Spring washers

Spring washers are elastic washers that provide permanent tension to a bolted joint. Unlike a flat washer, which merely distributes the load, a spring washer behaves like a spring: it absorbs settling within the assembly, maintains clamping force and prevents loosening caused by vibration. They are manufactured in several geometries — disc or conical (Belleville), wave spring and curved — to cover everything from high-load applications to assemblies with limited space. Where required, these spring washers can be stacked to achieve greater deflection travel and force.