graphics - Animate a spring?

Starting from what is read here, write the following code:

spring[a_, x1_, x2_] := Module[{m, n},
   xvalues = Table[m, {m, x1, x2, (x2 - x1)/1000}];
   yvalues = Table[a Sin[n Pi/2], {n, 0, 100, .1}];
   zvalues = Table[a Cos[n Pi/2], {n, 0, 100, .1}];
   Line[Transpose @ {xvalues, yvalues, zvalues}]];

x[t_] := Cos[t]

xmin = NMinValue[{x[t], 0 <= t <= tmax}, t];

xmax = NMaxValue[{x[t], 0 <= t <= tmax}, t];

Animate[Graphics3D[{
             spring[.2, xmin - .1, x[t]],
             {LightGray, Sphere[{x[t], 0, 0}, .3]}},
             Boxed -> False,
             Lighting -> "Neutral",
             PlotRange -> {{xmin - .1, xmax + .1}, {-1, 1}, {-1, 1}},
             ViewPoint -> Above],
        {t, 0, tmax, .1}]

you get the animation of what's shown in the figure:

I do not regret the result, but it is still far from the beautiful representations here reproduced.

Since I'm not able to use that complicated code for my purpose, I thought I would swell the line of my spring but I would not know how to do the code I posted.

I also had the idea of using Tube instead of Line, but in that case I pound my pc.

Can you give me a hand? Thank you!

Answer

Try this:

spring[a_, x1_, x2_] := 

  Module[{m, n}, xvalues = Table[m, {m, x1, x2, (x2 - x1)/1000}];
    yvalues = Table[a Sin[n Pi/2], {n, 0, 100, .1}];
    zvalues = Table[a Cos[n Pi/2], {n, 0, 100, .1}];
    Line[Transpose@{xvalues, yvalues, zvalues}]] /. Line -> Tube;

x[t_] := Cos[t]

xmin = NMinValue[{x[t], 0 <= t <= tmax}, t];
xmax = NMaxValue[{x[t], 0 <= t <= tmax}, t];
tmax = 30;

lst = Table[
   Graphics3D[{spring[.2, xmin - .1, x[t]], {LightGray, 
      Sphere[{x[t], 0, 0}, .3]}}, Boxed -> False, 
    Lighting -> "Neutral", 
    PlotRange -> {{xmin - .1, xmax + .1}, {-1, 1}, {-1, 1}}, 
    ViewPoint -> Above], {t, 0, tmax, .03}];
ListAnimate[lst, AnimationRate -> 150]

Have fun!