[Tex/LaTex] Draw mechanical springs in TikZ

technical-drawingtikz-pgf

Currently I am using the following path style to draw springs in TikZ

\tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={zigzag,pre length=0.1cm,post
  length=0.1cm,segment length=6}]

for example

\draw[spring] (0,0) -- (0,1);

However is it possible to make the springs look like in the following picture:

Springs

Is there any nice way to incorporate the possibility of drawing the spring stretched or compressed like in the picture above?

Best Answer

You can use the coil decoration for the effect. With segment length you can mimic the compression amount.

\documentclass{article} 
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathmorphing,patterns}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node[circle,fill=blue,inner sep=2.5mm] (a) at (0,0) {};
\node[circle,fill=blue,inner sep=2.5mm] (b) at (2,2) {};
\draw[decoration={aspect=0.3, segment length=3mm, amplitude=3mm,coil},decorate] (0,5) -- (a); 
\draw[decoration={aspect=0.3, segment length=1.5mm, amplitude=3mm,coil},decorate] (2,5) -- (b); 
\fill [pattern = north east lines] (-1,5) rectangle (3,5.2);
\draw[thick] (-1,5) -- (3,5);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] TikZ finishes a morphed path with a straight segment

This is a slightly adapted version of my answer to Nicer wavy line with TikZ. This version doesn't insist on drawing a full sine wave, but will be happy with half periods as well (i.e. it can start and end with an upward arch, while the previous version would always start with an upward and end with a downward arch):

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations}
\begin{document}

\pgfdeclaredecoration{complete sines}{initial}
{
    \state{initial}[
        width=+0pt,
        next state=upsine,
        persistent precomputation={\pgfmathsetmacro\matchinglength{
            \pgfdecoratedinputsegmentlength / int(\pgfdecoratedinputsegmentlength/\pgfdecorationsegmentlength)}
            \setlength{\pgfdecorationsegmentlength}{\matchinglength pt}
        }] {}
    \state{upsine}[width=\pgfdecorationsegmentlength,next state=downsine]{
        \pgfpathsine{\pgfpoint{0.25\pgfdecorationsegmentlength}{0.5\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}}
        \pgfpathcosine{\pgfpoint{0.25\pgfdecorationsegmentlength}{-0.5\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}}
    }
    \state{downsine}[width=\pgfdecorationsegmentlength,next state=upsine]{
        \pgfpathsine{\pgfpoint{0.25\pgfdecorationsegmentlength}{-0.5\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}}
        \pgfpathcosine{\pgfpoint{0.25\pgfdecorationsegmentlength}{0.5\pgfdecorationsegmentamplitude}}
}
    \state{final}{}
}

\begin{tikzpicture}[
    every path/.style={
        decoration={
            complete sines,
            segment length=1cm,
            amplitude=1cm
        },
        decorate,
        thick
    }]
\draw (0,0) -- (2,0);
\draw [yshift=-1.2cm] (0,0) -- (2.5,0);
\draw [yshift=-2.4cm] (0,0) -- (3,0);
\draw [yshift=-3.6cm] (0,0) -- (3.5,0);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

[Tex/LaTex] Appending a line (of fixed length) to a spring drawn with tikz coil

I do not think I understood you clearly. But, is it like this?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathmorphing,patterns}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,patterns,decorations.markings}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning,snakes}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.style={draw,outer sep=0pt,thick}]

\tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={aspect=0.5, segment length=1mm, amplitude=2mm,coil}]
\tikzstyle{dampener}=[thick,decoration={markings,
  mark connection node=dmp,
  mark=at position 0.5 with
  {
    \node (dmp) [thick,inner sep=0pt,transform shape,rotate=-90,minimum width=15pt,minimum height=3pt,draw=none] {};
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(2pt,0)$) -- (dmp.south east) -- (dmp.south west) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(2pt,0)$);
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);
  }
}, decorate]
\tikzstyle{platform}=[fill,pattern=north east lines,draw=none,minimum width=2cm,minimum height=0.3cm]

\coordinate (g) at (0,0);
\coordinate (topspring) at (0,-1.25cm);
\coordinate (bottomspring) at (0,-4cm); %%changing the values (5cm) here will compress or expand the spring
\coordinate (pt2) at ($(bottomspring) + (0,-.5cm)$); %% this is relative. 

\node [platform,anchor=south] at (g)  {};
\draw[very thick] (-1,0) -- (1,0);
\draw [dampener](topspring)--(g) node[draw=none,pos=.52,right=0.25cm] {$b$};
\draw [spring] (bottomspring) -- (topspring) node[draw=none,pos=.5,right=.25cm] (spring){$k$};
\draw [thick] (bottomspring) -- (pt2.north);
\draw ($(pt2) + (0,-.2)$) circle (.2cm) node[draw=none,inner sep = 0]{$m$};

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Edit: To answer the query in the comment:

We can use \scope.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathmorphing,patterns}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,patterns,decorations.markings}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning,snakes}

\newcommand{\myfig}[1]{%
\coordinate (g) at (0,0);
\coordinate (topspring) at (0,-1.25cm);
\coordinate (bottomspring) at (0,{#1}); %%changing the values (5cm) here will compress or expand the spring
\coordinate (pt2) at ($(bottomspring) + (0,-.5cm)$); %% this is relative.

\node [platform,anchor=south] at (g)  {};
\draw[very thick] (-1,0) -- (1,0);
\draw [dampener](topspring)--(g) node[draw=none,pos=.52,right=0.25cm] {$b$};
\draw [spring] (bottomspring) -- (topspring) node[draw=none,pos=.5,right=.25cm] (spring){$k$};
\draw [thick] (bottomspring) -- (pt2.north);
\draw ($(pt2) + (0,-.2)$) circle (.2cm) node[draw=none,inner sep = 0]{$m$};
}
\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[yshift=2cm,every node/.style={draw,outer sep=0pt,thick}]

\tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={aspect=0.5, segment length=1mm, amplitude=2mm,coil}]
\tikzstyle{dampener}=[thick,decoration={markings,
  mark connection node=dmp,
  mark=at position 0.5 with
  {
    \node (dmp) [thick,inner sep=0pt,transform shape,rotate=-90,minimum width=15pt,minimum height=3pt,draw=none] {};
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(2pt,0)$) -- (dmp.south east) -- (dmp.south west) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(2pt,0)$);
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);
  }
}, decorate]
\tikzstyle{platform}=[fill,pattern=north east lines,draw=none,minimum width=2cm,minimum height=0.3cm]

\begin{scope}[xshift=-2.5cm]
\myfig{-2cm}
\end{scope}

\myfig{-4cm}

\begin{scope}[xshift=2.5cm]
\myfig{-6cm}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=5cm]
\myfig{-8cm}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=7.5cm]
\myfig{-10cm}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=10cm]
\myfig{-12cm}
\end{scope}

\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Edit: Some more beautification to incorporate the physical meaning of the present case:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathmorphing,patterns}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,patterns,decorations.markings}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning}

\newcommand{\myfig}[4]{%
\tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={aspect=0.5, segment length=#1, amplitude=2mm,coil}]
\tikzstyle{dampener}=[thick,decoration={markings,
  mark connection node=dmp,
  mark=at position 0.5 with
  {
    \node (dmp) [thick,inner sep=0pt,transform shape,rotate=-90,minimum width=15pt,minimum height=3pt,draw=none] {};
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(2pt,0)$) -- (dmp.south east) -- (dmp.south west) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(2pt,0)$);
    \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);
  }
}, decorate]
\tikzstyle{platform}=[fill,pattern=north east lines,draw=none,minimum width=2cm,minimum height=0.3cm]

\coordinate (g) at (0,0);
\coordinate (topspring) at (0,-1.25cm);
\coordinate (bottomspring) at (0,{#2}); %%changing the values (5cm) here will compress or expand the spring
\coordinate (pt2) at ($(bottomspring) + (0,-.5cm)$); %% this is relative.

\node [platform,anchor=south] at (g)  {};
\draw[very thick] (-1,0) -- (1,0);
\draw [dampener](topspring)--(g) node[draw=none,pos=.52,right=0.25cm] {$b$};
\draw [spring] (bottomspring) -- (topspring) node[draw=none,pos=.5,right=.25cm] (spring){$k$};
\draw [thick] (bottomspring) -- (pt2.north);
\draw ($(pt2) + (0,#3)$) circle (#3) node[draw=none,inner sep = 0,scale=#4]{$m$};
}
\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[yshift=0cm,every node/.style={draw,outer sep=0pt,thick}]
\begin{scope}[xshift=-2.5cm]
\myfig{1mm}{-3cm}{-0.2cm}{1}
\end{scope}

\myfig{1.5mm}{-4.5cm}{-0.25cm}{1.1}

\begin{scope}[xshift=2.5cm]
\myfig{2mm}{-6cm}{-0.3cm}{1.2}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=5cm]
\myfig{2.5mm}{-8cm}{-0.35cm}{1.3}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=7.5cm]
\myfig{3mm}{-10cm}{-0.4cm}{1.4}
\end{scope}

\begin{scope}[xshift=10cm]
\myfig{3.5mm}{-12cm}{-0.45cm}{1.5}
\end{scope}

\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Here \myfig takes four arguments. First one is segment length, second the stretching position of the spring (the coordinate bottomspring), third is radius of the circle enclosing m and the last is the font size for m. Hence one has to use \myfig{3mm}{-10cm}{-0.4cm}{1.4} with appropriate values as per the need.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] TikZ finishes a morphed path with a straight segment

[Tex/LaTex] Appending a line (of fixed length) to a spring drawn with tikz coil

Related Question