“What’s the Difference Between a Spring’s AC & TC?” and Other Great Questions
If you’ve been in the manufacturing business for some time you are probably already familiar with many of the terms and acronyms used when referring to the various units of measure for springs. But if you’re new to the business, or aren’t 100% sure what the real difference is between spring index and spring rate, we’ve put together a handy glossary of spring terms you can refer to anytime.
Some of the More Common Spring Unit-of-Measure Acronyms:
- AC: Active coils. TC – 2 (in most cases)
- FL: Length of a compression spring.
- ID: Inside diameter. OD – (2 x wire size)
- OAL: Length of an extension spring from end to end.
- OD: Outside diameter. ID + (2 x wire size)
- TC: Total number of coils in a spring.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask!
We’ve been doing this a long time. Over 85 years, in fact (as of this posting)! If you ever have a question, or are unsure of the right terminology to use when ordering your springs, don’t ever hesitate to ask. We’re ready to answer all your spring questions anytime. Remember, no matter the season, it’s always Spring Time at Ajax!
