Media

 

Helical vs Canted Coil Springs in High-Vibration Environments: Which One Holds Up Best?

 

When equipment faces intense vibration—such as in aerospace, electric vehicles (EVs), or oil & gas applications—the choice of spring energizer becomes mission-critical. Vibrations can not only destabilize sealing pressure but also lead to premature fatigue, relaxation, or outright failure. In this article, we compare helical springs and canted coil springs under high-vibration conditions, exploring their strengths, limitations, industry applications, testing standards, and practical design guidance.

 

Why Vibration Matters for Spring-Energized Seals

High-frequency vibration and mechanical shock introduce unique stresses:

• • Dynamic fatigue: Repeated loading and unloading cycles can weaken spring coils.
• • Contact force decay: Vibrations may reduce the preload needed to maintain seal integrity.
• • Noise & loosening: Helical springs can generate buzz or lose tension over time.
• • Sealing breakdown: Reduced spring force leads to leaks, contamination, or equipment damage.

This means that selecting the right spring type is key to ensuring reliability and safety in demanding systems.

 

Helical Springs: Strengths and Weaknesses

Helical springs, also known as Spiral Springs, are coil-wound with round cross-sections, offering:

• • High load capacity
• • Predictable linear force-deflection behavior
• • Fast installation

However, under high vibration:

• • They may experience permanent set (loss of preload).
• • Lifespan can be shortened due to coil fatigue.
• • Single-point contact amplifies stress, increasing risk of loosening.

Helical springs are best suited for:

• • Static or low-frequency applications
• • High pressure sealing with minimal movement
• • Situations where high-load compression is prioritized over vibration stability

 

Canted Coil Springs: Why They Excel

Canted coil springs, with slanted coils and multiple contact points, offer:

• • Consistent flat spring rate across wide deflection
• • Multi-point contact, reducing stress per coil
• • Superior fatigue resistance in high-cycle environments
• • Self-shock absorption, due to elastic ring structure
• • Excellent EMI conductivity and shielding

Because of these traits, canted coil springs shine in:

• • High-frequency vibration environments
• • Applications requiring EMI grounding or shielding
• • Repeated assembly/disassembly without losing elasticity

Performance Table: Helical vs Canted Coil

Criterion	Helical Spring	Canted Coil Spring
Load Retention under Vibration	Good, but decays over cycles	Exceptional, with flat-rate stability
Elastic Fatigue Life	Moderate	High, due to distributed stress
Vibration Response	Rigid, can transmit vibration	Elastic, absorbs shock effectively
EMI / Conductivity	Limited	Excellent
Reusability / Disassembly	Moderate	Very high – fatigue resistant
Ideal Environments	Hydraulic, static seals	Powertrain, aerospace, EV modules

How to Test Spring Behavior in Vibration

Engineers rely on rigorous testing to validate spring choices:

• • Vibration fatigue testing with high-frequency shakers to simulate real-world environments
• • Permanent set evaluation after millions of cycles
• • Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) to assess force retention over frequency ranges
• • Empirical tests: repeated load-unload cycle testing and seal leakage checks

At Parjet, these tests are complemented by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to simulate spring performance before fabrication.

 

Industrial Use Cases

Aerospace & Defense

Canted coil springs maintain seal integrity and EMI grounding in cabin systems and instruments subject to repeated vibrations and temperature swings.

Electric Vehicle Battery Modules

Sealing components and connectors benefit from canted coil’s multiple contacts, maintaining conductivity and stable compression during shock and vibration.

Semiconductor Fabrication

High-cycle vacuum and gas-handling systems—with tight tolerance and cleanliness requirements—demand canted coil springs for consistent sealing and zero outgassing.

Oil & Gas Tooling

Subsurface tools face shock, pressure variation, and temperature extremes. Canted coil rings remain sealed and functional through cycles and dynamic loads.

 

Choosing the Right Spring for Your Application

Here’s a quick decision checklist:

Condition	Choose Helical If...	Choose Canted Coil If...
Vibration level	Low-frequency or static	High-frequency vibration
Contact pressure	High, point load	Stable, distributed load
EMI / Conductivity	Not required	Critical for grounding/shielding
Maintenance	Fixed installation	Frequent assembly/disassembly
Space & dimensional tolerance	Equal compression blocks	Narrow glands or misaligned bores

 

Why Parjet?

With over 30 years of experience and in-house CNC capabilities, Parjet can:

• • Manufacture precise cantilever, helical, and canted coil springs
• • Validate designs using FEA and real-world vibration testing
• • Supply reliable prototypes or production-scale orders with fast turnaround

Parjet has a fully equipped materials laboratory, an R&D development team, and a vertically integrated manufacturing process—offering end-to-end spring solutions from design and material selection to final production.

 

In vibration-intensive environments, canted coil springs outperform helical springs in terms of fatigue life, stability, shock absorption, and electrical conductivity. Choosing the right spring energizer can be the difference between long-term reliability and unexpected seal failure.

 

Parjet specializes in designing and manufacturing optimized spring solutions for high-vibration sealing applications—from aerospace and EVs to semiconductor and energy sectors.
Feel free to contact us to discuss your spring challenge and request performance-verified prototypes tailored to your application.