What is the relationship between the number of waves (N) and the stability of the spring stack?

The stability of a Crest-to-Crest wave spring, particularly its resistance to buckling, is highly dependent on the wave count $N$. A higher $N$ provides more points of contact between turns, increasing lateral stability and ensuring a more uniform distribution of load. However, if $N$ is too high, the wave pitch becomes too small, making the spring overly stiff and increasing the risk of over-stressing the material. For most industrial applications, $N$ is an odd number (e.g., 3, 5, 7) to ensure proper crest-to-crest alignment and to avoid the harmonic resonance issues that can occur in high-frequency reciprocating environments.