Design of machine Elements Interview Questions with Answers: Springs
Question No. 01
What is a spring?
Answer:
A spring is an elastic
member, which deflects, or distorts under the action of load and regains its
original shape after the load is removed.
Question No. 02
State any two functions of springs.
Answer:
- To measure forces in spring balance, meters and engine indicators.
- To store energy.
What are the various types of springs?
Answer:
- Helical springs
- Spiral springs
- Leaf springs
- Disc spring or Belleville springs
What are the requirements of spring while
designing?
Answer:
- Spring must carry the service load without the stress exceeding the safe value.
- The spring rate must be satisfactory for the given application.
Classify the helical springs.
Answer:
- Close-coiled or tension helical spring.
- Open-coiled or compression helical spring.
Define Leaf springs
Answer:
A leaf spring consists
of flat bars of varying lengths clamped together and supported at both ends,
thus acting as a simply supported beam.
Question No. 07
Define Belleville Springs
Answer:
They are made in the form of a cone disc to carry a high compressive force. In order to improve their load carrying capacity, they may be stacked up together. The major stresses are tensile and compressive.
They are made in the form of a cone disc to carry a high compressive force. In order to improve their load carrying capacity, they may be stacked up together. The major stresses are tensile and compressive.
Question No. 08
What is spring index (C)?
Answer:
The ratio of mean or pitch diameter to the diameter of wire for the spring is called the spring index.
The ratio of mean or pitch diameter to the diameter of wire for the spring is called the spring index.
Question No. 09
What is pitch?
Answer:
The axial distance between adjacent coils in uncompressed state.
The axial distance between adjacent coils in uncompressed state.
Question No. 10
What is solid length?
Answer:
The length of a spring under the maximum compression is called its solid length. It is the product of total number of coils and the diameter of wire.
The length of a spring under the maximum compression is called its solid length. It is the product of total number of coils and the diameter of wire.
Ls = nt × d
Where, nt = total number of coils.
Question No. 11
What are the end conditions of spring?
Answer:
- Plain end.
- Plain and ground end
- Squared end
- Squared and ground end.
What is buckling of springs?
Answer:
The helical compression
spring behaves like a column and buckles at a comparative small load when the
length of the spring is more than 4 times the mean coil diameter.
Question No. 13
What is surge in springs?
Answer:
The material is
subjected to higher stresses, which may cause early fatigue failure. This
effect is called as spring surge.
Question No. 14
What is a laminated leaf spring?
Answer:
In order to increase,
the load carrying capacity, number of flat plates are placed and below the
other.
Question No. 15
What are semi elliptical leaf springs?
Answer:
The spring consists of
number of leaves, which are held together by U-clips.
The long leaf
fastened to the supported is called master leaf. Remaining leaves are called as
graduated leaves.
Question No. 16
What is nipping of laminated leaf spring?
Answer:
Pre-stressing of leaf
springs is obtained by a difference of radii of curvature known as nipping.
Question No. 17
What are the various applications of
springs?
Answer:
The springs are used in various applications, they are
The springs are used in various applications, they are
- Used to absorb energy or shocks (e.g. shock absorbers, buffers, etc.)
- To apply forces as in brakes clutches, spring-loaded valves, etc.
- To measure forces as in spring balances and engine indicators
- To store energy as in watches
Define free length.
Answer:
Free length of the
spring is the length of the spring when it is free or unloaded condition. It is
equal to the solid length plus the maximum deflection or compression plus clash
allowance.
Lf
= solid length + Ymax + 0.15 Ymax
Question No. 19
Define spring index.
Answer:
Spring index (C) is
defined as the ratio of the mean diameter of the coil to the diameter of the
wire.
C =D/d
Question No. 20
Define spring rate (stiffness).
Answer:
The spring stiffness or spring constant is defined as the load required per unit deflection of the spring.
The spring stiffness or spring constant is defined as the load required per unit deflection of the spring.
K= W/y
Where, W - Load
y - Deflection
Question No. 21
Define pitch.
Answer:
Pitch of the spring is defined as the axial distance between the adjacent coils in uncompressed state. Mathematically Pitch=free length/n-1
Pitch of the spring is defined as the axial distance between the adjacent coils in uncompressed state. Mathematically Pitch=free length/n-1
Question No. 22
What are the points to be taken into
consideration while selecting the pitch of the spring?
Answer:
The points taken into consideration of selecting the pitch of the springs are
The points taken into consideration of selecting the pitch of the springs are
- The pitch of the coil should be such that if the spring is accidentally compressed the stress does not increase the yield point stress in torsion.
- The spring should not be close up before the maximum service load is reached.
Define active turns.
Answer:
Active turns of the spring are defined as the number of turns, which impart spring action while loaded. As load increases the no of active coils decreases.
Active turns of the spring are defined as the number of turns, which impart spring action while loaded. As load increases the no of active coils decreases.
Question No. 24
Define inactive turns.
Answer:
Inactive turns of the
spring are defined as the number of turns which does not contribute to the
spring action while loaded. As load increases number of inactive coils
increases from 0.5 to 1 turn.
Question No. 25
What are the different kinds of end
connections for compression helical springs?
Answer:
The different kinds of end connection for compression helical springs are
The different kinds of end connection for compression helical springs are
- Plain ends
- Ground ends
- Squared ends
- Ground & square ends
Write about the eccentric loading of
springs?
Answer:
If the load acting on
the spring does not coincide with the axis of the spring, then spring is said
to be have eccentric load. In eccentric loading the safe load of the spring
decreases and the stiffness of the spring is also affected.
Question No. 27
Explain about surge in springs?
Answer:
When one end of the spring is resting on a rigid support and the other end is loaded suddenly, all the coils of spring does not deflect equally, because some time is required for the propagation of stress along the wire. Thus a wave of compression propagates to the fixed end from where it is reflected back to the deflected end this wave passes through the spring indefinitely. If the time interval between the load application and that of the wave to propagate are equal, then resonance will occur. This will result in very high stresses and cause failure. This phenomenon is called surge.
When one end of the spring is resting on a rigid support and the other end is loaded suddenly, all the coils of spring does not deflect equally, because some time is required for the propagation of stress along the wire. Thus a wave of compression propagates to the fixed end from where it is reflected back to the deflected end this wave passes through the spring indefinitely. If the time interval between the load application and that of the wave to propagate are equal, then resonance will occur. This will result in very high stresses and cause failure. This phenomenon is called surge.
Question No. 28
What are the methods used for eliminating
surge in springs?
Answer:
The methods used for eliminating surge are
The methods used for eliminating surge are
- By using dampers on the centre coil so that the wave propagation dies out
- By using springs having high natural frequency.
What are the disadvantages of using helical
spring of non-circular wires?
Answer:
- The quality of the spring is not good
- The shape of the wire does not remain constant while forming the helix. It reduces the energy absorbing capacity of the spring.
- The stress distribution is not favorable as in circular wires. But this effect is negligible where loading is of static nature.
Why concentric springs are used?
Answer:
- To get greater spring force within a given space
- To insure the operation of a mechanism in the event of failure of one of the spring
What is the advantage of leaf spring over
helical spring?
Answer:
The advantage of leaf
spring over helical spring is that the end of the spring may be guided along a
definite path as it deflects to act a structural member in addition to energy
absorbing device.
Question No. 32
Write notes on the master leaf &
graduated leaf?
Answer:
The longest leaf of the
spring is known as main leaf or master leaf has its ends in the form of an eye through
which bolts are passed to secure the spring. The leaf of the spring other than
master leaf is called the graduated leaves.
Question No. 33
What is meant by nip in leaf springs?
Answer:
By giving greater radius
of curvature to the full length leaves than the graduated leaves, before the
leaves are assembled to form a spring thus a gap or clearance will be left
between the leaves. This initial gap is called nip.
Question No. 34
What is the application of leaf spring?
Answer:
The leaf springs are used in automobiles as shock absorbers for giving suspension to the automobile and it gives support to the structure.
The leaf springs are used in automobiles as shock absorbers for giving suspension to the automobile and it gives support to the structure.
Question No. 35
Define flat spiral spring.
Answer:
A flat spiral spring is a long thin strip of elastic material wound like a spiral. These springs are frequently used in watch springs, gramophones, etc
A flat spiral spring is a long thin strip of elastic material wound like a spiral. These springs are frequently used in watch springs, gramophones, etc
Question No. 36
What are the differences between helical
torsion spring and tension helical springs?
Answer:
Helical torsion springs
are wound similar to that of tension springs but the ends are shaped to
transmit torque. The primary stress in helical torsion spring is bending stress
whereas in tension springs the stresses are torsional shear stresses.
Question No. 37
Define helical springs.
Answer:
The helical springs are made up of a wire coiled in the form of a helix and are primarily intended for compressive or tensile load.
The helical springs are made up of a wire coiled in the form of a helix and are primarily intended for compressive or tensile load.
Question No. 38
What are the different types of helical
springs?
Answer:
The different types of
helical springs are
- Open coil helical spring
- Closed coil helical spring
What is closed coil helical spring?
Answer:
- The spring wires are coiled very closely, each turn is nearly at right angles to the axis of helix
- Helix angle is small, i.e. less than 10 Degree.
What is open coil helical spring?
Answer:
- The wires are coiled such that there is a gap between the two consecutive turns.
- Helix angle is large i.e. greater than 10 degree.