Understanding Different Spring Materials

To find the perfect spring for your industrial needs, understanding different spring materials is key. This video aims to cover common materials used in springs, different wire types and some helpful tips and tricks. #springs #springtypes #springmaterials #industrialsprings #mechanicalsprings #wbjones
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** FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT BELOW **
Thank you for choosing W.B. Jones as your spring resource. In this video, we will discuss the most common spring materials chemically testing a spring to figure out the material is usually not economically practical. So we have come up with a few different tips and tricks to help distinguish between them and decide which is best for your needs. Here we have six of the most common materials used for springs.
These two springs are the easiest to identify, but also the least common. This one is brass. Notice the distinctive gold brass like color. Brass springs are corrosion and water resistant. This spring is phosphor bronze. Notice the reddish copper like color. Phosphor bronze springs are ideal where electric connectivity is required. They also happen to be corrosion resistant. These two materials can tarnish over time and change color.
It's best to look inside by grinding into the material. The next four wire types may look identical, but they are all different. Stainless steel music wire, hard drawn, NB and oil tempered. Each has different capabilities which can help you choose the best for your application. Before we get into the different capabilities, we have a tip to distinguish stainless from the other three carbon steels.
It's important to note the magnet test will not work. Stainless steel in its raw form is non-magnetic. However, when stainless wire is being cold worked in the drying to size process, it becomes magnetic. In short, stainless steel springs will be attracted to a magnet like carbon steel springs. The best method to distinguish the two is a spark test.
Here's a simple demonstration using a grinder. If the spring does not spark, it is made out of stainless steel. If it does spark, it is carbon steel. The remaining carbon steel materials, music wire, hard drawn and oil tempered should not be identified with a visual test. Choosing between these should be based on your unique application. We recommend consulting the wire type chart found online.
It lays out the basic uses and properties that help differentiate not only the carbon steels but the other wire types as well. Thank you for watching our video. If you need further assistance on choosing the best material or are interested in the material not discussed here, please give us a call. We will be happy to answer any of your questions.