Mechanical Design II – ME441

Data Sheet – Spring

Helical Spring: Spring Index:

Solid Length:

Compressed Length:
C.L = solid length + total gap

Terminology of Helical Spring:

Free Length:
The main dimensions of a helical spring
subjected to compressive force are shown in
Fig. 10.4. They are as follows:
 Mechanical Design II – ME441
Data Sheet – Spring

Stiffness of the Spring: Torsional Shear Stress:

where,
k = stiffness of the spring (N/mm)
P = axial spring force (N)
d = axial deflection of the spring
corresponding to the force P (mm).
Resultant Shear Stress:
There are various names for stiffness of
spring such as rate of spring, gradient of
spring, scale of spring or simply spring
constant. Shear Stress correction factor:

The number of inactive coils is given by, The shear stress correction factor (Ks) is
defined as:

Styles of end:

AM Wahl1 derived the equation for resultant

stress, which includes torsional shear stress,
direct shear stress and stress concentration
due to curvature. This equation is given by:
Torsional Moment:

Where: where K is called the stress factor or Wahl

factor.
P = load acting.
D = Coil diameter.
 Mechanical Design II – ME441
Data Sheet – Spring

The Wahl factor is given by:

Combined Factors:
Ks = factor to account for direct shear stress
Kc = factor to account for stress
concentration due to curvature effect.
The combined effect of these two factors is
given by:
K = Ks Kc
where K is the factor to account for the
combined effect of two factors.
Angle of twist:

Strain Energy:
 Mechanical Design II – ME441
Data Sheet – Spring

Series Springs: Parallel Springs:

 Mechanical Design II – ME441
Data Sheet – Spring

Wire Diameter (d): Number of active coils (N):

𝟖𝑷𝑫𝟑 𝑵
𝜹𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 =
𝑮𝒅𝟒
Where:
OR δ = given deflection (mm).
P = The load. In case of two loads, take (P1-P2) (N).
D = mean coil diameter (mm).
N = number of active coils.
Where:
G = modulus of rigidity (for steel 81370 N/mm2).
τ = permissible shear stress = 0.3 – 0.5 of Sut
(N/mm2). d = wire diameter (mm).
Total Number of coils (NT):

(Wahl factor) 𝐍𝐓 = 𝐍 + 𝟐
C = spring index usually given. Or assume a suitable where:
value for the spring index (C). For industrial N = number of active coils.
applications, the spring index varies from 8 to 10. A
spring index of 8 is considered as a good value. The 2 represent the number of inactive coils and usually
spring index for springs in valves and clutches is 5. taken as 2.
The spring index should never be less than 3.
Sometimes the question mentions the style of end. In
P = The maximum load (N). the following table the equation is:

d = wire diameter (mm). Nactive = Nt – Ninactive

D = mean coil diameter (mm).

Mean Coil diameter (D):

where:
C = spring index.
d = wire diameter (mm).
Solid Length:

d = wire diameter (mm).

 Mechanical Design II – ME441
Data Sheet – Spring

Compressed length: Required Spring rate (k):

C.L = solid length + total gap
Where:

Where:
Usually, the gap assumed 1. The range is gap of 0.5 P = The load. In case of two loads, take (P1-P2).
to 2 mm between adjacent coils, when the spring is
under the action of maximum load. δ = Given deflection (mm).

Free length: Actual Spring Rate:

Where:
δ = Actual deflection, which has to be found from D = mean coil diameter (mm).
this relationship:
N = number of active coils.
𝟑
𝟖𝑷𝑫 𝑵 G = modulus of rigidity (for steel 81370 N/mm2).
𝜹𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 =
𝑮𝒅𝟒
d = wire diameter (mm).
Where:
Load in multiple springs:
P = The maximum load.
𝑷𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍
N = number of active coils is found from previous 𝑷=
steps, just substitute.
𝑵𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔

D = mean coil diameter (mm).

G = modulus of rigidity (for steel 81370 N/mm2).
d = wire diameter (mm).
Pitch Coil (p):