Joint bearing inner ring outer surface laser cladding device and operating method

Abstract

This invention relates to a laser cladding device and operating method for the outer surface of the inner ring of a near-spherical plain bearing. The purpose is to solve the challenges of preparing laser cladding coatings on the outer surface of the inner ring of such bearings, and to address issues of sample preheating and overheating. In the device, the plain bearing sample to be clad is placed on a support cylinder. Inside the support cylinder, a circulating heat transfer medium with a temperature controlled by a thermostat is used. Both ends of the support cylinder are sealed with sliding end caps. A motor drives the support cylinder to rotate, and the laser cladding nozzle is positioned directly over the outer surface of the bearing. An infrared temperature measurement system continuously monitors the temperature of the support cylinder and the bearing. The operating method involves first installing the lower end cap and other lower components, along with the bearing inner ring sample, onto the support cylinder, followed by the upper end cap and other upper components. The bearing temperature is then controlled within a preset constant temperature range by the flow of the heat transfer medium. Subsequently, the motor drives the support cylinder and the bearing to rotate, and simultaneously, the laser spraying system is activated. The laser cladding nozzle moves downwards along the outer contour of the bearing, cladding the surface with the coating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to laser cladding coating preparation technology. Background Technology

[0002] Spherical plain bearings are a type of spherical sliding bearing. Their core functionality relies on the spherical sliding contact surfaces of the inner and outer rings to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion. They are fundamental components in the mechanical field, possessing both high load-bearing capacity and flexible movement characteristics. Because the inner and outer rings are in a state of relative sliding for extended periods, the outer surface of the inner ring is highly susceptible to wear failure under high load or abnormal wear conditions. Therefore, the outer surface of the inner ring is required to have excellent wear resistance.

[0003] Currently, the sliding contact surfaces of spherical plain bearings are mainly treated with special processes such as phosphating, padding, and spraying. Some models also incorporate self-lubricating composite material pads and are equipped with lubrication holes and grooves to improve their wear resistance. Among these, metal coatings prepared using laser cladding (or "laser spraying") technology have advantages such as strong adhesion to the substrate (metallurgical bonding), small heat-affected zone, and low dilution rate, and are currently widely used to prepare wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings on the flat or cylindrical surfaces of parts. However, the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing is spherical, which makes clamping difficult. Secondly, to avoid cracking of the coating during laser cladding, the parts often need to be preheated before cladding, which involves multiple steps. Thirdly, during laser cladding, the longer the cladding time, the more heat accumulates on the bearing, which can easily cause the bearing to overheat (substrate deformation, affecting the mechanical properties of the substrate, etc.), so it is also necessary to control the temperature of the bearing substrate during the cladding process.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a clamping device for the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing, which can be used to prepare a metal coating on its outer surface by laser cladding, and can easily achieve preheating before cladding and control the bearing temperature (maintaining a constant temperature) during the cladding process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem of laser cladding coating preparation on the outer surface of the inner ring of near-spherical spherical bearings, and to solve the problems of sample preheating and overheating.

[0006] This invention relates to a laser cladding device and operating method for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing. The lower hollow screw 2 of the laser cladding device passes through a countersunk hole in the center of the lower end cover 1, and sequentially passes through the lower sealing ring 2-1, the lower washer 2-2, and the lower spring 2-3. The lower nut 2-4 is then tightened, allowing the lower hollow screw 2 to rotate around the center of the lower end cover 1. The lower fastening screw 3 passes through countersunk holes around the lower end cover 1, connecting it to the support cylinder 8. The lower end cover 1 is fitted onto the inner ring of the thrust bearing 4, and the outer ring is fitted onto the base 5. The lower port of the lower hollow screw 2 is connected to a temperature control system via a return hose 6. The medium inflow end 7-1 of the controller 7 is connected; the lower end of the support cylinder 8 is connected to the motor 19 via the belt 20; the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing with the surface to be coated is fitted onto the support cylinder 8, and the support cylinder 8 contains the constant temperature heat transfer medium 9; the upper hollow screw 15 passes through the countersunk hole in the center of the upper end cover 13, and then passes through the upper sealing ring 15-1, the upper washer 15-2 and the upper spring 15-3 in sequence, and is tightened by the upper nut 15-4, so that the upper hollow screw 15 can rotate around the center of the upper end cover 13; the upper fastening screw 14 passes through the countersunk holes around the upper end cover 13 and connects it to the support cylinder 8.

[0007] The operation method of the laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing of the present invention comprises the following steps: Step (1) Installation of components and samples: The lower hollow screw 2 passes through the center through hole of the base 5, the lower sealing ring 2-1, the lower washer 2-2 and the lower spring 2-3 in sequence, and is then tightened by the lower nut 2-4. The lower end cover 1 is then connected to the support cylinder 8 by the lower fastening screw 3. Then, the thrust bearing 4, the base 5 and the return hose 6 are installed in sequence, and the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing is put on the support cylinder 8. Step (2) Upper component installation: The upper hollow screw 15 passes through the center through hole of the upper end cover 13, the upper sealing ring 15-1, the upper washer 15-2 and the upper spring 15-3 in sequence, and is then tightened by the upper nut 15-4; then the upper end cover 13 is connected to the support cylinder 8 by the upper fastening screw 14, and then the rectangular holes at both ends of the connecting rod 16 are respectively fitted into the upper hollow screw 15 and the upper rectangular structure of the upper end and the right side upright of the base 5, and finally the upper port of the upper hollow screw 15 is connected to the medium outlet 7-2 of the constant temperature controller 7 by the outflow hose 17; Step (3) Heating: Start the thermostat 7 and run it in heating mode. The heat transfer medium 9 circulates and heats the support cylinder 8 and the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing. The infrared thermometer 18 monitors the temperature of the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing in real time. Step (4) Laser cladding: When the bearing temperature reaches the preset temperature, the motor 19 is started first, and the support cylinder 8 drives the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing to rotate; then the laser spraying system is started, and under the control of the robotic arm, the laser cladding nozzle 11 starts from the upper end of the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing and moves downward along the outer contour of the bearing at a certain speed, so that the coating 11 can be deposited on the surface of the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing; during the laser cladding process, the infrared thermometer 18 continuously monitors the surface temperature of the support cylinder 8. When the temperature exceeds the preset temperature limit, the constant temperature controller 7 operates in cooling mode, and the heat transfer medium 9 carries away the excess heat to control the temperature of the bearing substrate and avoid overheating; Step (5) Stop the machine and change the sample: After the surface of the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing is completely clad, the laser cladding nozzle 11 stops spraying, the motor 19 stops working, and after the temperature of the support cylinder 8 drops to room temperature, the thermostat 7 is turned off, the heat transfer medium 9 stops flowing, the upper fastening screw 14 is loosened, and the clad inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing is removed to complete the cladding of one sample; if it is necessary to continue to prepare a coating on the outer surface of the inner ring of the next spherical bearing, the bearing to be clad can be directly put on the support cylinder 8, the screw 14 is tightened, and the above steps (4) to (6) are repeated.

[0008] The advantages of this invention are: 1. It can realize the preparation of laser cladding coating on the outer surface of the inner ring of near-spherical spherical bearings, and the prepared coating has uniform thickness and complete shape; 2. The constant temperature control method can realize the preheating of the sample before cladding and avoid the problem of overheating of the parts during the cladding process, and the operation is simple. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical bearing according to the present invention. Figure 2 This is a top view of base 5. Figure 3 This is the front view of connecting rod 16. Figure 4 This is a top view of connecting rod 16. Figure 5 These are photographs of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing to be clad, used in specific implementation cases. Figure 6 These are photographs of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing after the metal coating has been applied in a specific implementation case. Figure 7This is an optical photograph of the cross-section of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing after cladding with a metal coating. The attached figures and their corresponding names are: lower end cap 1, lower hollow screw 2, lower sealing ring 2-1, lower washer 2-2, lower spring 2-3, lower nut 2-4, lower fastening screw 3, thrust bearing 4, base 5, return hose 6, thermostat 7, medium inlet end 7-1, medium outlet end 7-2, support cylinder 8, heat transfer medium 9, inner ring of the spherical plain bearing 10, laser cladding nozzle 11, cladding layer 12, upper end cap 13, upper fastening screw 14, upper hollow screw 15, upper sealing ring 15-1, upper washer 15-2, upper spring 15-3, upper nut 15-4, connecting rod 16, outlet hose 17, infrared thermometer 18, motor 19, belt 20. Detailed Implementation

[0010] This invention relates to a laser cladding device and operating method for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the lower hollow screw 2 of the laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing passes through the countersunk hole in the center of the lower end cover 1, and then passes through the lower sealing ring 2-1, the lower washer 2-2 and the lower spring 2-3 in sequence. The lower nut 2-4 is then tightened, allowing the lower hollow screw 2 to rotate around the center of the lower end cover 1, but preventing liquid from flowing out along the gap between the lower end cover 1 and the lower hollow screw 2. Then, the lower fastening screw 3 passes through the countersunk holes around the lower end cover 1 and connects it to the support cylinder 8. The lower end cover 1 is fitted onto the inner ring of the thrust bearing 4, and the outer ring is fitted onto the base 5. The lower end of the lower hollow screw 2 is connected to the medium inflow end 7-1 of the thermostat 7 via a return hose 6. The lower end of the support cylinder 8 is connected to the motor 19 via a belt 20. The inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing with the cladding coating to be applied is fitted onto the support cylinder 8. The two are fitted with a clearance; the support cylinder 8 contains a constant temperature heat transfer medium 9; the upper hollow screw 15 passes through the countersunk hole in the center of the upper end cover 13, and then passes through the upper sealing ring 15-1, the upper washer 15-2 and the upper spring 15-3 in sequence, and is tightened by the upper nut 15-4, so that the upper hollow screw 15 can rotate around the center of the upper end cover 13, but the liquid will not flow out along the gap between the upper end cover 13 and the upper hollow screw 15; then the upper fastening screw 14 passes through the countersunk hole around the upper end cover 13 and connects it to the support cylinder 8; the upper end of the upper hollow screw 15 has a rectangular structure, which is nested with the rectangular hole at the left end of the connecting rod 16, and the square hole at the right end of the connecting rod 16 is fitted into the rectangular rod above the right side upright of the base 5, ensuring that the upper hollow screw 15 assembly does not rotate when the support cylinder 8 rotates.

[0011] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the upper hollow screw 15 has a rectangular shape at its upper end, which is nested with the rectangular hole at the left end of the connecting rod 16. The square hole at the right end of the connecting rod 16 is fitted into the rectangular rod above the right upright of the base 5, ensuring that the upper hollow screw 15 assembly does not rotate when the support cylinder 8 rotates. The upper port of the upper hollow screw 15 is connected to the medium outlet end 7-2 of the thermostat 7 through the medium outlet hose 17. The infrared thermometer 18 installed on the right upright of the base 5 can monitor the temperature of the outer surface of the hollow bearing 10 or the support cylinder 8.

[0012] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the upper port of the hollow screw 15 is connected to the medium outlet end 7-2 of the thermostat 7 via the medium outlet hose 17; the infrared thermometer 18 installed on the right upright of the base 5 can monitor the outer surface temperature of the hollow bearing 10 or the support cylinder 8, and the temperature information is transmitted to the control system of the thermostat 7; the thermostat 7 can automatically select to operate in heating mode or cooling mode by comparing the actual temperature measured by the infrared thermometer 18 with the set thermostat target temperature.

[0013] The lower end cap 1 and the upper end cap 13 have the same structure, each with a countersunk through hole in the center and several countersunk through holes evenly distributed around it in the opposite direction.

[0014] The base 5 is a structure with a central hole, a flange around the perimeter, and a vertical pole on the side. The upper end of the vertical pole is rectangular.

[0015] The operation method of the laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing of the present invention comprises the following steps: Step (1) Installation of components and samples: The lower hollow screw 2 passes through the center through hole of the base 5, the lower sealing ring 2-1, the lower washer 2-2 and the lower spring 2-3 in sequence, and is then tightened by the lower nut 2-4. The lower end cover 1 is then connected to the support cylinder 8 by the lower fastening screw 3. The thrust bearing 4, the base 5 and the return hose 6 are then installed in sequence. Finally, the inner ring 10 of the GCr15 spherical bearing (outer diameter φ40mm, inner diameter φ30mm) is fitted onto the support cylinder 8. Step (2) Upper component installation: The upper hollow screw 15 passes through the center through hole of the upper end cover 13, the upper sealing ring 15-1, the upper washer 15-2 and the upper spring 15-3 in sequence, and is then tightened by the upper nut 15-4; then the upper end cover 13 is connected to the support cylinder 8 by the upper fastening screw 14, and then the rectangular holes at both ends of the connecting rod 16 are respectively fitted into the upper hollow screw 15 and the upper rectangular structure of the upper end and the right side upright of the base 5, and finally the upper port of the upper hollow screw 15 is connected to the medium outlet 7-2 of the constant temperature controller 7 by the outflow hose 17; Step (3) Heating: Start the thermostat 7 and run it in heating mode. The heat transfer medium 9 is deionized water, which circulates and heats the support cylinder 8 and the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing. The infrared thermometer 18 monitors the temperature of the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing in real time. Step (4) Laser cladding: When the bearing temperature reaches the preset temperature (50°C), the motor 19 is started first, and the support cylinder 8 drives the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing to rotate; then the laser spraying system is started, and under the control of the robotic arm, the laser cladding nozzle 11 starts from the upper end of the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing and moves downward along the outer contour of the bearing at a certain speed, so that the coating 11 can be deposited on the surface of the inner ring 10 of the spherical plain bearing; during the laser cladding process, the infrared thermometer 18 continuously monitors the surface temperature of the support cylinder 8. When the temperature exceeds the preset temperature of 100°C, the constant temperature controller 7 operates in cooling mode, and the heat transfer medium 9 carries away the excess heat to control the temperature of the bearing substrate and avoid overheating; Step (5) Stop the machine and replace the sample: After the surface of the inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing is completely clad, the laser cladding nozzle 11 stops spraying, the motor 19 stops working, and after the temperature of the support cylinder 8 drops to room temperature, the thermostat 7 is turned off, the heat transfer medium 9 stops flowing, the upper fastening screw 14 is loosened, and the clad inner ring 10 of the spherical bearing is removed to complete the cladding of one sample; continue to replace the next spherical bearing, put it on the support cylinder 8, tighten the screw 14, and repeat the above steps (4) to (6); according to the above method, the metal coating is clad on the outer surface of the inner ring of 3 spherical bearings.

[0016] The laser cladding device and operating method for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing provided by this invention have been described in detail above. For those skilled in the art, based on the concept of this invention, changes may be made in specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. Any modifications under the basic concept of this invention fall within the scope of this invention, and the patent protection scope of this invention should be limited by the claims.

Claims

1. A laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing, characterized in that... The lower hollow screw (2) passes through the countersunk hole in the center of the lower end cover (1), and then passes through the lower sealing ring (2-1), the lower washer (2-2), and the lower spring (2-3) in sequence. The lower nut (2-4) is tightened so that the lower hollow screw (2) can rotate around the center of the lower end cover (1). The lower fastening screw (3) passes through the countersunk hole around the lower end cover (1) and connects it to the support cylinder (8). The lower end cover (1) is fitted on the inner ring of the thrust bearing (4), and the outer ring is fitted on the base (5). The lower end of the lower hollow screw (2) is connected to the medium inflow end (7-1) of the thermostat (7) through the return hose (6). The support cylinder (8) The lower end of the ) is connected to the motor (19) via a belt (20); the inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing with the surface to be coated is fitted onto the support cylinder (8), and the support cylinder (8) contains a constant temperature heat transfer medium (9); the upper hollow screw (15) passes through the countersunk hole in the center of the upper end cover (13), and then passes through the upper sealing ring (15-1), the upper washer (15-2) and the upper spring (15-3) in sequence, and is tightened by the upper nut (15-4) so ​​that the upper hollow screw (15) can rotate around the center of the upper end cover (13); the upper fastening screw (14) passes through the countersunk hole around the upper end cover (13) and connects it to the support cylinder (8).

2. The laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that... The upper hollow screw (15) has a rectangular shape at the top and is nested with the rectangular hole at the left end of the connecting rod (16). The square hole at the right end of the connecting rod (16) is fitted into the rectangular rod above the right upright of the base (5) to ensure that the upper hollow screw (15) assembly does not rotate when the support cylinder (8) rotates. The upper port of the upper hollow screw (15) is connected to the medium outlet end (7-2) of the thermostat (7) through the medium outlet hose (17). The infrared thermometer (18) installed on the right upright of the base (5) can monitor the temperature of the outer surface of the hollow bearing (10) or the support cylinder (8).

3. The laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that... The lower end cap (1) and the upper end cap (13) have the same structure, with a countersunk through hole in the center and several countersunk through holes evenly distributed around them in the opposite direction.

4. The laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of a spherical plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that... The base (5) is a structure with a through hole in the center of a disc, a flange around it, and a vertical pole on the side. The upper end of the vertical pole is rectangular.

5. The operating method of the laser cladding device for the outer surface of the inner ring of the spherical plain bearing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps are as follows: Step (1) Installation of components and samples: After the lower hollow screw (2) passes through the center through hole of the base (5), the lower sealing ring (2-1), the lower washer (2-2) and the lower spring (2-3) in sequence, tighten it with the lower nut (2-4), and then connect the lower end cover (1) to the support cylinder (8) with the lower fastening screw (3). Then install the thrust bearing (4), the base (5) and the return hose (6) in sequence, and then put the inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing on the support cylinder (8). Step (2) Upper component installation: The upper hollow screw (15) passes through the center through hole of the upper end cover (13), the upper sealing ring (15-1), the upper washer (15-2) and the upper spring (15-3) in sequence, and is then tightened by the upper nut (15-4); then the upper end cover (13) is connected to the support cylinder (8) by the upper fastening screw (14), and then the rectangular holes at both ends of the connecting rod (16) are respectively fitted into the upper hollow screw (15) and the upper rectangular structure of the upper end and the right side upright of the base (5), and finally the upper port of the upper hollow screw (15) is connected to the medium outlet end (7-2) of the thermostat (7) by the outflow hose (17). Step (3) Heating: Start the thermostat (7) and run in heating mode. The heat transfer medium (9) circulates and heats the support cylinder (8) and the inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing. The infrared thermometer (18) monitors the temperature of the inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing in real time. Step (4) Laser cladding: When the bearing temperature reaches the preset temperature, the motor (19) is started first, and the support cylinder (8) drives the inner ring (10) of the spherical plain bearing to rotate; then the laser spraying system is started, and under the control of the robotic arm, the laser cladding nozzle (11) starts from the upper end of the inner ring (10) of the spherical plain bearing and moves downward along the outer contour of the bearing at a certain speed, so that a coating (11) can be deposited on the surface of the inner ring (10) of the spherical plain bearing; during the laser cladding process, the infrared thermometer (18) continuously monitors the surface temperature of the support cylinder 8. When the temperature exceeds the preset temperature limit, the constant temperature controller (7) operates in cooling mode, and the heat transfer medium (9) carries away the excess heat to control the temperature of the bearing substrate and avoid overheating; Step (5) Stop the machine and change the sample: After the surface of the inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing is completely clad, the laser cladding nozzle (11) stops spraying, the motor (19) stops working, and after the temperature of the support cylinder (8) drops to room temperature, the thermostat (7) is turned off, the heat transfer medium (9) stops flowing, the upper fastening screw (14) is loosened, and the clad inner ring (10) of the spherical bearing is removed to complete the cladding of one sample; if it is necessary to continue to prepare a coating on the surface of the next spherical bearing, the bearing to be clad can be directly put on the support cylinder (8), the screw (14) is tightened, and the above steps (4) to (6) are repeated.

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