Spring Steel
Model Sailplane Winch
The Grasshopper (tm) winch uses spring steel in a constant-force-spring formation that stores energy used to launch model sailplanes hundreds of feet into the air.
Spring steel is a class of steel alloys typically heat treated to optimize the material's properties as a spring. A common example is ASTM A228, the basis of "music wire".
Spring Steel Properties
The notable properties of spring steel include:
- High yield strength - the basis of it's property as a spring
- Typically hardened and tempered to about Rockwell C 45.
Machining Spring Steel
eMachineShop allows you to design custom spring steel parts using: Bending ... Counter boring ... Counter sinking ... Drilling ... Reaming ... Threading & Tapping ... Surface Grinding ... Honing ... Laser Cutting ... Photochemical Milling ... Plasma Cutting ... Waterjet Cutting and Wire EDM.
Applications of Spring Steel
Spring steel is often used in:
- Vehicle suspensions
- Helical springs
- Special function wire forms
- Flat springs
- Energy storage devices
- Wind-up toys
- Saw blades
- Scrapers
- Tape measures
- Rulers
- Snap springs
- Lock springs
- Hold down springs
- Trap springs
- etc.
