You could even make your own spring from a paper clip. Simply straighten out the clip, coil the wire around a pencil and voila! You have turned a paperclip into a spring. As simple as it sounds, bending the wire around the pencil and forming it into a spiral was done through a degree of energy.
Steel is the most commonly specified material for torsion springs because its elasticity, durability, and strength make it a perfect candidate for torsion springs. There are a few different steel alloys worth mentioning so you can understand when each would be appropriate.
Extension Springs
They work oppositely to compression springs, where they store mechanical energy when pulled apart. Extension springs are commonly used in trampolines, garage doors, balance scales, and many other applications where extension force is needed.
Type of Force: Consider whether your application requires rotational force (torsion) or linear force (compression). For example, if you need a door to open and close smoothly, a torsion spring might be more suitable. If your goal is to absorb shocks, a compression spring might be the better choice.
Clocks use a spiral wound torsion spring (a form of helical torsion spring where the coils are around each other instead of piled up) sometimes called a "clock spring" or colloquially called a mainspring.
Create a temporary magnet out of a paperclip. Hold the magnet in one hand and a paperclip in the other. Rub the paperclip against the magnet a few times in the same direction each time. Once that has been completed, place the paperclip near another paperclip and see if it will attract it.
You know that as paperclips are made out of metal they're more dense than water, that's why they normally sink. How come this one is floating? It all has to do with surface tension. It's actually the surface of the water that's holding the paperclip up!
The pennies have more density than the water, and so the pennies sink. Anything with more density than water will sink in water, but other objects that have less density than water will float. The reason the clay floats in water is because it has less density than water.
You could even make your own spring from a paper clip. Simply straighten out the clip, coil the wire around a pencil and voila! You have turned a paperclip into a spring. As simple as it sounds, bending the wire around the pencil and forming it into a spiral was done through a degree of energy.
A torsion spring is normally supported by a rod (mandrel) that is coincident with the theoretical hinge line of the final product.
Clock Springs
These springs are made to provide torsion, which means they can sometimes be used instead of more traditional torsion springs, because they can rotate in circular movements.
When a spring is stretched or compressed, so that its length changes by an amount x from its equilibrium length, then it exerts a force F = -kx in a direction towards its equilibrium position.
Overstretching or Overcompressing: Exceeding the elastic limit of a spring by applying a load that is too great can cause deformation. This results in permanent elongation or compression, irreversibly reducing the spring's tension.
You can rent spring compressors at Autozone. It's actually free because you get your money back when you return the tool. You can also find shops to remove and install the springs for you if you bring them the strut.
How Compression Affects the Stiffness of a Spring. The stiffness of a spring refers to its resistance to deformation under an external load. In general, springs become stiffer as they are compressed because less deformation occurs for each additional unit of applied force.
Note that compared to tension, the strongest stress pattern, transverse shear has 1.33 times the stress, torsion has 40 times the stress, bending has 80 times more stress, and spot contact has 742 times higher stresses.