Introduction To Plate Springs

The plate spring is a long circular arc spring steel with a rectangular cross-section. In the most common configuration, the center of the arc provides the position of the shaft, while the ring formed at either end is attached to the vehicle chassis. For very heavy vehicles, plate springs can be made from multiple stacked blades, typically with gradually shorter blades. Plate springs can be used for positioning and a certain degree of damping as well as spring function. Although interlayer friction provides damping, its control is poor and leads to static friction in suspension motion. For this reason, some manufacturers have started using single leaf springs.