Official Answer
Answer
Unlike stamped rings (circlips) which are blanked from sheet metal, spiral retaining rings are produced by coiling pre-tempered flat wire on its edge. This process results in a continuous grain flow following the circumference of the ring. In a stamped ring, the grain of the sheet metal runs in one direction, creating 'weak' spots where the load is perpendicular to the grain. The edge-rolling process ensures that the tensile and hoop stresses encountered during installation and high-speed rotation are always aligned with the grain structure. This metallurgical advantage allows spiral rings to withstand higher centrifugal forces and provides more uniform elastic expansion characteristics.
