Where it earns its place
Best-Fit Uses
Battery terminals
Maintains pressure on a cell while allowing normal cell and enclosure size variation.
PCB, chassis and removable contacts
Bridges a controlled gap and keeps conductive parts touching through movement, vibration or service.
Providing spring action in a shallow product
A formed strip can flex from a fixed area to a working contact without the height of a separate coil spring.
Combining contact, retention and spring force
Useful when one stamped or formed part can both locate something and maintain pressure on it.
Why this style works here
What This Spring Style Solves
The part performs two jobs at once: it provides contact force and forms part of the electrical path, so fit and electrical requirements need to be specified together.
Before you choose it
What to Confirm in Your Assembly
- State current, voltage or grounding function together with the required contact travel and force.
- Identify mating materials, surface finishes, vibration and expected mating cycles.
- Show the fixed region, working length and exact contact point.
- State free position, installed deflection and maximum deflection.
- Identify sliding contacts, electrical current or wear requirements if the spring also forms part of an interface.
Avoid forcing the wrong spring into the design
When Another Spring Style May Fit Better
More contact force is not always better. Excessive force can damage cells, pads or housings, while too little force can allow intermittent contact under vibration.
- Canted coil springs for circular multi-point contacts
- Cantilever flat springs for planar contacts
- EMI shielding springs for long enclosure seams
Keep material selection separate
Environment & Material Direction
Flat springs are often chosen together with conductive or corrosion-resistant alloys. Use the Materials section for that comparison after the working deflection and contact geometry are clear.
Move from the use case to the specification
Where to Go Next
Application questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is needed beyond spring force for an electrical contact?
Current or grounding purpose, mating materials, surface finish, contact area, travel, environmental exposure and expected mating cycles all help define a reliable interface.
Why are bend locations important in a flat spring?
Sharp bends and short flex lengths can concentrate strain near the mounting area. The part should be designed so the intended working region flexes rather than forcing repeated movement into a tight forming radius.
What should I send for an application review?
Send the assembly drawing or a clear sketch, the working positions, the force or torque you need, expected cycles, environment and quantity. If an existing spring is being replaced, include its dimensions and explain what is not working well in the current design.
Same application family