Abstract— This paper deals with the applicability of fiber reinforced plastic in springs. Three different types of springs were manufactured using glass fiber, carbon fiber and glass/carbon fiber in +45 degree orientation. Tests were conducted on the springs to study the mechanical behavior. The spring rate of the carbon fiber spring is found to be 24% more than the glass fiber spring and 10% more than the glass/carbon fiber spring. Stresses acting on the composite springs were less compared to steel spring. The weight of the composite spring is almost 70% less than that of the steel spring. The specimen preparation and experiments were carried out according to ASTM standards.

Index Terms— Composite helical springs, Suspension system, Spring constant, Load bearing capacity

Cite: T S Manjunatha and D Abdul Budan, " Manufacturing and Experimentation of Composite Helical Springs for Automotive Suspension," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 229-241, July 2012.