Maximum Spring Compression Calculator

Maximum Spring Compression Definition:

Maximum spring compression is the "maximum travel considering solid height" of a compression spring also known as the safe travel distance which your spring can travel safely without any permanent set caused by fatigue and stress.

Our maximum spring compression calculator provides you with the maximum spring compression also known as both the "true maximum travel" and the "maximum travel considering solid height". You will notice that these numbers are usually never the same. The maximum travel considering solid height is the actual maximum spring travel you'll be able to obtain compressing the spring down to solid height or coil bind height where all the coils are touching. The true maximum travel is what you can obtain if you make the free length of your spring longer thus increasing your maximum spring compression. Here is where our Free Online Maximum Spring Compression Calculator comes in.

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Once you input the measurements of your spring into the specified areas and click "Calculate", our maximum spring compression calculator will give you a full compression spring design analysis as well as a blueprint of your spring so you can determine wether the measurements you've specified will work for your spring. It will also provide you with automatic loads where you are able to input either the amount of load or the loaded height you want your spring to travel to, thus determining wether your spring will work within the loads you specified. If you already have a specific load, you may enter it and it will give you the loaded height of your spring. Additionally, if you only know your loaded height you may enter it and the calculator will tell you the precise amount of load you'll need in order to achieve that specific loaded height. If you happen to have some difficulty on designing your spring, feel free to contact us. Our spring engineers will be more than glad to assist you and work hand in hand with you through the whole spring design process.

To figure out the load of your spring manually, you must multiply the spring rate by the distance traveled. The rate of your spring is the amount of force needed to travel 1 inch of distance. Lets say your rate is 1 pound; then it will take you 1 pound of force to travel 1 inch of distance, 2 pounds of force to compress your spring 2 inches of distance, and so on.

The formula for this would be:

Load = Rate x Distance Traveled
(L = R x DT)

Our calculator provides you with the maximum spring compression also known as both the "true maximum travel" and the "maximum travel considering solid height". You will notice that these numbers are usually never the same. The maximum travel considering solid height is the actual maximum spring travel you'll be able to obtain compressing the spring down to solid height or coil bind height where all the coils are touching. The true maximum travel is what you can obtain if you make the free length of your spring longer thus increasing your spring travel. How do you do this? Take a look at the example shown below:

Example

You have a closed and squared ends compression spring with the following physical dimensions:

  • Wire Diameter (WD) : 0.035"
  • fifth step wire diameter example from the spring calculator
  • Outer Diameter (OD) : 0.500"
  • fifth step outer diameter example from the spring calculator
  • Free Length (FL) : 1.000"
  • fifth step free length example from the spring calculator
  • Active Coils (NA) : 8"
  • fifth step active coils example from the spring calculator
  • Solid Height (SH) : 0.385"
  • fifth step solid height example from the spring calculator
  • Material : Music Wire ASTM A228"
  • fifth step material type example from the spring calculator

    After doing the calculation, the calculator provides the following information:

    True Maximum Travel: 1.858 in.
    Maximum Travel Considering Solid Height: 0.615 in.

    ( this will appear as shown below under the 5th step on our Maximum Spring Compression Calculator analysis )

    maximum travel considering solid height lower than the true maximum travel

    Now, you can keep your spring as it is if you plan for your spring to travel a distance of less than 0.615 inches, but if you want your spring to travel more than that, lets say:

    1.858 inches of travel, then you can make your spring's free length (FL) longer, keeping the same amount of coils.

    You would change the free length (FL) to 2.243

    The formula for this calculation is:

    Free Length = Solid Height .385 + True Maximum Travel 1.858 = 2.243 Free Length (FL)
    ( FL = SH + TMT )

    You'll notice that once you change the free length to 2.243 inches versus the old free length of 1.000 inch and click "Calculate" both the maximum travel considering solid height and the true maximum travel will be the same (1.858 in.).

    ( This will appear as shown below under the 5th step on our Maximum Spring Compression Calculator analysis )

    maximum travel considering solid height is the same as the true maximum travel

    If you have any questions concerning our maximum spring compression calculator feel free to call our spring engineers for more help.