Introduction
Spring steel is a special type of steel that is designed to store energy and release it as needed. This type of steel is especially used in automotive and other applications because of its ability to remain both strong and flexible while being light in weight. Furthermore, the resilience of spring steel helps reduce the effects of vibration and shock, making it an ideal choice for many parts used in vehicles and machines.
History
Spring steel has been used since ancient times. In fact, the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations used a form of spring steel to make torsion springs for a variety of devices, including catapults and galley rudders. In the Middle Ages, engineers used spring steel to make leaf springs for wagons and carriages.
Modern Uses
Today, spring steel is used in a wide range of applications, from vehicle chassis and suspension systems, to industrial valves and machine tools. Many other applications require the strength and flexibility of spring steel, including locks, isometric and elliptical springs, actuators, door closures, and recreational and sporting equipment.
Types of Spring Steel
The two most common types of spring steel are silicon-manganese spring steel and carbon steel. Silicon-manganese steel is a high-strength steel heavily alloyed with manganese and silicon. This steel is particularly well-suited for vehicle suspensions and engine components such as valve springs, clutch plates and clutch discs. The carbon content of this steel is usually between 0.6-1.5%.
Carbon steel is a type of steel that is composed of iron, carbon and other elements, including chromium, phosphorus, vanadium, and silicon. Carbon steel is often used to create forms of spring steel with a range of tensile strengths and hardness. This type of steel is highly customizable and is used in a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, and construction. Carbon spring steel often contains between 0.5-1.5% carbon and can be further strengthened and hardened through heat treatments and/or surface treatments.
Metallurgy Principles
Due to the unique metallurgical properties of spring steel, it can be made to be incredibly tough and durable. This type of steel possesses a number of properties which make it ideal for many applications. It has high strength, excellent fatigue resistance, high levels of resilience, and outstanding resistance to deformity under stress. Spring steel also has excellent wear-resistance, making it well-suited for use in automotive components where wear and tear can be an issue.
In order to achieve the high levels of strength and durability required in modern spring steel applications, manufacturers use a process known as quenching and tempering. This involves rapidly cooling the steel after it is hot-worked and then re-heating the material at a tightly controlled temperature before allowing it to cool back to room temperature. This process allows the steel to retain a significant amount of carbon, which is necessary for achieving the desired properties.
Conclusion
The combination of strength, resilience, durability and wear-resistance mean that spring steel is an ideal choice for automotive and other applications. Its excellent metallurgical properties also make it possible to design spring steel to exact specifications, allowing for highly customized parts that are both strong and lightweight. Within the automotive industry, spring steel is used in a wide range of components due to its ability to resist vibration, shock and stress. As a result, spring steel can be found in almost every vehicle, from cars and trucks to boats and airplanes.
