Redesigned Music Wire Springs for an Automotive Sub-Assembly

Automotive Adjustable Lumbar Support Mechanism Music Wire Spring (click on thumbnail to enlarge)

Since the original Music Wire springs intended for Automotive Sub-Assemblies became easily tangled, Maverick Spring set out to redesign the springs to inhibit future tangling. In the first case, a spring for an adjustable lumbar support mechanism, we included two sections of closed coils within the body of the spring. The wire size and active coils were adjusted to maintain the spring rate. The length of the closed coil section was longer than the pitch, resulting in springs that were less likely to intertwine and tangle. The corresponding increase in solid height led to a decrease in stress in the spring at solid height, creating a spring that would not take a set when compressed to solid height. This solution eliminated the need for a potentially expensive set-remove operation.

Automotive Parking Brake Assembly Music Wire Spring (click on thumbnail to enlarge)

In the second case, a much larger spring for a parking brake assembly, the coils were redesigned to include one section of closed coils in the spring, with the section of closed coils running longer than the pitch of the open coils to reduce tangling. As with the other springs, the wire size and active coils were adjusted to maintain the spring rate, and the final spring was much more manageable. For more information about this project and Maverick Spring’s redesign services, please contact us.

Specifications

Product Name

Redesigned Music Wire Spring for an Automotive Adjustable Lumbar Support Application

Wire

0.022” Music Wire

Outside Diameter

5.55 mm +/- 0.1 mm

Inside Diameter of Spring Ends

Tapered to 3.65 mm +/- 0.1 mm

Total Coils

~ 41

Closed Coils

5 each end, 5 in 2 places in spring body, equally spaced

Free Length

69.0 mm +/- 1.5

Production Speed

> 2000 per hour

Heat Treatment

450 degrees F, 20 minutes, inline conveyor belt oven

Packaging

3,000 pieces per customer supplied reusable tote

End Use

Automotive Adjustable Lumbar Support Mechanism

Shipped to

Ontario, Canada