Applications – Overlap Wave Springs help connect industry

TFC’s Technical Support team have worked closely with a global manufacturer to offer bespoke preload solutions and bring major advantages and consistency to their range of electronic connectors.

An Overlap Type Wave Spring has been chosen for installation into a bayonet connector assembly. As male and female components are rotated together into final assembly, the wave spring, which operates within a narrow cavity, is compressed to its working height. In this position it exerts a constant accurate force that locks both components together.

Manufactured from flattened round wire and edge coiled to exact specifications, Smalley™s Single Turn Wave Springs are made with either a GAP or OVERLAP end configuration. These two types of design permit radial expansion or growth in diameter within a cavity, without the binding or hang-up normally associated with die stamped wave washers. Just as their terms imply, the gap type is split to retain a gap between the ends; while the overlap type has overlapping ends. Thus, the ends are free to move circumferentially as the spring outside diameter grows during compression. Also, since they are cold-rolled and, unlike a die-stamped product that requires heat treatment after manufacture, a greater control of spring force is achieved.

Another significant advantage offered by the edge-coiling process is that there is no costly tooling involved therefore, bespoke designs can be produced, as quickly as a standard product, in economic prototype batches with a diameter range from 5mm to over 2000mm. If necessary, the spring design can be altered, with minimal cost, to provide the exact specification without the need for any compromise on the part of the customer.

Single turn gap or overlap type wave springs can be ordered from stock in Carbon or Stainless steel, and are suitable for a majority of applications. Choose from a large selection of bore and rod diameters, loading capacities, work and free heights, number of waves and thicknesses. Samples and catalogues available on request.

Please contact our Engineering team with any enquiries or view our standard catalogue ranges here.