Suggested material for leaf spring?

[cthompson68]

What is the material typically used in creating leaf springs for consumer parts? Is it 17-7 PH stainless steel, 316 S.S., or some other steel material?

Specifically, I have seen leaf springs used on portable garage door openers that mount under the visor in a car, and the sheet metal is approx. 030" thick. What are the best low cost material options (good quality) for manufacturering a leaf-spring for a similar consumer type product.

I have been working more with plastics lately, so I would appreciate helpful suggestions. A material that is currently available (defined) in Cosmos (SolidWorks simulation) is preferred for creating an FEA study.

 

[desertfox]

Hi cthompson68

Have a look at this site:-

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Springs/Springs_Materials.html

desertfox

 

[cthompson68]

Thanks for the reply. A similar application are battery mounting clips (

http://www.keyelco.com/products/prod41a.asp?SubCategoryID=8),

which are nickle-plated spring steel.

Although it does not specify the extact spring steel material, this resource provides some options:

http://www.spring-makers-resource.net/spring-steel.html

http://www.spring-makers-resource.net/support-files/materials_cross_reference_summary.pdf

Given the variety of materials, which one is better suited for a sheet metal leaf spring design of approximately .030 inches thick material?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Leaves?? Just had to say that

 

[desertfox]

Hi cthompson68

Really it depends on a number of things:-

1/ life of required spring

2/ load and deflection of spring and frequency of operation

3/ Any temperature or hostile enviroment the spring might
be subjected too.

to name but a few, also if your putting it up against sheet steel then I would use a carbon spring steel and stay away from say brass or bronze because if they contact steel with moisture present you may incurr galvanic corrosion.

desertfox

 

[EdStainless]

carbon steel with enough coating or platting to give you the corrosion resistance that you need.
Steels are strong and stiff (high modulus), this lets you put a high spring force into a fairly small package with good fatigue life.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Plymouth Tube

 

[cthompson68]

It seems the best source for this information is in the machinery's handbook (Spring materials: pages 309-312).

For flat strip form, the following high-carbon spring steels are suggested:

* Cold-Rolled Spring Steel, Blue-Tempered or Annealed, AISI/SAE 1074, 1064, and 1070 (Hardness: 42 to 46 Rockwell C)

* Cold-Rolled Spring Steel, Blue-Tempered Clock Steel AISI/SAE 1095 (Hardness: 47 to 51 Rockwell C)

302 S.S. appears to be used, but less frequently. 17-7 PH S.S. has high manufacturing costs, so I probably will not consider it. Another material used for leaf springs is Beryllium Copper, but I am not using this for an electrical application where low resistance is needed for electrical current flow.

If you know of other flat strip material used for leaf spring applications, please post the information.

 

[israelkk]

What is the application of this spring?
Space limitations?
Static or Cyclic/dynamic application?
Relaxation/creep?
Spring accuracy load and deflection accuracy?
Load stability?
Shock?
Quantities?
Target price?

These questions in addition to desertfox posts and more will dictate the candidate spring materials.

 

[desertfox]

a few more here

http://www.grewis.cz/tvarovky_e.htm

desertfox