Where it earns its place
Best-Fit Uses
Bearing end-play and spacer take-up
Maintains light seating force across normal stack-up variation.
Caps, covers and compact instrument stacks
Keeps a shallow assembly snug without a separate cylindrical spring.
Taking up axial clearance in a low-height assembly
Maintains contact around a shaft or inside a bore without the free height of a conventional compression coil.
Preloading bearings, seals or compact moving parts
Provides controlled axial force while leaving more room for neighboring components.
Why this style works here
What This Spring Style Solves
The wave washer format fits naturally around a shaft or fastener and adds short elastic travel without creating a separate coil-spring pocket.
Before you choose it
What to Confirm in Your Assembly
- Specify inside and outside diameter limits before choosing free height.
- Provide installed height, target installed load and the maximum compression possible in service.
- Give the shaft, bore and radial-wall limits together with the installed height.
- State target load and the full working travel rather than choosing by free height alone.
- Tell us whether the spring rotates, rubs or remains stationary against neighboring parts.
Avoid forcing the wrong spring into the design
When Another Spring Style May Fit Better
Wave washers are for short travel. Compressing them far beyond the intended range can flatten the wave and reduce useful spring action.
- Single-turn wave springs for a more controlled wave form
- Belleville washers for higher load
- Rigid shims when elastic take-up is not needed
Keep material selection separate
Environment & Material Direction
Material choice can address corrosion or heat, but the reason for using a wave spring should come from packaging and travel. Compare alloys in the Materials section after those limits are established.
Move from the use case to the specification
Where to Go Next
Application questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Are wave washers the same as split lock washers?
No. Wave washers are mainly used for axial compliance and take-up, while split or serrated lock washers work at the fastener interface with a different purpose and contact behavior.
Can a wave spring replace a coil spring directly?
Not by matching outside dimensions alone. Wave springs use a different radial envelope and load-travel relationship, so the installed height, travel and surrounding shaft/bore should be reviewed as a new layout.
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