DESIGN OF SPRINGS

Dr. Bharat Vinjamuri

What is a Spring ?
A spring is defined as an elastic body, whose function is to distort when loaded
and to recover its original shape when the load is removed.
Applications of Spring
Absorb energy due to shock or vibration
Car springs, railway buffers, air-craft landing gears, shock absorbers.
Apply forces : Brakes, Clutches and Spring-loaded valves.
Control motion by maintaining contact between two elements
Cams and followers.
Measure forces : Spring balances and engine indicators.
Store energy : Watches, Toys, etc.
Types of Springs

➢ Helical springs

➢ Conical and volute springs

➢ Torsion springs

➢ Laminated or leaf springs

➢ Disc or Belleville springs

➢ Special purpose springs

Types of Springs

➢ Helical springs

• Primarily intended for compressive or tensile loads.

• The cross-section of the wire from which the spring is made

may be circular, square or rectangular.

Compression Helical springs. Tension Helical springs.

Types of Springs

➢ Torsion springs
• The helical type - Applications where the load tends to wind up the spring
and are used in various electrical mechanisms.

• The spiral type - The load tends to increase the number of coils and when
made of flat strip are used in watches and clocks.

Tensile and
Compressive
stresses

Helical torsion springs.

Spiral torsion springs.
Types of Springs

➢ Laminated Leaf Springs

• Also known as flat spring or carriage spring
• Consists of several flat plates (known as leaves) of varying lengths held
together by means of clamps and bolts.
• These are mostly used in automobiles.
Tensile and
Compressive
stresses
Types of Springs

➢ Disc or Bellevile Springs

• These springs consist of a number of conical discs held together

• These springs are used where compact spring units are required.

Tensile and
Compressive
stresses
Material for Helical Springs
The material of the spring should have
✓ High fatigue strength …. High ductility ….. High resilience …. Creep resistant.

Properties depends upon the service for which they are used
✓ Severe service: Continuous loading…
✓ Automotive valve springs
✓ Average service : Intermittent operation,
✓ Ex: Governor springs and automobile suspension springs.
✓ Light service: Static or very infrequently varied loads
✓ Ex: Safety valve springs
Material for Helical Springs
Oil-tempered carbon steel wires → G = 80 GPa
0.60 to 0.70 % Carbon
0.60 to 1.0 % Manganese
Music Wire
High carbon steel wire → G = 80 Gpa
Stainless Steel wire → G = 70 GPa
Non-ferrous materials
Phosphor bronze → G = 44 GPa
Monel metal → G = 44 GPa
Brass → G = 35 GPa
Helical Springs
(Notations)

D = Mean diameter of the spring coil,

d = Diameter of the spring wire,
F, W = Axial load on the spring
i = Number of active coils,
Do = Outside diameter of the spring = D + d
Di = Inside diameter of the spring = D - d
G = Modulus of rigidity for the spring material,
τ = Maximum shear stress induced in the wire,
C = Spring index = D/d,
p = Pitch of the coils, and
δ, y = Deflection of the spring
Stress in Springs
Stress in Springs
Stress in Springs
Stress in Springs
Stress in Springs
Stress in Springs
Deflection in Springs in Springs
Springs

Design of Helical Springs

Circular c/s
Rectangular c/s
Square c/s
Springs used in valves
Springs used in Clutches
Springs used in governors
Springs to stop moving bodies
Springs to stop falling bodies
Concentric Springs
Springs with fluctuating loads
Design of Leaf Springs
Design of Bellivile Springs
End Connections for Compression Helical Springs
The end connections for compression helical springs are suitably formed in order to
apply the load.
End Connections for Compression Helical Springs
Design Procedure - Helical Springs (Circular c/s)
Design Procedure - Helical Springs (Circular c/s)
Design Procedure - Helical Springs (Circular c/s)
Design Procedure - Helical Springs (Circular c/s)
Equations from Data Handbook

FIGURE 20-5
Natural Frequency of Vibrations Springs
Springs Used in Valves
Springs Used in Clutches
Springs used to stop moving body
Springs used to stop falling body
Springs Used in Governors
Design a helical compression spring to support an axial load of 3000 N.
The deflection under load is limited to 60 mm. The spring index is 6.
The spring is made of chromium vanadium steel and factor of safety is
2.
Springs Used in Valves
Q2. A helical valve spring is to be designed for an operating load range of
approximately 90 to 135 N. The deflection of the spring for the load range
is 7.5 mm. Assume a spring index of 10 and factor of safety as 2, design
the spring. Sep 2020-10M-Q3a
Q3. Design a valve spring for an automobile engine, when the valve is
closed the spring produces a force of 45 N and when it opens it produces a
force of 55 N. The spring must fit over the valve bush which has an outside
diameter of 20 mm and must go inside a space of 35 mm. The lift of the
valve is 6 mm. The spring index is 12. The allowable stress may be taken
as 0.33 GPa. Modulus of rigidity 80 GPa. June 2013-10M-3b
Q4. The spring-loaded safety valve for a boiler is required to blow off at a
pressure of 1.3 MPa. The diameter of the valve is 65 mm and maximum
lift of the valve is 17.5 mm. Design a suitable compression spring for the
valve assuming spring index to be 6 and providing initial compression of
30 mm. Take τ = 0.45 GPa & G = 84 GPa.
Q5. The valve spring of a gasoline engine is 40 mm long when the valve is
open and 48 mm long when the valve is closed. The spring loads are 250
N when the valve is closed and 400 N when the valve is open. The inside
diameter of the spring is not to be less than 25 mm and factor of safety is
2. Design the spring. Jan 2016
Q6. The spring used in an automobile engine has to exert 500 N when the
valve is closed and 600 N when the valve is opened. The displacement of
the valve is 5 mm The engine crankshaft rotates at 8000 rpm. Design the
spring if permissible stress in the material of the spring is 300 MPa. The
ratio of mean coil diameter to the wire diameter is 6. The specific weight
and the modulus of rigidity of the spring material are 7.35 X 10-5 N/mm2
and 8 x 104 MPa respectively. The ends of the spring are square and
ground. Inspect the suitability of the spring for this engine. At what speed
of the engine does the spring resonate. July 2006
Q7. Design a helical compression spring required for a spring-loaded
safety valve mounted on a pressure vessel. The spring is subjected to an
initial compression of 50 mm at the time of assembly and will open by 10
mm when the pressure approaches 6 MPa. The diameter of the valve is 25
mm. Take spring index as 6. Jan 2006
Q8. The spring-loaded safety valve for a boiler is required to blow off at a
pressure of 1 MPa. The diameter of the valve is 60 mm, and the maximum
lift of the valve is 15 mm. Design a suitable compression spring for the
safety valve providing an initial compression of 30 mm.
Q9. Design a helical compression spring for a service load ranging from
2250 N to 2750 N. The axial deflection of the spring for the load range is 6
mm. Assume a spring index of 5, permissible shear stress of 420 MPa and
modulus of rigidity of 84 kN/mm2. July 2011
Q10. Design a helical compression spring for a maximum load of 1200 N
for a deflection of 25 mm. Spring index is 5. Permissible shear stress is
400 MPa and G = 85 GPa. July 2018-10M-Q3(a)
Q11. A helical tension spring is used in the spring balance to measure the
weights. One end is fixed and the other end carries a maximum weight of
1500 N. The elongation is 100 mm. The spring index can be taken as 6.
The spring is made of material having ultimate tensile strength of 1300
MPa and modulus of rigidity 81 GPa. The permissible shear stress in the
spring wire should be taken as 50% of the ultimate tensile strength
design the spring Jan 2016-10M-Q3a
Q12. A helical spring is made of 6 mm diameter and has outside diameter
of 75 mm. If the permissible shear stress is 350 MPa and modulus of
rigidity 84 kN/mm2. Find the axial load which the spring can carry and
the deflection per active turn by (i) neglecting the curvature effect (ii)
considering the curvature effect June 2015-15M-Q3b
Q13. Design a helical compression spring for a spring loaded safety
valve for the following data: Operating Pressure is 1 MPa, Maximum
pressure when the valve blows off freely is 1.1 MPa, Lift of the valve
when the pressure is 1.1 MPa is 6 mm, Diameter of the valve seat is 100
mm, Material for spring: Cr Va steel, FoS =2, Spring index : 6
Q14. A railway wagon weighing 50 kN and moving with the speed of 8 km/
hr has to be stopped by 4 buffer springs in which the maximum
compression allowed is 220 mm. Find the number of turns or coils in each
spring of mean diameter 150 mm. The diameter of spring wire is 25 mm.
Take G = 84 GPa. Also find the shear stress . June 2015
Q15. A loaded narrow guage car weighs 18 kN and moving at a velocity
of 80 m/min is brought to rest by a buffer consisting of 2 helical springs.
In bringing the car to rest the spring undergoes a compression of 200
mm. The allowable shear stress is 0.3 GPa and the spring index is 8.
Design a suitable spring. Take G = 84 GPa. 8M Jan 2020 Q3c
Q16. A load of 2000 N is dropped axially on a closed coil helical spring
from a height of 250 mm. The spring has 20 effective turns, and it is
made of 25 mm diameter wire. Find the maximum shear stress
produced in the spring and the amount of compression produced. Take
C = 8 and G = 84 GPa . Dec 2010
Q17. Design a spring for an elevator shaft at the bottom of which 8
identical springs are set in parallel to absorb the shock of the elevator in
case of failure. The weight of elevator is 60 kN and the counter-weight of
elevator is 20 kN. The elevator has a freefall of 1.5 m from rest. The
spring is made of 25 mm diameter rod. Determine the maximum stress
in each spring if the spring index is 6. Each spring has 15 active turns.
Take G = 84 GPa .
Q18. A carriage weighing 25 kN is moving on a track with a velocity of
3.6 km/hr. It is brought to rest by 2 buffer springs in which the
maximum compression is 180 mm. The permissible shear stress in
spring material is 450 MPa. Design the spring with spring index 6 and
modulus of rigidity as 81.4 GPa July 2019 12M Q3a.
Q19. Design a spring used in a recoil system so as to absorb 120 N-m of
energy with a maximum force of 3000 N. Assume spring index as 8 and
factor of safety is 2. June 2017-3a-10M
CONCENTRIC SPRINGS
CONCENTRIC SPRINGS
CONCENTRIC SPRINGS
Q20. One helical spring is rested inside another. The dimensions are
tabulated. Both springs have same free length and carry a total load of
2500 N. Take G = 80 GPa. Determine for each spring (i) Maximum load
carried (ii) deflection and (iii) Maximum shear stress
Particulars Outer spring Inner spring

Number of active coils 6 10

Wire diameter 12.5 6.2

Mean coil diameter 87.5 56.3

Q21. The particulars of concentric helical spring is shown in the following
table. If the spring is subjected to an axial load of 400 N, determine for
each spring (i) the change in length (ii) amount of load carried (iii)
Torsional shear stress induced. Take G = 84 GPa.
Particulars Inner spring Outer Spring

Number of active turns 8 10

Wire diameter (mm) 4 4.875

Mean coil diameter (mm) 30 40

Free length (mm) 75 90

Q22. Design a concentric spring for an aircraft engine valve to exert a
maximum force of 5000 N under a deflection of 40 mm. Both springs have
same free length, solid length and are subjected to equal maximum shear
stress of 0.85 GPa. Spring index for both springs is 6. Assume G = 80 GPa.
Q23. One helical spring is nested inside another. The dimensions are
tabulated. Both springs have same free length and carry a total load of
2500 N.
Outer spring Inner spring

Number of active coils 6 10

Wire diameter 12.5 9

Mean coil diameter 100 70

Determine (i) Maximum load carried by each spring (ii) deflection of

each spring and (iii) Maximum stress in two springs. Take G = 83GN/m2
Aug 2020-08M-Q4a
Q24. A rectangular section helical spring is mounted to A buffer to sustain
a maximum load of 30 kN. The deflection under load is limited to 100
mm. The spring is made of Chromium vanadium steel with a reliability of
1.5. The longer side of the rectangle is 2 times the shorter side and the
spring is wound with longer side parallel to the axis. The spring index is
10. Design the spring
Q25. A rectangular section helical spring is mounted to a buffer to sustain
a maximum load of 30 kN. The deflection under load is limited to 90 mm.
The spring is made of Z-nickel having a torsional ultimate stress of 830
MPa. The longer side of the rectangle is twice the shorter side and the
spring is wound with longer side parallel to the axis. The spring index is
10. Take factor of safety = 2.5. Design the spring . Jan 2017 – Q3a – 12M
Q26. A diesel engine weighs 800 kN is mounted on 16 springs in order to
protect the building from vibration. The section of the spring wire is
rectangular with side ratio 1.8. Each spring has 4 effective coils. Spring
index is 6. Determine (i) Section of the spring so that longer side is
parallel to the axis (ii) Deflection under load when the engine is
stationary (iii) Maximum coil diameter (iv) Shear stress induced if
shorter side is parallel to the axis. Take τ = 0.3 GPa and G = 80 GPa.
Q27. A railway car weighing 18 kN and moving at a speed of 72 m/min is
brought to rest by a buffer consisting of 2 helical compression springs of
square cross section. In bringing the car to rest the spring undergoes a
deflection of 0.25 m. The allowable shear stress for the steel wire is 0.3
GPa. Spring index is 6. Design the spring. Take G = 84 GPa.
Q28. A spring is subjected to a load varying from 400 N and to 1200 N. It is
to be made of oil tempered cold drawn wire. Design factor based on
Wahl’s line is 1.25. The spring index is 6. The compression in the spring
for the maximum load is 30 mm. Determine the wire diameter, mean coil
diameter and free length of the spring. Take yield stress in shear as 700
MPa and endurance stress in shear as 350 MPa for the material of the
wire. Jan 2014-14M-Q3b
Q29. The inlet valve of an IC engine operated by a spring exerts a force of
250 N when the valve is closed and 450 N when the valve is open. The lift
is 8 mm. The material test gives the following results, τy = 600 MPa,
Endurance stress in torsion τ-1 = 450 MPa, G = 80 GPa. D/d =6, FoS= 1.5.
Design the spring. Jan 2021-16M-Q4
Q30. A helical compression spring of diameter 5.7 mm carries a
fluctuating load. The spring index is 6 and the mean load on the spring is
533 N. Take factor of safety as 1.5. Find the permissible values of
maximum and minimum loads. The ultimate strength of the material is
1620 MPa. The ultimate shear strength of the material is 0.4 times the
ultimate strength and the endurance strength of the material is 0.23
times the ultimate strength . July 2014-10M-Q2b
Leaf Springs

➢ Act as a structural member in addition to energy absorbing device

➢ Carry lateral loads, brake torque, driving torque etc., in addition to shocks.
Flat Leaf Springs
Graduated Leaf Springs
Construction of Leaf Spring
A leaf spring commonly used in automobiles is of semi-elliptical form
It is built up of several plates (known as leaves).
Construction of Leaf Spring

The leaves are usually given an initial curvature or cambered so that they will tend to
straighten under the load.
Construction of Leaf Spring

The leaves are held together by means of a band shrunk around them at the center or by a
bolt passing through the center.

Since the band exerts a stiffening and strengthening effect, therefore the effective length of
the spring for bending will be overall length of the spring minus width of band.
Construction of Leaf Spring

The longest leaf known as main leaf or master leaf has its ends formed in the shape of an
eye through which the bolts are passed to secure the spring to its supports
Construction of Leaf Spring

The other leaves of the spring are known as graduated leaves.

Rebound clips are located at intermediate positions in the length of the spring.
Design of Leaf Spring
Design of Leaf Spring
Design of Leaf Spring
Q31. A locomotive spring has an overall length of 1100 mm and sustain a
load of 75 kN at its centre. The spring has 3 full length leaves and 15
graduated leaves with the central band of 100 mm. All the leaves are to be
stressed at 0.4 GPa when fully loaded. The ratio of total spring depth to
width is 2. Determine (i) Width and thickness of leaves (ii) Initial space
that must be provided between full length and graduated leaves before
the band is applied (iii) What load is exerted on the band after spring is
assembled Jan 2016
Q32. Design a leaf spring for the following specifications for a truck. Total
load = 120 kN, Number of springs = 4, material for the spring is Chrome
vanadium steel, permissible stress is 0.55 GPa, span of spring is 1100
mm, width of central band is 100 mm and allowable deflection is 80 mm.
Number of full-length sleeves are 2 and graduated leaves are 6 July 2014
Q33. A truck spring has 12 number of leaves, 2 of which are full length
leaves. The spring supports are 1.05 m apart and the central band is 85
mm wide. The central load is to be 5400 N with the permissible stress of
0.28 GPA. The ratio of total depth to width of spring is 3 and modulus of
elasticity is 210 GPa. Determine (i) Thickness and width of the steel
spring (ii) Maximum deflection Sep 2020 – Q3b – 08 M
Q34. A multi leaf spring with camber is fitted to chasis of an automobile
over a span of 1.2 m to absorb shock due to a maximum load of 20 kN. The
spring material can sustain a maximum stress of 0.46 GPa. All the leaves
of the spring were to receive the same stress. The spring is required at
least 2 full length leaves out of 8 leaves. The leaves are assembled with
bolts over a span of 150 mm width at the middle. Design the spring for the
maximum deflection of 50. Sep 2020 – 10 M – Q3b
Q35. A laminated spring for truck has an effective length of one metre and
central load of 10 kilonewtons undergoes a deflection of 75 mm the
spring has 10 leaves 2 of which are full length and have been prestressed
so that all leaves have same stress of 350 mpa calculate width and
thickness of the leaves. July 2019 – 10 Scheme – Q3b – 8M
Q36. A car weighing 9000 N empty has a seating capacity of 5 passengers
each weighing 600 N. It has a wheelbase of 2000 mm has its CG at 1100
mm behind the front axle. The car is supported on 4 similar long semi
elliptical springs of each 840 mm between shackle pins. Design a suitable
spring using a factor of safety of 1.5 on the proof stress of 0.84 GPa. The
static loads are to be multiplied by a load factor of 2.5 to allow the impact
load. The maximum deflection of the leaves is equal to 50 mm, number of
full length leaves are 2 and graduated leaves are 8. Take E =210 GPa.
Q37. A truck spring has 10 leaves of graduated length. The spring
supports 1060 mm apart and central band is 80 mm. The central load is
to be 5400 N with a permissible stress of 0.28 GPa. The ratio of total
depth to width is about 2.5. Determine the width and thickness of spring
plate and deflection when loaded. To what radius should the leaves be
bent initially for the spring to be flat under the given load. Take E = 210
GPa.
Belleville Springs or Disc Springs
FIGURE 20-3 Constants C1, C2, and M for a
disk spring.
Q38. A belleville spring is made of 3 mm steel sheet with an outside
diameter of 125 mm and an inside diameter of 50 mm. The spring is
dished 5 mm. The maximum stress is to be 500 MPa. Determine (i) The
safe load carried by the spring (ii) Deflection at this load (iii) Stress
produced at the outer edge (iv) Load for flattening the spring. Take
Poisson’s as 0.3 E as 200 GPa.
Q39. Design the spring for the Hartnell type spring loaded governor for
the following particulars: mass of each ball is 2.97 kg, length of the
vertical or ball arm is 150 mm, length of sleeve or horizontal arm is 112.5
mm. The governor begin to lift at a speed of 240 rpm and the maximum
speed is 7.5% higher than that. The maximum radius of rotation is 150
mm and the minimum radius of rotation is 100 mm. The allowable stress
on the spring material is 0.42 GPa and modulus of rigidity is 84 GPa. Take
c = 8.