Springs are used for a wide range of products in heavy duty industries such as automotive, aerospace, railroad and military as well as in everyday household assemblies such as pens, beds, chairs, watches and staplers. To make sure that the springs live up to the strictest tolerance requirements, springs are tested on dedicated spring testing machines, also known as spring testers or spring tester machines.

Typical parameters being measured on springs are the spring rate, spring load, the load at displacement and displacement at load. Some of the most commonly used springs are compression springs, extension springs, torsion springs, constant force springs and high rate springs (wave washers, curved washers and Belleville washers).