The Basic Types of Helical Springs

 

Helical springs come in four basic categories: compression, extension, torsion, and spring guides. They are versatile, in that they are used in many different types of applications. You might find them used by the medical industry, automotive, and construction industries. Industrial equipment often requires the use of precision and strength in the design and materials of their parts. Before you can begin the design of the components you need, you will have to determine which of the categories is most appropriate:

Compression

These springs have an open coil system that are designed to oppose compression along the axis of the wind. In other words, loosely wound coils resist the force of compression, the amount of force resisted can be affected by adjusting the tightness of the wind. This is the most common type of configuration and they are commonly used in combination with a rod or are fitted inside a cylindrical hole.

Extension

This type of coil is designed to absorb energy or to store energy. In general, they will be used to create resistance to tensile forces. The degree of tension is determined by how tightly wound the coils are. These coils may be used in industrial robots, as door locks, or in perambulators.

Torsion 

These coils are characterized by their twisting strength. The flexible wind of the object stores mechanical energy. As the coil is twisted more tightly, the force, or torque, becomes stronger in the opposite direction. Torsion helical springs are used to operate clothespins, garage doors, and the suspension systems on automobiles. Naturally, these systems are available in many different sizes from very tiny to very big and powerful.

Spring Guides

These guides are known by a number of different names, such as coil pipes, medical springs, and cable sheaths. They are long and slender and are used to provide flexible support within a project. They may be found in bicycle brakes, control cables on animatronics, or might be used as reinforcement inside of plastic tubing.

The use of the helical spring is common, but should not be under-valued. This powerful and flexible tools handle a great deal of force in many different directions and with a variety of results.