Spring Washers

Spring washers are disks of metal that are formed in an irregular shape so that when the washer is loaded it deflects, acts like a spring, and provides a preload between two surfaces.  Spring washer types include adjustable spacers, Belleville washers, bowed or curved washers, conical washers, finger washers, and wave washers.  Adjustable spacers, or load rings, are used as a shim or spring washer replacement for assemblies requiring accurate bearing settings, including preload.  They are constructed of convoluted, ductile, high strength metal alloys and are available in machined, welded and open ring variations.  Belleville washers are compact type of spring in the shape of a washer that has been pressed into a dished shape and then hardened and tempered.  Bowed, or curved washers are bent spring washers used for axial play take-up.  Conical washers provide great load bearing capacity.  They are specifically designed to provide a compensating spring force and sustain a load or absorb shock. Conical washers span holes, and maintain high tension in screw and nut assemblies and are available in plain or toothed periphery styles.  Finger washers have resilient fingers on the outer periphery assure balanced pressure and directs the pressure away from the inside diameter.  Wave washers are specifically designed to provide a compensating spring force and sustain a load or absorb shock. Many design variations have evolved to best serve these basic functions. Spring washers are typically used in applications where assemblies need a part to take up play, eliminate rattle, maintain assembly tension, compensate for expansion or contraction in materials after assembly, or to absorb intermittent shock loads and provide a controlled reaction under dynamic loads.