Although metal is the best material to manufacture springs, there are other materials. The end-user is the one to determine the material and shape that the spring will take.
When producing metal springs, you can use different types of materials. Since each material has its properties, it’s crucial to remember when selecting or designing a spring. Stainless steel, Music Wire, and Chrome Silicon are the most popular materials used. They offer certain benefits based on the spring application. For the best selection, look into the materials properties to get the correct one.
What Are Springs?
Once you subject the springs to compressive, tensile, torsional, or bending forces, the flexible machine components tend to store mechanical energy. Also, when you deflect the spring, it simultaneously stores energy and exerts opposing force.
The spring characteristics are based on the relationship between the force applied and the deflection amount. The most basic form is the helical, cylindrical spring with a standard pitch. This spring type is a spooled round wire that forms a cylindrical shape. It’s typically seen in engine valves, dampers, vehicle suspension systems, etc.
Materials Used in Manufacturing Springs
Generally, they are manufactured from hardened steel. Manufacturers can utilize pre-hardened steel before making the spring or even hardening it after the formation process. The most basically-employed spring steels are stainless steel, music wire, or chrome silicon.
These materials are great for different situations.
Music Wire
It is the most typical material used in spring manufacturing. It’s the kind that can resist a maximum temperature of 121ºC (250ºF) with C41-60 as the Rockwell hardness. The factors that make it significant are the fact that it’s economical and robust. But, it’s not advisable for springs that you expose to moist or humid environments, as it’s easy to rust in such conditions. You can use the material where humidity and high temperatures aren’t a factor.
Stainless Steel
Popularly, it’s the material used to make metal coil springs. Contrary to the famous belief, the music wire is usually sturdier than stainless steel. Unlike music wire, the stainless steel withstands much greater temperatures and won’t rust in corrosive or humid conditions. It makes stainless steel springs great for medical uses and high-temperature seasons.
Chrome Silicon
Thanks to its excellent performance levels, extraordinary resilience to higher temperatures, and exceptional strength, chrome silicon is among the most known spring materials. It’s a material that’s highly desired to make spring.
Copper
It’s a fairly malleable and soft metal making it unsuitable for heavy loads compared to stainless steel. However, suppose you need to transfer power charge, beryllium copper can offer the anti-corrosion and impact strength properties that suit your requirements. Mostly, it’s applied in electrical uses; thus, copper springs are crucial for your end-use product.
Take Away
GL Metal tests every type of material used to make springs to ensure their durability and strength are as needed and can hold any strain or stress. If you wish to understand GL Metal’s processes during spring manufacturing procedures, then you should contact them today; they’ll be happy to assist.
