Music Wire ASTM A228 supply for Wireform validation

[jamxb6]

I'm trying to find a low volume supply of 2 mm OD music wire (ASTM A228), that falls into the lower tensile range for that grade of wire. I'm trying to validate a wireform spring shape. My thinking is that if the spring applies enough pre-load with material that has low tensile strength (230-240 ksi, low end of ASTM A228 spec), then it follows that higher tensile strength wire will apply equal to or greater than load of low tensile wire. I want to make sure that the spring will function as designed regardless of the quality of my raw material. My supplier for the spring doesn't want to invest in a more common, large volume of wire on the off chance that what I described above doesn't work; then they are left with a bunch of wire they can't use. It's also difficult to find wire with a specific tensile range instead of just finding wire that's ASTM A228.

Is my thinking logical? Does anyone know of any way I can acquire the wire I'm looking for?

Thanks

 

[jamxb6]

Additional thoughts...

Am I in the wrong, thinking that I should be looking at tensile strength numbers to validate my wireform spring? For reference, my spring is flat so loading is applied outward, but essentially in one plane. I've attached an image showing an example of a wireform spring.

Should I be more focused on another material property, like Modulus of Elasticity or Modulus of Torsion???

Thanks

 

[Compositepro]

Modulus is what you should be interested in, and modulus of steel is fairly constant. Tensile strength determines the yield point but your spring will not be stiffer with higher tensile strength, it will just be capable of deflecting more before yielding. This will carry more load at these high deflections but the spring constant is not different.

 

[EdStainless]

Strength will only effect the force to form and the amount of spring back, the spring force is a function of modulus and that does not change.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[CoryPad]

In addition to elastic modulus, spring dimensions will affect spring forces. You want to get springs with the smallest wire to test low force.