Types of springs and their industrial applications

Compression springs are elastic mechanical components designed to withstand loads applied along their axis and resist compressive forces. When a force tends to shorten the spring, it deforms and stores mechanical energy. When the applied load is reduced or removed, the spring tends to return to its original free length. Compression springs are among the most widely used spring types in industrial applications and can be manufactured in a variety of geometries, including cylindrical, conical, hourglass (barrel-shaped), and variable-pitch designs. Their versatility makes them suitable for a wide range of applications.

In the automotive industry, for example, compression springs can be integrated into mechanical components and systems subjected to repeated loading. In industrial machinery, they are used in machines, return mechanisms, positioning devices, and systems designed to absorb or control mechanical forces. Compression springs are also widely used in household appliances, for example in door closing and locking mechanisms, adjustment and positioning systems, and components requiring an elastic return action. They can be found in washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and other appliances, where they help maintain components in the correct position and absorb mechanical loads and vibrations during operation.

Extension springs operate in the opposite manner to compression springs: they are subjected to tensile loads that tend to elongate the spring and respond by generating a restoring force that opposes the applied load. They are typically fitted with hooks or loops, which allow the spring to be connected to the other components of a mechanism. The geometry, dimensions, and configuration of the hooks can be customized to meet the specific requirements of the application and ensure proper installation and load transmission.
Extension springs are used across a wide range of industrial sectors, including mechanical engineering, automotive, and household appliance manufacturing. In mechanical applications, they can be used in lever return mechanisms, closing systems, and adjustment devices. In the automotive sector, they are found in various control mechanisms, latching systems, and components requiring a restoring action. In household appliances, they are used in opening and closing mechanisms, return systems, and mechanisms for moving or positioning components.

Torsion springs are designed to operate when the applied load generates rotational displacement. During torsion, the spring stores mechanical energy and releases it as the applied torque is reduced or removed. This characteristic makes torsion springs particularly suitable for mechanisms requiring controlled rotational motion or the return of a component to its initial position.
In mechanical applications, torsion springs can be used in opening and closing mechanisms, levers, and actuation systems, where they provide a controlled torque over a defined angular range.
In the automotive sector, they are used in latching devices, control mechanisms, and components involving rotational movement. They are also widely used in household appliances and equipment, where they can assist the operation of doors, lids, levers, and other moving components by providing a restoring torque.

Strip springs are characterized by the use of flat strip material rather than round wire. This design allows components to be manufactured with specific geometries and dimensions, making them particularly suitable for applications where installation space is limited or where the design requires a non-standard spring configuration.
Strip springs are used in mechanical engineering, automotive applications, and household appliances, as well as in a wide range of other industrial applications. Typical uses include cable and strip retraction mechanisms, adjustment and positioning systems, counters and measuring instruments, and devices requiring the controlled return of a component to its original position.

In the automotive sector, strip springs can be used in seat adjustment systems, lever return mechanisms, and control mechanisms, where their compact design and controlled restoring action can be advantageous.