Wave Springs

Welcome back to the Ask the Expert blog, the blog is designed to help educate you on all things rings and wave springs. This week, the expert fields some questions on the cycle life of wave springs and the materials of wave springs.

Smalley is proud to announce the first standard line of nested wave springs on the market. Though we have offered Nested Spirawave springs as a custom for 30 years, they will now be available from stock in carbon and 17-7 PH stainless steel from .500 to 4" or 16 to 100 mm.

Welcome back to Ask the Expert! This time Smalley's Expert Engineers answer questions about wave spring functionality. 

When a wave spring is compressed, does its diameter increase? What happens to the spring load at work height if the outside diameter is confined? 

The diameter of a wave spring grows as it is compressed. This is also referred to as diameter expansion, and all Crest-to-Crest®, Gap, Overlap, Nested, and WAVO® springs will function in this manner.

Smalley retaining rings and wave springs can be manufactured in many different types of alloys. Each of these materials has specific properties which make them appropriate for use. Common alloys used include:

What is bearing preload?

When assembling individual bearing components, the outer race, inner race, balls, and retainer all work together so that there is a controlled amount of internal clearance between the rings and balls. This radial play is necessary for proper operation, however, in most applications, it is also necessary to help reduce or eliminate the internal clearance to maintain correct functionality.

Welcome to another edition of Ask the Expert, a series in which expert Smalley Engineers answer difficult questions about retaining rings and wave springs.

What is the minimum work height of part CM20-L1 if made with carbon steel SAE 1070-1090? What is the load at that height?

This specific part was designed to be compressed to a work height of 2.72 mm to achieve a load of 35 ± 3.5 N. 

Smalley stocks over 10,000 standard rings and springs for applications in nearly every industry worldwide. We also understand, however, that the uniqueness of some applications may demand something that isn’t readily available from stock. When that occurs, our team of expert engineers is ready and willing to help you design a part that fits your needs.

1. Reduced Work Height

In applications with tight space constraints, Crest-to-Crest^® Wave Springs can take up to 50% space than a traditional coil spring. This space saving is made possible with the sinusoidal waves formed in the flat wire. This results in a more compact spring that takes less material to produce and can reduce the overall weight of the spring and assembly.

Lock washers, also referred to as split washers, are used to prevent nuts and bolts from slipping or turning in applications.

The washer applies a light load to minimize the effects of vibration, keeping the nut and bolt tightly in place. Lock washers are typically manufactured from low-cost materials to take up tolerances.

1. Can a wave spring be made with the same or higher spring rate, compared to a helical coil spring? 

Yes, we can increase spring rate with various modifications such as the number of waves, material thickness, and number of turns. Crest-to-Crest springs can function similarly to helical springs in a variety of applications. Smalleys engineers can help you identify the correct wave spring for your specific design requirements.