyone and every scenario? Not really, no. Installing a stiff set of springs can all but kill your ride quality. You&#;ll feel every single bump in the road, which will eventually leave you miserable. This is especially true if you&#;re stiffening up the suspension on your daily driver.
Stiff springs have their place on the track, but even then, any pro driver will tell you that it&#;s a matter of &#;sometimes, not always&#;. Think twice of even trice before charging headfirst into performance springs.

Where to Find Quality Springs?

If you&#;re looking for quality coil springs, check out our offer by entering your car&#;s info into our search tool. We offer a wide range of products made by some of the best brands in the business, such as Lesjöfors and many others. Our search tool will show you exactly which springs match your specific vehicle. In case you want an even more accurate selection, you can always use our VIN tool.
That being said, feel free to get in touch with our customer support if you have any additional questions regarding our offer. Our reps are gearheads just like you and will gladly help you narrow down the right coils for your car!

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