Základy a definice

An internal spiral ring is designed to expand tightly into a groove cut inside a cylinder, bore, or housing to retain internal components.

It provides uninterrupted contact with the retained component, ensuring completely uniform load distribution and eliminating weak points around the groove circumference.

A 2-turn spiral retaining ring consists of two continuous turns of coiled flat wire layered together, doubling the thickness and significantly increasing thrust capacity compared to a single-turn ring.

Spiral rings have a uniform cross-section and lack the protruding assembly 'ears' or lugs of stamped rings, saving radial space and providing a sleek, smooth profile.

A spiral retaining ring (or Spirolox style ring) is a retaining ring formed by coiling flat wire on edge to create a 360-degree continuous retaining surface with no ears or lugs to interfere with mating parts.

Thickness generally varies widely based on size, typically ranging from 0.1 mm to over 2.5 mm depending on heavy industrial or micro-electronics applications.

They can be self-centering if designed to fit snugly over a shaft or inside a bore clearance. Proper piloting is essential for optimal performance.

A multi-turn wave spring consists of several continuous layers of wave-formed flat wire, typically structured crest-to-crest, to fulfill high deflection requirements.

The number of waves per turn is determined by design calculations based on the required diameter, spring rate, load capacity, and clearance constraints to avoid binding.

Free height is the uncompressed total axial length of the wave spring when no external load or force is applied.

Solid height is the length of the spring when it is compressed completely flat. Operating a spring at or near solid height should be avoided to prevent permanent deformation or fatigue failure.

Work height is the exact axial dimension at which the wave spring is compressed to deliver its designated target working load.

Edgewise coiling preserves the grain structure of the metal wire without waste, offering superior structural integrity, custom diameters without tooling costs, and better material efficiency compared to stamping.

Yes, they are engineered for both. Dynamic applications require careful fatigue calculations to ensure longevity under repeated cycling.

While customized configurations dominate, standards like DIN 2094, corporate aerospace standards, and ISO 9001 quality guidelines govern their dimensional tolerances and testing metrics.

Wave springs offer highly accurate and predictable linear spring rates over a larger deflection range, whereas Belleville washers generate exceptionally high loads over very tiny deflections with highly non-linear rates.

An overlap wave spring features overlapping ends. This configuration prevents the ends from catching on each other during compression, providing uniform radial expansion inside a tight bore.

The gap allows the ends of the spring to expand radially outward without binding when compressed inside a bore or housing.

Plain ends are lighter and less expensive. Choose them when the adjacent components can handle localized point contacts at the crests without wear or indentation.

Shim ends are flat, continuous surfaces added to the top and bottom waves of the spring. They provide a 300-degree flat bearing surface for more uniform distribution of forces onto adjacent parts.