What materials are springs made from?

These components are found in numerous devices and machines – from the smallest ones in watches or pens to those used in industry and automotive applications. Their potential use depends not only on their size and shape. The choice of the appropriate material for production is also crucial. It determines their elasticity, load resistance, and resilience to mechanical damage. In this article, specialists from Spretech explain what springs are made of – discover the most commonly used materials!

Three materials are typically used for spring production

The selection of a specific material type depends on the spring's intended application. The operating conditions may require the component to exhibit, for example, exceptional resistance to compressive forces, immunity to corrosion, or excellent electrical conductivity. They are usually produced from various metal alloys, with the most common including:

• carbon spring steel,
• stainless steel,
• brass.

As a point of interest, springs are also sometimes made from plastics, specifically polymers. They are mainly used in low-load mechanisms (e.g., toys and medical equipment), and their greatest advantage is their very low weight.

Springs made from carbon spring steel

This is a special type of carbon steel which, as its name suggests, is primarily used for spring manufacturing. It is very popular because it is characterized by the excellent mechanical properties required for these components. These include a high yield strength and exceptional material fatigue resistance.

Carbon spring steel is most often an alloy containing additions of chromium, vanadium, or molybdenum. Springs made from this material are used in the most demanding applications, such as automotive suspensions and components for industrial or construction machinery.

Stainless steel springs

This is another popular material which, in addition to high elasticity, also exhibits immunity to corrosion. Stainless steel is an alloy containing a high amount of chromium (a minimum of 10.5%), which forms a protective layer on the surface to prevent rusting. It is ideally suited for manufacturing springs used in moist environments – for instance, in the food processing and medical industries.

Brass springs

Brass is a copper alloy, and in some cases, it is the best material for a spring. It demonstrates immunity to corrosion and, above all, is an excellent electrical conductor. Components made from it are therefore widely used in mechanisms for the electrical industry – such as relays and connectors.

At Spretech, we manufacture springs from high-quality materials – order today!

If you are looking for robust springs for various applications, order them from our company. At Spretech, we manufacture them from stainless and patented steel, which we precisely select based on the conditions the component will operate in. We are open to fulfilling every order, even the most non-standard ones – contact us to learn the details of our offer!