Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs

Helical springs are indispensable mechanical parts widely used in industry. Lightweight is one of the development trends of helical springs. In this study, three kinds of lightweight polymer matrix composite helical springs (PMCHSs) with unidirectional, multistrand, and wrapped textile structural re...

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Main Authors: Ling Chen, Liwei Wu, Hongjun Fu, Youhong Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Polymers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3900
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author Ling Chen
Liwei Wu
Hongjun Fu
Youhong Tang
author_facet Ling Chen
Liwei Wu
Hongjun Fu
Youhong Tang
author_sort Ling Chen
collection DOAJ
description Helical springs are indispensable mechanical parts widely used in industry. Lightweight is one of the development trends of helical springs. In this study, three kinds of lightweight polymer matrix composite helical springs (PMCHSs) with unidirectional, multistrand, and wrapped textile structural reinforcement (PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W) were designed, manufactured, and evaluated. The performance of these PMCHSs and the relationship between their performance and their corresponding polymer matrix composite spring wire rods (PMCRs) were studied through the torsion test of the PMCRs and the compression and resilience tests of the PMCHSs. The results showed that the performance of the PMCHSs could be effectively improved by using the wrapped structure as the reinforcement. The compression capacity of PMCHS-W was 72.6% and 137.5% higher than that of PMCHS-M and PMCHS-U, respectively. The resilience performance of the PMCHSs decreased with the increase in the spring constant. The performances of the PMCHSs and a steel spring were compared. The results showed that the spring constant of the steel spring could be achieved when the masses of PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W were only 75%, 63%, and 49% of the mass of the steel spring, respectively. This research is of great significance to the improvement in lightweight spring performance.
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spelling doaj.art-026c8e6ca1da4ee59062c026baaae7602023-11-23T18:31:52ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-09-011418390010.3390/polym14183900Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical SpringsLing Chen0Liwei Wu1Hongjun Fu2Youhong Tang3ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, AustraliaInnovation Platform of Intelligent and Energy-Saving Textiles, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, ChinaSchool of Textiles Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, ChinaARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, AustraliaHelical springs are indispensable mechanical parts widely used in industry. Lightweight is one of the development trends of helical springs. In this study, three kinds of lightweight polymer matrix composite helical springs (PMCHSs) with unidirectional, multistrand, and wrapped textile structural reinforcement (PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W) were designed, manufactured, and evaluated. The performance of these PMCHSs and the relationship between their performance and their corresponding polymer matrix composite spring wire rods (PMCRs) were studied through the torsion test of the PMCRs and the compression and resilience tests of the PMCHSs. The results showed that the performance of the PMCHSs could be effectively improved by using the wrapped structure as the reinforcement. The compression capacity of PMCHS-W was 72.6% and 137.5% higher than that of PMCHS-M and PMCHS-U, respectively. The resilience performance of the PMCHSs decreased with the increase in the spring constant. The performances of the PMCHSs and a steel spring were compared. The results showed that the spring constant of the steel spring could be achieved when the masses of PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W were only 75%, 63%, and 49% of the mass of the steel spring, respectively. This research is of great significance to the improvement in lightweight spring performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3900polymer matrix composite helical springpolymer matrix composite spring wire rodtorsioncompressionresilience
spellingShingle Ling Chen
Liwei Wu
Hongjun Fu
Youhong Tang
Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
Polymers
polymer matrix composite helical spring
polymer matrix composite spring wire rod
torsion
compression
resilience
title Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
title_full Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
title_fullStr Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
title_full_unstemmed Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
title_short Design and Performance Evaluation of Polymer Matrix Composite Helical Springs
title_sort design and performance evaluation of polymer matrix composite helical springs
topic polymer matrix composite helical spring
polymer matrix composite spring wire rod
torsion
compression
resilience
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3900
work_keys_str_mv AT lingchen designandperformanceevaluationofpolymermatrixcompositehelicalsprings
AT liweiwu designandperformanceevaluationofpolymermatrixcompositehelicalsprings
AT hongjunfu designandperformanceevaluationofpolymermatrixcompositehelicalsprings
AT youhongtang designandperformanceevaluationofpolymermatrixcompositehelicalsprings