The automotive industry is one of the most demanding industrial sectors. Components used in vehicles must perform repeatably, often under variable loads, vibration, temperature, humidity and exposure to corrosive factors. This also applies to springs and elastic elements, which appear in many of a vehicle’s systems – from the suspension, through seat and flap mechanisms, to mounting elements and safety systems.

For OEM manufacturers and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, what matters is not only the type of spring itself, but also the material, manufacturing tolerances, production repeatability, fatigue resistance and the ability to adapt the component to a specific application.

Springs in automotive – where are they used?

Vehicles use both classic technical springs and dedicated parts bent from wire and steel strip, as well as components combining several manufacturing processes, e.g. bending, resistance welding and fusion welding.

The most common areas of application include:

suspension and vibration-damping systems,
car seat mechanisms,
locks, hinges, flaps and return mechanisms,
mounting and securing systems,
vehicle interior elements,
fastening and safety systems, including ISOFIX components,
auxiliary elements in automotive modules, lighting and specialist-vehicle equipment.

The most commonly used spring types in the automotive industry

Compression springs

Compression springs are used wherever a component must carry an axial load and return to its original position once unloaded. In automotive they can act as damping, pressure, spacing or return elements.

Their design depends on factors such as spring force, working characteristic, wire diameter, number of active coils, working length, resistance to stress relaxation and fatigue life.

Extension springs

Extension springs are used in mechanisms that require a controlled return of an element to its starting position. They can appear in locks, cables, auxiliary mechanisms, fastening systems and interior sub-assemblies.

Here, particular attention is paid to the durability of the hooks, the stability of the tension force and resistance to cracking at points of stress concentration.

Torsion springs

Torsion springs work by storing energy as they are twisted. In automotive they are used, among others, in hinges and the mechanisms of flaps, seats, compartments, covers and moving parts of vehicle equipment.

For the designer, the key factors here are torque, working angle, arm geometry, positioning stability and parameter repeatability in series production.

Shaped springs and bent wire components

In many automotive applications, off-the-shelf catalogue solutions are not used but rather components designed for a specific assembly. This applies to, among others, shaped springs, clips, holders, clamps, hangers and bent wire components.

Such parts often combine an elastic, mounting and positioning function. Their advantage is the ability to adapt the geometry to a limited installation space and a specific function within a vehicle module.

Wave Zig-Zag springs

Wave Zig-Zag springs are used primarily in seat structures. In the automotive industry, what counts here is the combination of user comfort, durability, parameter stability and resistance to repeated load cycles.

Retaining rings, cotter pins and securing elements

Retaining rings and cotter pins are small components that often play a critical role in assembly and joint safety. Their job is to lock, secure or stabilise the position of other parts.

In elements of this type, dimensional accuracy, surface quality, resistance to deformation and production-batch repeatability all matter.

Hangers, holders, clamps and welded elements

Automotive projects also often use hangers, holders and clamps and welded elements. These are components that can serve mounting, spacing, stabilising or load-bearing functions.

In such applications, geometry repeatability, joint quality and the ability to maintain parameters in series production are particularly important.

What requirements must automotive springs meet?

Components for the automotive industry must be designed and manufactured taking into account the operating conditions of the specific system. In practice, this means analysing loads, the number of cycles, the working environment, the mounting method and the risk of failure.

The most important technical requirements include:

fatigue resistance under cyclic operation,
stability of the elastic characteristic,
maintaining dimensional tolerances,
resistance to corrosion, humidity and road salt,
resistance to vibration and dynamic loads,
material selection appropriate to the temperature and operating conditions,
the ability to fully control quality in series production.

Materials and surface finish

Material selection depends on the application, the load, the expected service life and the working environment. Automotive spring production uses, among others, spring steels, alloy steels, stainless steels and materials selected individually for the project’s requirements.

For components exposed to corrosion, protective coatings and surface treatment are also important. A properly selected form of protection can extend the life of a part and reduce the risk of in-service failure.

Production quality and repeatability

In automotive, the mere ability to make a spring is not enough. For an industrial client, what counts above all is a stable process, documentation, parameter control and production repeatability. The IATF 16949 standard defines quality-management-system requirements for organisations operating in the global automotive sector, and the AIAG approach supports the standardisation of quality processes across the supply chain.

From the perspective of a supplier of springs and bent parts, the important factors include:

dimensional control,
control of the spring’s force or torque,
geometry repeatability,
production-batch traceability,
process stability in series production,
the ability to make components based on the client’s technical documentation.

Production of automotive springs and components at PSI SPS

PSI SPS manufactures technical springs and metal components for demanding industrial applications. For the automotive industry, the ability to combine several technologies within a single production process is particularly important.

Depending on the project, this may involve, among others:

This makes it possible to produce both classic springs and dedicated components: holders, clamps, bent parts, fusion-welded and resistance-welded parts, and elements made from wire, tube, sheet and steel strip.

The full range of components is available in the products section.

Why should automotive spring selection start with the application?

The same type of spring can have completely different requirements depending on where it is installed. A spring working in a seat mechanism will be assessed differently from a securing element in a mounting system or a component operating under heavy vibration.

That is why the selection process should take into account:

the component’s function within the system,
the range and direction of the load,
the number of operating cycles,
the operating environment,
installation constraints,
the client’s quality requirements,
the target production volume.

Summary

The automotive industry uses a wide group of springs and elastic elements: from compression, extension and torsion springs, through wave springs, to rings, cotter pins, holders and bent wire parts. The choice of solution is determined not only by geometry, but above all by the operating conditions, service life, fatigue resistance, build quality and production repeatability.

For manufacturers and suppliers in the automotive sector, it is essential to work with a partner that understands the requirements of series production, can work from technical documentation and has the technologies to make a component matched to a specific application.

Do you need springs or bent parts for the automotive industry?
Get in touch with PSI SPS and send us your technical documentation or a description of the application. We will match the right production technology to your project’s requirements.

What springs are used in the automotive industry?