Helical Spring Dimensions: Find the Right Size for Your Needs
Posted by handaspring
Choosing the right size for a helical spring depends on the specific requirements of your application. The key dimensions of a helical spring include the outer diameter, inner diameter, wire diameter, total coils, free length, and body length.
Here’s how you can determine the right size for your helical spring:
Outer Diameter and Inner Diameter: These dimensions define the overall size of the spring. The outer diameter should be larger than the inner diameter to accommodate the spring’s coils. The gap between the outer diameter and inner diameter determines the spring’s load capacity .
Wire Diameter: This is the thickness of the metal wire that forms the spring’s coils. The wire diameter affects the spring’s rate (how fast it can compress or decompress) and its load capacity .
Total Coils: This refers to the number of times the spring’s wire winds around the core. More coils mean greater load capacity and longer life, but also increase the spring’s size .
Free Length: This is the length of the spring when it is unloaded and fully extended. It’s calculated by adding the length of the spring to its free length. This is an important factor in determining the maximum deflection of the spring .
Body Length: This is the length of the spring when it is fully compressed. It’s calculated by subtracting the free length of the spring from its total length .
Once you have determined these dimensions, you can use a spring calculator to verify if the spring will meet your application’s requirements in terms of load capacity, deflection, and rate.
