Music wire, stainless and more: choosing a spring material
A guide to the main spring materials and how to choose based on the application.
Music wire (ASTM A228)
High-carbon steel with high strength and an excellent finish. Great for general-purpose precision springs, but it doesn't resist corrosion well.
Stainless steel (302 and 17-7)
Corrosion resistance for humid, food-grade and medical environments. 17-7 PH offers higher strength than 302.
Chrome silicon and oil-tempered
Materials for high loads and good fatigue life. Chrome silicon withstands higher temperatures; oil-tempered is economical for large volumes.
Phosphor bronze and beryllium copper
Copper alloys used when electrical conductivity or non-magnetic corrosion resistance is required.
In the designer, the material picker shows the equivalent standards (UNS, ASTM, EN, JIS) and adjusts the manufacturing limits automatically.
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