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Wave Springs Feature Improved Grain Strength
Assembly sizes can be reduced 50 percent due to compressed design
Doug Smock, Contributing Editor -- Design News, September 10, 2009
The
new small series of standard-sized crest-to-crest wave springs enables
original equipment manufacturers to reduce the size of their assembly by up
to 50 percent, while maintaining the same amount of force and deflection as a
regular coiled spring. Smalley offers more than 4,000 standard wave springs
in 17-7 stainless steel or carbon steel. The new Crest-to-Crest series is
available in dimensions from 0.25 to 2.00 inch.
This design eliminated the need to keep wave crests aligned, eliminating use of a key locating device or use of a shim inserted between individual springs. The wave peaks hold their configuration because the spring is integrally formed. Crest-to-crest wave springs are made with plain and shim ends.
Smalley has expanded its flat wire rolling mill operation in Illinois to meet growing demand for various raw material sizes. A vertical integration has evolved into the production of hundreds of material cross-sections in a wide variety of alloys. Springs can also be made in exotic metal alloys.
Unlike rings and springs that are stamped through the metal grain, Smalley's edgewound retaining rings and wave springs have a circumferential metal grain structure that is said to give them improved strength, dimensional stability, and performance characteristics.
The folks at Smalley Steel Ring Co. had some fun with their award.
