Compression spring

What are Compression spring?

A compression spring, also known as helical compression spring, is a mechanical device in the shape of a helix made form spring wire. These springs are designed and used to resist applied compressive forces of to store energy in the push mode. Compression springs are the most common spring configuration and are found in many applications such as automotive, aerospace and consumer goods.

Types of compression springs

The most widely used form of compression spring is the straight cylindrical spring made form round wire, although square or rectangular wire is also used. Anyway, many other forms are produced such as conical or tapered, barrel or convex, hourglass or concave, variable pitch…. Compression springs are linear and thus have the same rate per inch throughout the entire spring.

Such configurations are used to reduce solid height, buckling and surging or to produce nonlinear load deflection characteristics. Energy storage is greater for rectangular wire compression springs, also called “die springs”, however round wire rates can be increased if springs are nested inside one another. Rectangular wire is used to reduce solid height or increase the space efficiency of the design.

Compression springs characteristics

Regarding compression spring ends, they are usually closed and square and these ends can also be closed and ground or have open ends so, the four main end configurations are closed and squared, closed and ground, open and double closed ends. Furthermore a compression spring can have hooks on one or both ends so as to fasten it to a particular assembly. The ends can also be close wound for a certain number of coils on the ends permitting the spring to remain in a vertical position. Furthermore, compression springs can have dual diameters as well as triple diameters for achieving different assembly situations.

A compression spring can be wound in either a left hand or right hand direction, similar to a screw type thread. In applications such as one spring operating inside another, it is necessary to coil the springs so that the helices are in opposite directions, right and left. If a spring screws onto a thread, the direction of the helix should match that of the thread.