About Torsion Spring, Compression spring, Tension spring
Often ignored the industrial springs are a very necessary component of any machine and there use is widespread. A lot of springs appear similar in their looks to anyone who is not much aware of the design and functioning of these springs. To provide useful information on the common types of industrial springs we have compiled this blog. Read to know more.
Industrial springs
Made up of different types of raw materials, industrial springs come in varied shapes, sizes, and designs. We all are familiar with springs and their use to some extent but their main uses and how they function is a vital piece of information to gather and being aware of the common industrial spring types will help you understand when and where you can use them with complete precision.
Types of Industrial springs
The importance of industrial springs is undeniable. They make an indispensable part of the machinery in doing motion control in industrial equipment. They come in all types of custom designs, and variations but based on industrial applications the springs of prime importance are — compression spring, tension spring, and torsion spring.
To help you know all the three prime types of industrial springs better here’s detailed info related to all the three springs.
Compression springs
Compression springs are designed in a way to resist any compression happening along the axis of the spring. These are the most commonly used springs and they store the energy quite efficiently. When an outside force is applied in the spring it gets compressed, its length shortens, and the spring stores energy. As the spring tries to get to its original position it releases energy and by doing so it pushes the load applied to it.
There are many types of compression springs available. One more example of slightly different looking compression spring is wave springs. Wave springs are made of flat wires with waves added to each turn of the wire. This addition of waves in the wave spring results in the generation of a high spring force with a lower working height in comparison to an average traditional round wire compression springs.
Compression spring experience zero loads at zero deflection. Compression spring can be compressed to its solid height but no further than that.
Extension/tension springs
Tension springs or the extension springs resist the tensile force occurring in the spring due to the application of an outside force or load. When a tension force or load is applied on the extension spring it forces the tightly wound coils of a tension spring to open and get extended while pulling the individual coils far from each other. The extension springs are coiled with an initial tension and the stretching of the spring creates a pulling force that tries to return the spring in its original shape.
The ends of extension springs are loop-shaped so that they can be easily attached to the components that need to be held together and pulled close with the help of spring’s tension force. A tension spring has no mechanism for overload prevention and maximum extension can happen as a result of overload and tension springs can face permanent deflection due to overload.
Extension springs experience load even at zero deflection. The many uses of tension spring are dependent on its ability to absorb and store energy and to pull back to regain its normal shape. This occurs as a result of the tightly wound coil design of the tension spring.
Torsion springs
The use of torsion spring is to resist the twisting force or torque. This helically wound spring has arms that rotate about the spring’s central axis. These spring arms are available to get connected to any external component that applies a load to the spring. The load can be applied in the direction to decrease the spring’s diameter. Cloths pin make a good example of torsion spring.
The torsion springs are available in varied sizes and leg designs. When there is a need for high torque the effect can be created by the combined use of two joined torsion springs that are spaced adequately and this is called double torsion spring. The double torsion spring has two coil sets — one coil set is coiled in right-hand direction and the other one is coiled in left-hand direction producing a torque that is total of both. For more customization in the torsion spring designs, you will need to consult an engineer.
The main use of torsion springs is in swing-down tailgates, garage doors, clothespins, counterbalances, etc.
In The End
By using good-quality industrial springs you can ensure the long life of your equipment. At the same time, the correct and detailed information about the most commonly used spring types will guide you to use them efficiently and deepen your understanding of how these springs function and what customization can be done to ensure you get the desired results.