How to Make a Spring Steel Coil Strong and Long-Lasting

Coil springs are made of helically wound wires that perform a variety of functions. They are designed to absorb force and offer resistance when compressed.

Some spring steels have a unique property that allows them to be bent, compressed, extended or twisted repeatedly and then return to their original state without distortion. This property is called high yield strength.

Strength

Coil springs are used to absorb force and resist compression, but they must also be durable enough to withstand repeated cycles of stress. To ensure that spring steel coils can stand up to the test of time, manufacturers use a variety of processes to make them strong and long-lasting. They can be powder, epoxy, or polyester coated to protect them from rust and other environmental stresses. They can also be plated with nickel or zinc to improve their electrical conductivity, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.

The strength of a coil spring is determined by its yield strength, which hardened and tempered strip steel determines how much a spring can be stretched or compressed before it loses its ability to return to its original shape. This property is important because it can help to prevent spring failure and damage. The high yield strength of spring steels is a result of the alloying process and the hardening that takes place, which can occur through heat treatment or work hardening (a physical process in which the wire is hammered, rolled, drawn, etc. to increase its hardness).

Alloys for coil springs are generally made of low-alloy manganese, medium-alloy carbon, or high-alloy chrome silicon steels. Stainless steel is another option, though it does not perform well in environments with extreme temperatures or chemically aggressive media. Other types of metals can be used to produce coil springs, including nickel based alloys such as Inconel 718. This age-hardened nickel, chromium, and molybdenum alloy is able to withstand corrosion in the harshest of conditions.

Durability

Spring steel coils are manufactured with various alloyed metals, primarily alloys of steel. The most common types of spring alloys include high-carbon spring steels, stainless spring steels, and copper-based spring alloys. These alloys have mechanical properties that can withstand immense impacts and heavy loads. They are also known to have excellent fatigue resistance.

In order to guarantee the durability of springs, they must undergo certain manufacturing and quality control processes. For instance, all finished springs are subject to dimensional testing and compared to expected performance parameters. This testing can help manufacturers identify manufacturing problems and improve production processes.

Aside from dimensional tests, a spring can also be subjected to different forms of stress and corrosion test. These tests are designed to evaluate the tensile strength, fatigue behavior and corrosion resistance of the metal used in the spring. This information is then used to predict how long the spring can function before it fails.

In addition to these tests, a coil spring must be properly stored to prevent damage and maintain its strength. This includes keeping them in a dry environment with low humidity levels to avoid rust and corrosion. It is also important to store them in a vertical position instead of stacking them on top of each other. This will prevent them from losing their elasticity due to pressure over time.

Weight

The weight of spring steel coil depends on the type and grade of steel used. It’s also important to consider the dimensions of the coils and how the material will be used.

The majority of spring steels are created using medium to high carbon grades that have been heat treated and alloyed with elements like silicon, manganese, vanadium, chromium, nickel and low-alloy manganese. These alloys enable the steel to have a higher elastic limit, meaning that it can be bent, compressed or extended beyond its normal limits and then returned to its original shape without suffering permanent deformation.

A key feature of this particular type of steel is that it can be used for a wide variety of applications thanks to its durability, strength, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. It is often used in the creation of bridges as it can withstand a large amount of stress and pressure.

It’s also used to create clips and fasteners as it can be formed, shaped and post heat treated to achieve the required qualities. This makes it one of the most versatile general use materials available.

Corrosion Resistance

Corrosion of metal springs occurs when the alloy they are made from reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air. This reaction forms red rust deposits on the surface of the spring, reducing its lifespan. This is why it is so important for metal springs to have the right coatings and treatments to protect them from corrosive environments.

There are different kinds of steel used to make coil springs, including stainless, low-alloy, and hard drawn. Each has its own strengths and applications, Annealed Steel Strip but only some of them have good corrosion resistance. The best spring alloys for corrosion resistance are those with higher tensile strength and lower elongation rate.

Stainless steel has good corrosion resistance, particularly stainless spring alloys like Type 302 with 13 percent chromium and 18 percent nickel. Other stainless steels with high tensile strength include Type 431 with 16 percent chromium and Type 505 with 22 percent chromium.

The corrosion resistance of a coil spring is dependent on its alloy, the prevailing environment, and other factors. General corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and stress corrosion fatigue can decrease the tensile strength and load-carrying capacity of a helical spring. These effects can be mitigated by using inert materials, specifying protective coatings, and shot peening.

Another way to improve a coil spring’s corrosion resistance is to use a pre-plated wire. This is a step that can be performed during the manufacturing process. Alternatively, it can be done in a post-manufacturing service. The process involves reheating and cooling the steel, which restores the balance at the atomic level to prevent stress corrosion cracking. Ulbrich can perform this service on your 301 strip in our continuous furnaces.