According to Rotor Clip, wave springs are commonly used for space saving, offering up to 50% axial space savings in an application. They are also frequently used in the axial preloading of bearings, however, in high-performance applications like electric mobility, traditional designs can struggle with high acceleration and torsional forces leading to bearing damage and instability.
The InterShim Wave Spring is engineered for applications with demanding high acceleration and rotation, such as electric drives, where frequent acceleration and deceleration occur. Unlike traditional wave springs, which can be prone to torsional instability, the InterShim spring features alternating active (wavy) and inactive (flat) coils. This patented design is claimed to allow the spring to withstand torsional loads and high acceleration, ensuring precise and reliable performance when rotational movement is present.
Key Benefits of the InterShim Wave Spring:
• Torsional Stability: The alternating design of active and inactive turns allows the spring to twist without losing spring force, preventing collapse or deformation during extreme acceleration and rotation
• Surface Protection: The spring features either floating ends or floating bent ends, designed to remain axially and radially stable, preventing them from migrating into the bearing cage. This feature minimises the risk of point loading and protects the bearing from unnecessary damage
• Customisable Design: The InterShim Wave Spring can be customised to meet specific requirements. Typical modifications include adjusting wave count, coil arrangement, and material selection for applications needing higher preload force or a softer spring rate
• Increased Efficiency: By eliminating the need for additional spacers or complex components, the InterShim simplifies assembly, reducing production costs and enhancing efficiency
How It Works
• The design of the turn’s changes from inactive (flat shims) to active (waved) in alternation, with an inactive turn always followed by an active turn
• Every inactive turn between active turns acts like a shim washer between two spring elements. This prevents the wave trough of a higher-level active turn from moving onto the wave crest of a lower-level active turn due to displacement or circumferential movement caused by torsional loads
• The turns of the wave spring, arranged with flat or waved shapes, are engineered to smoothly glide against each other. This design prevents the wave spring from collapsing, even when subjected to torsional loads that create relative movement between the active (waved) turns
• Torsional resistance is enhanced by inactive turns between layers
While originally developed for electric mobility applications, the InterShim Wave Spring’s is suitable for a variety of industries like aerospace, energy, industrial machinery, and medical technologies. The InterShim Wave Spring is expected to offer a reliable solution whether it in high-speed drives, off-highway vehicles or other challenging environments.
