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A wave spring, also known as a coiled wave spring or a scrowave spring, is a spring made out of pre-hardened flat wire in a process called, 'on-edge-coiling', also known as 'edgewinding'. During this process, waves are added to give it a spring effect. ^[1]^[2] The number of turns and waves can be easily adjusted to accommodate stronger force or meet customers' specific requirements.^[3]

Advantages

A wave spring has the following advantages over a traditional coiled spring or a washer.^[4]

The axial space can be reduced by 50%. As a result, an overall size of an assembly becomes smaller and thus significant weight reduction and production cost of an application can be achieved.
The load in an axial direction is 100% transferable.
One multi-turn wave spring replaces stacked wave washer. This eases an installation of a spring and reduces time necessary for the maintenance of an application.
Only does a wave spring make it possible to accommodate higher thrust load within the limited axial space as only elements such as the size of the wire, the number of waves, the height of waves, and the number of turns need to be adjusted to accommodate such a high thrust load.
There is no tooling charge.

Varieties

A wave spring has following types.^[5]^[6]

Single-turn wave spring
- Gap single-turn Type
- Overlap single-turn Type
Multi-turn wave spring
- Multi-turn shim-end Type
- Multi-turn plain-end Type
Nested wave spring

Single-turn wave spring

Ideal for applications with short deflection and low to medium forces.
The number of waves and material thickness can be changed to accommodate the stronger force.
Used for bearing pre-load. ^[7]^[8]

Multi-turn wave spring

Compared to a coiled spring, the axial space can be saved by up to 50%.
Ideal for applications with large deflection and a small spring rate.
A wide range of forces can be accomodated.^[9]^[10]

Nested wave spring

Eliminates the need of stacking an individual wave spring on top of another to accommodate higher loads.
Produces high force while maintaining the precision of a circular-grain wave spring.
Replaces a stack of belleville washer where a high but accurate force is needed.^[11]

Material

Carbon steel (Standard material)
Stainless steel (It is best suited for high stress and fatigue applications and provides higher corrosion resistance and withstands higher temperatures than standard Carbon steel.)
Beryllium copper (It provides excellent corrosion resistance and is partRotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs.icularly effective in sea air and seawater atmospheres) ^[12]
Inconel (It is best suited in a high temperature and corrosive environment)^[13] ^[14]
Elgiloy (It provides excellent corrosion protection and is used at elevated temperatures, used commonly in oil industry.)^[15] ^[16]

Finishes

Oil Dip (Longer shelf-life. Available only for carbon steel)
Passivation (It removes 'free iron' contamination left behind on the surface of stainless steel. It protects from stainless steel from selective oxidation. Available only for Stainless steel.）

Wave spring manufacturers

Citations

^ https://www.rotorclip.com/wave_spring_advantage1.php
^ Smalley Steel Ring Company. (2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.7
^ https://www.rotorclip.com/wave_spring_advantage1.php
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 12.
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 12.
^ Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.14
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Company Overview. p.11
^ https://www.rotorclip.com/bearing-preload.php
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2
^ Matumura-Kohki Co.,Ltd. (2009).Catalog. p.20
^ Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.14
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 10 - 11.
^ Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.84
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2.
^ Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.84
^ Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2.

References

Smalley Steel Ring Company. (2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog (Unknown ed.), Smalley Steel Ring Company
Matumura-Kohki Co., Ltd. (2009). Catalog, 2nd, Matumura-Kohki Co., Ltd.
Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Company Overview (4th ed.), Rotor Clip Co., Inc
Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications (12th ed.), Rotor Clip Co., Inc
Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs (1st ed.), Rotor Clip Co., Inc

[1] ttps://www.rotorclip.com/wave_spring_advantage1.php

[2] Smalley Steel Ring Company. (2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.7

[3] ttps://www.rotorclip.com/wave_spring_advantage1.php

[4] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 12.

[5] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 12.

[6] Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.14

[7] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Company Overview. p.11

[8] ttps://www.rotorclip.com/bearing-preload.php

[9] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2

[10] Matumura-Kohki Co.,Ltd. (2009).Catalog. p.20

[11] Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.14

[12] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2010). Product Specifications. p. 10 - 11.

[13] Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.84

[14] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2.

[15] Smalley Steel Ring Company.(2005). Engineering and Parts Catalog. p.84

[16] Rotor Clip Company., Inc. (2012). Wave Springs. p.2.

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