Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
(OP)
I'm trying to determine if a given shape is possible to manufacture. Specifically, this would be a classic coil compression spring but - rather than formed by bending a round wire - this would be made of flat, foil-thickness material with the wide dimension being radial. So, its not a flat sheet twisted, but rather a cylinder with a helical slice along its length like a flexible coupling.
I envision that a piece of cylindrical stock could be rotated driven into a radius-wide cutting tool set to the desired pitch on a lathe. The flat foil helix would develop from the cut as an endless chip. Is this something that can be or is already manufactured?
I envision that a piece of cylindrical stock could be rotated driven into a radius-wide cutting tool set to the desired pitch on a lathe. The flat foil helix would develop from the cut as an endless chip. Is this something that can be or is already manufactured?





RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
The tangential force on the cutting tool, and the bending moment on the workpiece, would be huge.
Not to mention the torque on the workpiece.
Maybe with some kind of stiff roller follower rest on top of the workpiece right above the cut.
Have you got access to a really big lathe?
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?
Alternatively, if you are looking for the shape described but for applications other than use as a spring you could look into electroforming. There are limits on what material can be used with that process though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroforming
Doug
RE: Manufacturing Flat Helical Springs?