Spring Wire Material Properties Reference
Every spring calculation starts with the wire's moduli and density, and most engineers look them up from memory or an old table. This reference puts shear modulus, elastic modulus, density and typical temperature limit for common spring wires in one searchable list.
| Material | Typical specification | Shear modulus G (Mpsi) | Elastic modulus E (Mpsi) | Density (lbm/in3) | Typical max service temp (F) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Music wire | ASTM A228 | 11.5 | 29.5 | 0.284 | 250 | Small precision springs, highest tensile strength, general purpose |
Hard drawn carbon steel | ASTM A227 | 11.4 | 28.8 | 0.284 | 250 | Low cost, large wire, static loads |
Oil tempered carbon steel | ASTM A229 | 11.4 | 28.5 | 0.284 | 250 | General purpose, larger diameters, moderate cost |
Chrome vanadium alloy | ASTM A231 / A232 | 11.2 | 29.5 | 0.284 | 425 | Fatigue duty, shock loads, moderately elevated temperature |
Chrome silicon alloy | ASTM A401 | 11.2 | 29.5 | 0.284 | 475 | High stress, valve springs, shock and fatigue duty |
Stainless steel 302 / 304 | ASTM A313 | 10 | 28 | 0.286 | 550 | Corrosion resistance, general purpose, food equipment |
Stainless steel 316 | ASTM A313 | 10 | 28 | 0.287 | 550 | Better chloride and chemical resistance than 302 / 304 |
17-7 PH stainless steel | ASTM A313 type 631 | 11 | 29.5 | 0.282 | 600 | High strength with corrosion resistance after precipitation hardening |
Phosphor bronze | ASTM B159 | 6 | 15 | 0.32 | 212 | Corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, non-magnetic |
Beryllium copper | ASTM B197 | 7 | 17 | 0.297 | 400 | Non-magnetic, conductive, non-sparking, good fatigue strength |
Values are typical handbook figures for design screening (Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design and spring maker catalogues). Moduli vary slightly with diameter and heat treatment, and temperature limits depend on stress level and allowable relaxation. Always confirm with the wire certificate and your spring maker. Tensile strength varies strongly with wire diameter and is not shown here.
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How to use it
Search by name, spec or use and read the modulus you need. Shear modulus G drives the rate of compression and extension springs, while elastic modulus E drives the rate of torsion springs. Density is used for wire weight in costing and for surge frequency. The temperature column is a typical upper limit for static service; high-stress springs relax faster as temperature rises. Copy the values into the spring calculators and the quote worksheet, and use the wire certificate for the final design.
- Use G for compression and extension, E for torsion springs.
- Check the spec on the PO matches the one in the table.
- Derate stress for elevated temperature and corrosive environments.
Reading the table
ASTM A228 music wire has the highest tensile strength of the carbon steels and is the default choice for small round springs. A227 hard drawn and A229 oil tempered cost less but top out at lower stress. Chrome vanadium and chrome silicon alloys hold up under shock, fatigue and moderately higher temperatures. Stainless grades trade strength for corrosion resistance, and the copper alloys give conductivity and non-magnetic behaviour at a much lower modulus, so the same geometry gives a much softer spring.
Choosing a material
Start from the environment and the stress level, not from price. Environment sets the family: carbon steel with a finish for dry indoor service, stainless for moisture or chemicals, copper alloys for electrical or non-magnetic use. Stress and duty cycle then set the grade. High cycle fatigue favours chrome silicon or chrome vanadium with shot peening. Temperature sets the upper bound, and relaxation under load at temperature is the usual reason a good spring slowly loses force.
Common mistakes
Material problems are usually found in service, so a wrong table value is expensive.
- Using the steel modulus for a copper alloy spring and being off by almost half.
- Specifying stainless at the same stress allowables as music wire.
- Assuming temperature limits hold at full design stress.
- Mixing G and E in calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shear modulus of music wire?
About 11.5 million psi (79 GPa) for ASTM A228 music wire, with small variation by diameter. Use this value in the rate formula for compression and extension springs, and confirm it against your supplier's certificate for critical work.
Why is the modulus of phosphor bronze so much lower?
Copper alloys are inherently less stiff than steel. Phosphor bronze has a shear modulus around 6 Mpsi against 11.5 for music wire, so the same wire and coil geometry gives a spring with roughly half the rate.
Does the table include tensile strength?
No. Tensile strength of spring wire depends strongly on diameter and process, so it belongs in a diameter-based table from the specification or your wire supplier. Use that value with the calculators on this site to set allowable stress.
Are these values safe to use for final design?
They are good for design screening and quoting. For final design use the wire certificate and the values your spring maker guarantees, especially for high-stress, high-temperature or safety-critical springs.
If material specs and spring drawings are spread across ERP items, drawings and vendor files, we can help connect them so engineering and purchasing see one source of truth.
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