Linear Springs

Our Smalley Linear Springs offer a selection of spring loads that react along a straight line as opposed to a conventional helical spring that fits in a circular cavity. This results in progressive springs which, although located in an axial direction, provides a radial force between mating components.

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Product Information

Linear Springs are a continuous wave formed wire length produced from spring tempered materials which act as a load bearing device. Since they are manufactured using the same technology that is applied to the production of our Smalley^? Edge Coiled Flat Wire Wave Springs, they have the same load/deflection characteristics and, burr-free edge profile.

At TFC we’re devoted to giving our clients the best possible products for their money and to suit their requirements; our Linear Springs are made with spring tempered materials to ensure quality and longevity, this means you can confidently use them as load bearing devices in almost any situation where a wave spring won™t do and be confident in their dependability and performance. Contact us Here for more information.

Materials: Carbon Steel and 17/7ph Stainless Steel.

Can’t find the progressive springs you’re looking for?
Find more information on our Linear Springs, contact us here or call our Engineering team now +44 (0)1435 866011.

With ISO9001: 2015 approval incorporating Design Status, our qualified engineering staff are able to offer a completely free of charge engineering service and are available to assist with part selection, custom design, application requirements, material selection and more.

Applications are discussed in-depth, first-off design data and drawings are submitted for approval to ensure our customers are provided with the correct design, first time. However, on those rare occasions when modifications are necessary, our no-tooling process and flexible manufacturing procedures means the production of prototypes is easily and economically achieved without onerous tooling charges and long lead times.

At TFC we realise that Quality runs through the entire business, not just our products. We have continually invested in the right people to provide the superior market knowledge and customer service.

Our supply chain partners, from manufacturers to logistics and information technology are carefully chosen to ÿt our commitment to quality

Quality assured since 1981
ISO 9001:2015
Aerospace AS9100C & AS9120A

All products are batch traceable and can be supplied in accordance with REACH, RoHs and Weee.

Certificates of Conformity are available on request and Full material certification is also available on many items.

Dimensions:
Inches (in)Add suffix -S17 for stainless steel.

Part Number	Waves	Thickness	Width	Length	Free Height	Work Height	Load (lb)	Spring Rate (lb/in)
YLS12188-1	1	0.012	0.188	1.5	0.225	0.125	1.5	11
YLS12188-2	2	0.012	0.188	3	0.225	0.125	5.6	91
YLS12188-3	3	0.012	0.188	4.5	0.225	0.125	10.4	136
YLS12188-4	4	0.012	0.188	6	0.225	0.125	14.8	182
YLS12250-1	1	0.012	0.25	1.5	0.225	0.125	2.2	15
YLS12250-2	2	0.012	0.25	3	0.225	0.125	7.8	121
YLS12250-3	3	0.012	0.25	4.5	0.225	0.125	13.9	181
YLS12250-4	4	0.012	0.25	6	0.225	0.125	19.8	242
YLS12312-1	1	0.012	0.312	1.5	0.225	0.125	2.9	19
YLS12312-2	2	0.012	0.312	3	0.225	0.125	10.2	151
YLS12312-3	3	0.012	0.312	4.5	0.225	0.125	17.6	226
YLS12312-4	4	0.012	0.312	6	0.225	0.125	26	302
YLS12375-1	1	0.012	0.375	1.5	0.225	0.125	3.5	23
YLS12375-2	2	0.012	0.375	3	0.225	0.125	11.3	181
YLS12375-3	3	0.012	0.375	4.5	0.225	0.125	20.1	272
YLS12375-4	4	0.012	0.375	6	0.225	0.125	25.2	362
YLS20188-1	1	0.02	0.188	1.875	0.25	0.15	3	27
YLS20188-2	2	0.02	0.188	3.75	0.25	0.15	11.4	215
YLS20188-3	3	0.02	0.188	5.625	0.25	0.15	23.5	323
YLS20188-4	4	0.02	0.188	7.5	0.25	0.15	32.5	431
YLS20250-1	1	0.02	0.25	1.875	0.25	0.15	5.6	36
YLS20250-2	2	0.02	0.25	3.75	0.25	0.15	17.6	286
YLS20250-3	3	0.02	0.25	5.625	0.25	0.15	31.7	430
YLS20250-4	4	0.02	0.25	7.5	0.25	0.15	44.9	573
YLS20312-1	1	0.02	0.312	1.875	0.25	0.15	6	45
YLS20312-2	2	0.02	0.312	3.75	0.25	0.15	20.5	357
YLS20312-3	3	0.02	0.312	5.625	0.25	0.15	34.9	536
YLS20312-4	4	0.02	0.312	7.5	0.25	0.15	50.8	715
YLS20375-1	1	0.02	0.375	1.875	0.25	0.15	6.4	54
YLS20375-2	2	0.02	0.375	3.75	0.25	0.15	23.3	430
YLS20375-3	3	0.02	0.375	5.625	0.25	0.15	52	644
YLS20375-4	4	0.02	0.375	7.5	0.25	0.15	74.5	859
YLS25188-1	1	0.025	0.188	2.25	0.275	0.175	3.5	30
YLS25188-2	2	0.025	0.188	4.5	0.275	0.175	15.4	243
YLS25188-3	3	0.025	0.188	6.75	0.275	0.175	27.9	365
YLS25188-4	4	0.025	0.188	9	0.275	0.175	42.5	487
YLS25250-1	1	0.025	0.25	2.25	0.275	0.175	6.5	40
YLS25250-2	2	0.025	0.25	4.5	0.275	0.175	21.7	324
YLS25250-3	3	0.025	0.25	6.75	0.275	0.175	34.7	486
YLS25250-4	4	0.025	0.25	9	0.275	0.175	50.5	647
YLS25312-1	1	0.025	0.312	2.25	0.275	0.175	6.6	51
YLS25312-2	2	0.025	0.312	4.5	0.275	0.175	24	404
YLS25312-3	3	0.025	0.312	6.75	0.275	0.175	43.2	606
YLS25312-4	4	0.025	0.312	9	0.275	0.175	62	808
YLS25375-1	1	0.025	0.375	2.25	0.275	0.175	7.7	61
YLS25375-2	2	0.025	0.375	4.5	0.275	0.175	29.4	486
YLS25375-3	3	0.025	0.375	6.75	0.275	0.175	53.8	728
YLS25375-4	4	0.025	0.375	9	0.275	0.175	76.9	971
YLS38188-1	1	0.038	0.188	2.625	0.3	0.2	7.5	67
YLS38188-2	2	0.038	0.188	5.25	0.3	0.2	25	538
YLS38188-3	3	0.038	0.188	7.875	0.3	0.2	61	808
YLS38188-4	4	0.038	0.188	10.5	0.3	0.2	90	1077
YLS38250-1	1	0.038	0.25	2.625	0.3	0.2	11.9	89
YLS38250-2	2	0.038	0.25	5.25	0.3	0.2	45.7	716
YLS38250-3	3	0.038	0.25	7.875	0.3	0.2	74.3	1074
YLS38250-4	4	0.038	0.25	10.5	0.3	0.2	111.5	1432
YLS38312-1	1	0.038	0.312	2.625	0.3	0.2	9.9	112
YLS38312-2	2	0.038	0.312	5.25	0.3	0.2	49.3	893
YLS38312-3	3	0.038	0.312	7.875	0.3	0.2	88	1340
YLS38312-4	4	0.038	0.312	10.5	0.3	0.2	160.7	1787
YLS38375-1	1	0.038	0.375	2.625	0.3	0.2	16.9	134
YLS38375-2	2	0.038	0.375	5.25	0.3	0.2	61.7	1074
YLS38375-3	3	0.038	0.375	7.875	0.3	0.2	105	1611
YLS38375-4	4	0.038	0.375	10.5	0.3	0.2	153	2148
YLS45188-1	1	0.045	0.188	3	0.325	0.225	9	75
YLS45188-2	2	0.045	0.188	6	0.325	0.225	36	599
YLS45188-3	3	0.045	0.188	9	0.325	0.225	65	898
YLS45188-4	4	0.045	0.188	12	0.325	0.225	89	1198
YLS45250-1	1	0.045	0.25	3	0.325	0.225	12.5	100
YLS45250-2	2	0.045	0.25	6	0.325	0.225	42.5	797
YLS45250-3	3	0.045	0.25	9	0.325	0.225	83	1195
YLS45250-4	4	0.045	0.25	12	0.325	0.225	120.5	1593
YLS45312-1	1	0.045	0.312	3	0.325	0.225	14.7	124
YLS45312-2	2	0.045	0.312	6	0.325	0.225	60.3	994
YLS45312-3	3	0.045	0.312	9	0.325	0.225	108.9	1491
YLS45312-4	4	0.045	0.312	12	0.325	0.225	131	1988
YLS45375-1	1	0.045	0.375	3	0.325	0.225	20.4	149
YLS45375-2	2	0.045	0.375	6	0.325	0.225	73.1	1195
YLS45375-3	3	0.045	0.375	9	0.325	0.225	133.5	1792
YLS45375-4	4	0.045	0.375	12	0.325	0.225	190	2390
YLS62188-1	1	0.062	0.188	3.375	0.35	0.25	14.3	138
YLS62188-2	2	0.062	0.188	6.75	0.35	0.25	67.5	1100
YLS62188-3	3	0.062	0.188	10.125	0.35	0.25	105.5	1650
YLS62188-4	4	0.062	0.188	13.5	0.35	0.25	159.5	2200
YLS62250-1	1	0.062	0.25	3.375	0.35	0.25	22.5	183
YLS62250-2	2	0.062	0.25	6.75	0.35	0.25	104	1463
YLS62250-3	3	0.062	0.25	10.125	0.35	0.25	161	2195
YLS62250-4	4	0.062	0.25	13.5	0.35	0.25	234	2926
YLS62312-1	1	0.062	0.312	3.375	0.35	0.25	27.8	228
YLS62312-2	2	0.062	0.312	6.75	0.35	0.25	104	1826
YLS62312-3	3	0.062	0.312	10.125	0.35	0.25	174.5	2739
YLS62312-4	4	0.062	0.312	13.5	0.35	0.25	262.5	3652
YLS62375-1	1	0.062	0.375	3.375	0.35	0.25	42	274
YLS62375-2	2	0.062	0.375	6.75	0.35	0.25	139.5	2195
YLS62375-3	3	0.062	0.375	10.125	0.35	0.25	240	3292
YLS62375-4	4	0.062	0.375	13.5	0.35	0.25	353	4389

Related Products

Linear wave springs are a unique type of spring formed from a continuous wave-formed wire length produced from spring-tempered materials. The spring acts as a load-bearing device and has almost the same load and deflection characteristics as a wave spring.”

While linear wave springs are load-bearing devices, the statement about having “almost the same load and deflection characteristics as a wave spring” is not accurate. Linear wave springs and wave springs are different types of springs with distinct load and deflection characteristics. Linear wave springs have a different design and behaviour compared to traditional wave springs. The axial pressure is obtained with linear wave springs by laying the spring flat in a straight line.

This part of the statement is not entirely accurate. Linear wave springs do not exert axial pressure by simply laying the spring flat in a straight line. Instead, they are designed to provide axial load or spring force when compressed or expanded along the axis. The wave-shaped design of the spring allows for axial deflection while maintaining a nearly constant spring rate.

Linear springs, in contrast to helical springs that fit within circular cavities, provide a range of spring loads that act in a linear fashion.

Applications of Linear Wave Springs

Applications of linear wave springs reach far and wide. You just need to choose the right linear spring for the right application.

Detent preload

In certain mechanical systems, such as indexing mechanisms or position-locking devices, linear springs are employed to create detents or notches at specific intervals. These detents allow the rotating element (such as a gear, shaft, or lever) to engage with the pins located within the grooves. The linear springs provide the necessary force or load to keep the pins engaged with the detents, thereby creating resistance and holding the rotating element in position.

The precise amount of load exerted by the linear springs determines the resistance experienced during rotation. By adjusting the spring properties, such as the spring rate or the number of springs used, the desired level of resistance can be achieved. This resistance helps provide tactile feedback and ensures that the rotating element remains securely in the desired positions.

Rotary vane pump

In a rotary vane pump, the vanes are responsible for creating a seal against the pump housing or bore as they slide in and out of the rotor slots. The use of linear wave springs at the bottom of the vanes helps provide radial force, pressing the vanes against the pump housing or bore. This radial force ensures a tight seal and helps maintain consistent contact between the vanes and the pump housing, enhancing sealing efficiency.

Varieties of Linear Wave Springs

TFC is a leading supplier of linear wave springs in the UK and the larger Europe offering an extensive range of options based on size and material. With our diverse selection of linear wave springs, you can find the right spring for the right job.

Stock sizes

Our linear wave springs are in carbon and stainless steel materials. Each material has a unique feature, and the spring carries the same features as the selected materials. Our stock range also features over 200 different sizes of linear wave springs.

We can also customise the production of the linear wave springs to match the customer’s requirements and project tolerances. Customisation of linear wave springs has no tooling costs, and we can make the springs from exotic alloys to suit the needs of the project, its environment and conditions.