MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. AN ENGINEERING COMMUNITY.

THE MAGAZINE OF ASME

Which Spring to Choose: Coiled Wire vs. Machined, a Comparison

By Gary L. Boehm

Wire springs rank among those technological marvels whose value is immediately recognizable. We
find compression, extension, or torsion springs just about everywhere, from screen doors to keyboards.
Advances in materials and manufacturing technology have improved springs in the centuries since they
were introduced, early in the Industrial Revolution, but the basic idea is the same: spring wire is coiled
hot or cold to create an elastic device.

Not all springs are coiled wire, though. There is an alternative in machined springs. They cost more
than wire wound springs, but where the application calls for it, machined springs can put unique
properties to work.

Although any machinable material including plastics can be used, metal in the form of bar stock is most
common the starting point for machined springs. The bar stock is first machined into a thick wall tube
form, and then a helical slot is cut revealing multiple coils. When deflected, these coils provide the
desired elasticity
.
The cost to manufacture machined springs greatly exceeds that of winding wire springs. Wire wound
springs can be created with just a few seconds of process time, where a machined spring requires
minutes at a minimum. The machines used to create both forms are highly specialized and benefit from
computer numerical controls.

Examples of wire springs and machined spring.

The cross-section of coils found on wire wound springs is typically round. Sometimes the cross-section
is rectangular or rectangular with rounded OD and ID surfaces. The rectangular forms, which are less
common because they cost more, provide increased stiffness and compactness of design. The
orientation is usually with the long side of the rectangle radial, although it is also possible to orient the
long side longitudinally.

Rectangular wire comes in set sizes. To venture away from those sizes will usually increase cost and
lead time.
.
The coils of machined springs can be made in forms that cost more in wire springs: square, rectangular,
or trapezoidal. Trapezoidal coils are common to springs used in lateral bending and lateral translation.
The shape allows for additional lateral motion without coil contact.
Orientation of the rectangular coils can be radial or longitudinal. There are no standard sizes to the
coils.

On wire wound springs the slots—that is, the space between the coils—is typically uniform for
torsional springs. Coils of compression springs are uniform too, but the end slots usually taper to zero.
This feature is created by an additional forming process known as “closing” the ends.
.
Extension springs can have a uniform slot width from zero to almost any size. If desired, the coils can
be prestressed so that an extension spring exhibits a zero slot and the coils do not start to separate until
a force threshold is reached.
.
Currently, machined springs come with minimum slot of about 0.020 inch (0.51 mm). Wider slots, but
generally not exceeding 0.250 inch (6.35mm), are possible. The slot width can be closed to near zero
using a stress relieving process, but no prestressing is currently available.

Coiled wire vs. machined: These springs have the same length, outer diameter, and compression rate
If a compression spring application requires the absolutely best repeatability to support calibration or
high precision uses, it is best that the coils never touch. Even better, the minimum slot width needs to
be wide enough to not permit any interference between the coils from restricting or changing the
compression motion. Machined springs are ideal for calibration and precision usages from this
standpoint.

The sizes of wire wound springs range from very small delicate springs made from cold forming fine
wire to very large, hot-rolled ones that originate as bar stock. This range is quite impressive.

Machined spring sizes are limited by machining practicality. The smallest are about 0.100 inch (2.54
mm) in diameter, and the largest are 6.0 inches (152 mm) across. Maximum length is about 24 inches
(610 mm), but this applies to 1.0-inch (25.4mm) to 3.0-inch (76 mm) diameter springs. Smaller or
larger diameter springs will need to be shorter.

Wire wound springs can be made very long, as in a garter spring. Length is limited only by the quantity
of continuous wire available on the feed spool.

Machined springs, on the other hand, are limited to about 30 coils. Indeed, machined springs with more
coils than that are rare.

Source: http://memagazine.asme.org/Web/Which_Spring_Choose_Coiled.cfm
 REFERENTES TEXTUALES

OBJETIVOS:

 Identificar la información que sustituyen los referentes textuales.

 Responder a preguntas de comprensión

I. PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

¿Sabe Ud. cómo elegir un resorte?

GLOSSARY:

Coiled: espiral
Coil: bobina, anillo
Garter: toroidal
Hot-rolled: laminado en caliente
Spring: resorte, muelle
Stiffness: rigidez
Winding: bobina
II. READING ACTIVITIES

A. Answer, IN SPANISH, the following questions:

1. What the basic idea underlying a spring?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________

2. Explain the creation of wire wound spring.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________

3. Describe the cross-section of coils.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________
4. How can the coils of machined springs be made?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________

5. How do machine springs come currently?

 ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
________________

B. Complete the following sentences IN SPANISH.

1. We find ____________________________________________________ just about

everywhere, from screen doors to keyboards.

2. The bar stock is first machined into____________________________________________,

and then a helical slot is________________________________________________. When
deflected, these coils provide the desired elasticity.

3. The orientation is usually with______________________________________________,

although it is also possible to orient
______________________________________________________.

4. Extension springs can have

_______________________________________________________. If desired, the coils
_________________________________________so that an extension spring exhibits a zero
slot and the coils do not start__________________________________________.

III. POST-READING ACTIVITIES

Write down, IN SPANISH, the information being substituted by the following referential words
and phrases.

1. those technological marvels(P1,L1):

_________________________________________________
2. whose (P1, L1):
__________________________________________________________________
3. they (P1, L3):
____________________________________________________________________
4. that (P4, L1):
____________________________________________________________________
5. both (P4, L3):
____________________________________________________________________
6. which (P5, L2):
___________________________________________________________________
7. this (P9, L3):
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____
8. ones (P13, L2):
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____
9. this (P13, L2):
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____
10. that (P16,
L2):____________________________________________________________________

WORDS TO REMEMBER:

Between: entre
But: pero
Currently: actualmente
Generally: por lo general, típicamente
If: si (condición)
That is: es decir
Typically: generalmente, típicamente
Though: sin embargo, aunque