Structural, mechanical, thermal characterizations of Agave sisalana fiber- reinforced composite and finite element analysis of composite helical compression spring

Despite having been studied in a range of applications, the use of sisal fiber-reinforced composites in helical compression springs is rare. Thus, this particular study shows the feasibility of replacing conventional metal springs with lightweight composite springs in the interest of furthering sustainable engineering. This study focused on the successful fabrication of a helical compression spring using the filament winding process – a method not very commonly applied to such components. The tensile strength of 66.74 MPa and flexural strength of 70.47 MPa composite specimens were found. The surface morphology and elemental compositions of the composite were found through FESEM and EDX. The DSC analysis found the onset temperature of the thermal event begins at 351.7 °C and ends at 392.8 °C. The area under the peak, representing the energy absorbed, is 100.4 J/g, indicating the amount of heat involved during crosslinking of the composite matrix. The TG analysis revealed the stability of the composite from ∼30 °C to ∼300 °C. Around 300 °C, there is a significant drop in residual weight, indicating decomposition of the composite. The helical compression spring was designed and fabricated through the filament winding process. A 3D model of the spring was developed using SolidWorks and finite element analysis (FEA) of the spring was done using ANSYS. The results revealed a maximum stiffness of 1.87 N/mm at 35 N, validating the material for low-strength applications. Future work should optimize fiber–matrix interaction and study the proposed composite for lightweight suspension systems, vibration-damping components, and other eco-friendly options in the automotive industries.