COMPRESSION SPRING CALCULATOR (LOAD BASED DESIGN)


Compression spring calculator to find compression spring design parameters with the knowledge of design type (one load & free height, one load & spring rate, two loads), compression spring wire diameter, spring diameter, spring free height, loads at specific heights, compression spring end type and material selection. Material selection of compression springs can be done from listed spring steels including music wire, stainless steel wire, chrome vanadium, etc. Calculation results generated by the compression springs calculator are solid height, torsional shear stress at solid height, factor of safety against yielding, buckling check, spring outer diameter expansion, load-deflection curve, stress–deflection curve, spring index.

This calculator can be used to design statically loaded compression springs. For compression springs which work under cyclic loading, first use this calculator for the sizing according to static loading and then visit "Critical Frequency of Helical Springs" and "Stress Analysis of Coil Compression Springs for Fatigue Loading" calculators to check the compression spring design against cyclic loading.

Compression spring formulas used in the calculator are given in the "Supplements " section of this page.

Compression Spring Calculator:


Mechanical springs - Compression spring terminology
 INPUT PARAMETERS
Design Type
DIMENSIONAL PARAMETERS
Parameter Value
Wire diameter [d]
Spring free height (length) [Lf]
Height 1 [L1]
Height 2 [L2]
Load 1 @ height 1 [F1]
Load 2 @ height 2 [F2]
Spring rate [k]
End types for compression spring
SPRING MATERIAL &  STRESS RELEATED PARAMETERS
Parameter Value
Material selectionx
Elastic modulus [E]
Poisson's ratio [v] ---
Material tensile strength [Sut]
Prestressing (Set romoval)
Allowable torsional strength  (% of Sut) + %
Design factor at solid height against torsional stress [ns] ---
SPRING STABILITY (BUCKLING)
Parameter Value
Spring stability (buckling) check
End condition*
End condition constant [α] ---
Design factor for buckling [nb] ---

Note 1 : x Spring material properties are from Ref-2 except "User defined" selection.

Note 2 : + Equals maximum allowable torsional stress in static applications. See supplements for reference values.

Note 3 : * Ends supported by flat surfaces must be squared and ground [Ref-2] .


 RESULTS
DIMENSIONAL PARAMETERS
Parameter Value
Number of active coils [Na] --- ---
Number of total coils [Nt] ---
Spring index [C*] ---
Spring rate [k] ---
Wire diameter [d] ---
Spring outer diameter [OD] ---
Spring mean diameter [D] ---
Spring inner diameter [ID] ---
Outer diameter at solid length [ODat solid***] ---
Spring free length (height) [Lf] ---
Spring solid height [Ls] ---
Maximum deflection (Lf to Ls) [Δx] ---
Pitch at free length [p**] ---
SPRING MATERIAL &  STRESS RELEATED PARAMETERS
Parameter Value
Load at solid height [Fs] ---
Shear stress at height 1 [τ1]
---
Shear stress at height 2 [τ2] ---
Shear stress at solid height [τs] ---
Ultimate tensile strength of material [Sut] ---
Allowable torsional strength [Sall ] ---
Factor of safety against torsional yielding at solid height [foss
(Sall / τs )#]
--- ---
Modulus of rigidity [G] ---
Elastic modulus [E] ---
Material ASTM No. ---
SPRING STABILITY (BUCKLING)
Parameter Value
Stability condition (includes nb) ---
Factor of safety against buckling [fosb+] ---

Note 1 : * The preferred spring index range is 4 to 12 according to [Ref-1] . Compression springs with high indexes tangle and may require individual packaging, especially if the ends are not squared. Springs with indexes lower than 4 are difficult to form [Ref-1] .

Note 2 : ** According to no yielding assumption and Lf length shall be same after loading.

Note 3 : *** Does not include the effect if the spring ends are allowed to unwind.

Note 4 : + Shall be larger than the design factor for buckling (nb ≤ fosb )

Note 5 : # Shall be larger than the design factor at solid height  (ns ≤ foss )


Force vs Spring Height

Shear Stress vs Spring Height

Note 1 : The load deflection curve for helical compression springs is essentially a straight line up to the elastic limit, provided that the amount of active material is constant. The initial spring rate and the rate as the spring approaches solid often deviate from the average calculated rate. When it is necessary to specify a rate, it should be specified between two test heights which lie within 15 to 85 % of the full deflection range. [From Ref-1]


Definitions:

Link Usage
Compression Coil (Helical) Spring Definitions Terms and definitions about compression coil springs.

Supplements:

Link Usage
Spring Steels for Coil Springs List of spring steel materials given in the calculator.
Formulas For Compression Spring Design List of formulas used in the calculator.
Allowable Torsional Stresses for Helical Compression Springs in Static Applications Supplementary tables about the material strength properties of helical compression springs.
End Condition Constants For Helical Compression Spring Stability Analysis End condition constants for helical compression spring stability and buckling analysis.

Reference:

  • Courtesy of Associated Spring (1987)., Design Handbook
  • Budynas.R , Nisbett.K . (2014) . Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design . 10th edition.  McGraw-Hill
  • EN 13906-1: 2002 - Cylindrical helical springs made from round wire and bar – Calculation and design – Part 1: Compression springs