Official Answer
Answer
Load loss, or 'Relaxation', occurs when the material's yield strength drops at elevated temperatures, and the operating stress exceeds this lower limit. This leads to creep (time-dependent plastic deformation). The spring 'sets' to a lower free height $H_{new} < H_{free}$. Mathematically, the load $P$ at work height $h$ is $P = k \cdot (H_{free} - h)$. As $H_{free}$ decreases due to relaxation, $P$ decreases. Troubleshooting involves checking if the operating temperature exceeded the material's limit (e.g., $250^{\circ}F$ for Carbon Steel, $650^{\circ}F$ for 17-7PH). If the temperature was within limits, the issue may be 'Stress Relaxation' where atomic diffusion occurs even below the nominal yield point.
