A surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail

Abstract

This application relates to the field of low-friction guide rail technology, and in particular to a surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail, comprising an aluminum alloy substrate and a modified layer. The surface of the aluminum alloy substrate has several grooves extending along its length. The grooves are rectangular or trapezoidal, with a depth of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a width of 0.2 mm to 1 mm, and a spacing of 1 mm to 3 mm, forming micro-oil reservoirs to reduce the contact area and achieve self-lubrication. The modified layer is generated through micro-arc oxidation, hard anodizing, or laser cladding processes, with a thickness of 10 μm to 50 μm, a hardness not lower than HV800, and a friction coefficient not higher than 0.2, significantly improving wear resistance and fatigue resistance. This application, by optimizing the groove parameters and arrangement, is suitable for various scenarios and has advantages such as low manufacturing cost, easy maintenance, and long service life, making it particularly suitable for elevators, automated equipment, and precision machinery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of mechanical engineering and material surface treatment technology, specifically a low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail with surface strengthening treatment. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of guide rail drag reduction technology, various low-friction guide rails are increasingly widely used in elevators, automated equipment, and precision machinery. However, these products still have certain problems in practical use. For example, most low-friction guide rails on the market currently reduce friction through additional mechanical structures or external lubrication, which generally result in complex structures, high maintenance costs, and insufficient long-term operational stability. Especially under high-frequency reciprocating motion and heavy-load conditions, traditional guide rails are prone to accelerated wear and degradation of friction performance, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern industry for high-efficiency, long-life, and low-energy-consumption guide rail systems.

[0003] A search revealed that patent document CN115352978B discloses a guide rail for reducing friction. This design utilizes a positioning rail with a universal ball and an arc-shaped groove. As the elevator car descends, the universal ball is compressed, causing it to indent and reducing contact pressure. This converts sliding friction into rolling friction, significantly lowering overall friction. While this solution improves elevator lifting efficiency, its reliance on mechanical rolling elements for friction reduction results in a complex overall structure, high manufacturing precision requirements, and significant assembly and maintenance difficulties. Furthermore, the universal ball, subjected to alternating loads over long periods, is prone to fatigue deformation or jamming, affecting operational stability and reliability. Additionally, this solution does not perform surface strengthening treatment on the guide rail base material. Soft materials such as aluminum alloys inherently have poor wear resistance, making them susceptible to scratches and wear under high-frequency use, thus compromising long-term stable low-friction performance.

[0004] A search revealed that patent document CN111662769B discloses a lubricating oil for elevator guide rails and its preparation method. This method improves the friction-reducing and anti-wear properties and low-temperature fluidity of the lubricant by adding functional components such as fullerenes and small-molecule organic waxes, thereby optimizing the friction state during guide rail operation. This approach improves friction behavior from the perspective of the lubrication medium and represents a certain level of technological progress. However, it relies entirely on the performance of external lubricating materials, resulting in problems such as easy lubrication layer loss, the need for regular oil replenishment, and poor environmental adaptability (e.g., high-temperature volatilization, low-temperature condensation), making it difficult to achieve long-term maintenance-free operation. Furthermore, this technology does not involve structural optimization or surface modification of the guide rail itself, failing to fundamentally improve the guide rail's own friction-reducing capacity and load-bearing performance, making it particularly unsuitable for applications requiring sealed spaces or high cleanliness.

[0005] The aforementioned problems indicate that existing low-friction guideways primarily achieve friction reduction through additional mechanical structures or external lubrication. However, these methods have limitations in terms of structural design, reliability, ease of maintenance, and material wear resistance, making it difficult to simultaneously meet the comprehensive performance requirements of high load-bearing capacity, low friction, and long service life. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a novel guideway structure that can achieve stable, efficient, and durable low-friction operation through a combination of material surface structure design and reinforcement processes, without relying on complex mechanical components or external lubrication. Utility Model Content

[0006] The technical problem this invention aims to solve is to overcome the high maintenance costs, poor long-term operational stability, and insufficient material wear resistance of existing low-friction guideways that rely on external lubrication or complex mechanical structures. This invention provides a surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guideway. The guideway utilizes a groove structure with specific geometric parameters machined on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate, combined with a surface strengthening process to generate a modified layer with high hardness and a low coefficient of friction. This reduces the actual contact area and forms micro-oil reservoirs, significantly reducing sliding friction resistance while simultaneously improving the wear resistance and fatigue resistance of the guideway surface.

[0007] Therefore, this utility model provides a surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail, comprising an aluminum alloy substrate and a modified layer disposed on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate. The surface of the aluminum alloy substrate has a plurality of grooves extending along the length of the guide rail, the grooves being regularly arranged and having uniformly distributed geometric parameters. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the grooves is rectangular or trapezoidal, with a depth ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a width ranging from 0.2 mm to 1 mm, and a spacing between adjacent grooves ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm. This groove design not only reduces the actual contact area between the guide rail surface and the sliding components but also forms micro-oil reservoirs capable of storing trace amounts of lubricating medium, thereby achieving a certain degree of self-lubrication even without external lubrication.

[0008] The modified layer is formed on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate and the inner wall of the groove through a surface strengthening process. The surface strengthening process includes, but is not limited to, micro-arc oxidation, hard anodizing, or laser cladding. Specifically, the micro-arc oxidation process generates a dense ceramic oxide film in an electrolyte by applying a high-voltage electric field to the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate; the hard anodizing process generates a high-hardness alumina film on the aluminum alloy surface through electrolysis; and the laser cladding process uses a high-energy laser beam to fuse metal powder onto the aluminum alloy surface, forming a composite coating with excellent wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction. The thickness of the modified layer ranges from 10 μm to 50 μm, its surface microhardness is not lower than HV800, and its coefficient of friction is not higher than 0.2, enabling it to effectively resist wear and fatigue damage under high-frequency reciprocating motion and heavy-load conditions.

[0009] Furthermore, the arrangement of the grooves is optimized according to the actual application scenario of the guide rail. For example, in elevator guide rail applications, the grooves are arranged parallel to each other along the length of the guide rail to accommodate the vertical lifting and lowering motion of the elevator car; in automated equipment guide rail applications, the grooves can be designed to be staggered to accommodate multi-directional sliding requirements. In addition, the geometric parameters of the grooves can be adjusted according to the load-bearing capacity and operating speed of the guide rail. For example, under high load conditions, the depth and width of the grooves can be appropriately increased to improve oil storage capacity; under high-speed operating conditions, the spacing between the grooves can be appropriately reduced to enhance the surface lubrication effect.

[0010] To ensure the bonding strength between the modified layer and the aluminum alloy substrate, this invention pre-treats the aluminum alloy substrate before the surface strengthening process. The pre-treatment includes steps such as mechanical polishing, chemical cleaning, and surface activation. Specifically, mechanical polishing removes the oxide layer and burrs from the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate, achieving a surface roughness of Ra0.8 or less; chemical cleaning uses an alkaline solution to remove surface oil and impurities; and surface activation uses an acidic solution to create a micro-rough structure on the aluminum alloy surface, thereby enhancing the adhesion of the modified layer.

[0011] This invention solves several problems associated with existing low-friction guideways through the aforementioned technical solutions. First, by machining groove structures on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate, the actual contact area between the sliding components and the guideway surface is reduced, thereby lowering sliding friction resistance. Second, the micro-oil reservoirs formed by the grooves can store trace amounts of lubricating medium without external lubrication, extending the maintenance-free cycle of the guideway. Third, the modified layer generated through surface strengthening significantly improves the hardness and wear resistance of the guideway surface, enabling it to maintain stable low-friction performance even under high-frequency reciprocating motion and heavy-load conditions. Finally, through optimized design of the groove geometry and arrangement, the guideway can adapt to the needs of different application scenarios, exhibiting strong versatility and applicability.

[0012] The guide rail structure of this invention is simple, requiring no additional complex mechanical parts or reliance on external lubrication, and has advantages such as low manufacturing cost, easy assembly, and low maintenance frequency. Meanwhile, the high hardness and low coefficient of friction of the modified layer enable the guide rail to maintain a long service life even under high-frequency use conditions, making it particularly suitable for industrial applications such as elevators, automated equipment, and precision machinery where lightweight, high efficiency, and long service life are critical requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a side view of the aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail with surface strengthening treatment according to this utility model.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail with surface strengthening treatment according to this utility model.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a main extension surface cross groove in the surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail of this utility model.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a parallel groove on a main extension surface in the surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail of this utility model.

[0017] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0018] 1. Aluminum alloy substrate; 2. Groove; 3. Modified layer. Detailed Implementation

[0019] This invention provides a surface-strengthened aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail, the structure of which includes an aluminum alloy substrate 1, a groove 2, and a modified layer 3. The specific embodiments of this invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention, showing the distribution of the aluminum alloy substrate 1 and the grooves 2 and modified layer 3 on its surface.

[0020] First, the aluminum alloy substrate 1 is the basic structure of the entire guide rail. It is made of 6061 or 7075 aluminum alloy to ensure high strength and good machinability. The surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1 has several grooves 2 extending along the length of the guide rail. These grooves 2 are regularly arranged and have uniformly distributed geometric parameters. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the cross-sectional shape of groove 2 can be designed as rectangular or trapezoidal. The specific depth of the rectangular groove ranges from 0.1mm to 0.5mm, the width ranges from 0.2mm to 1mm, and the spacing between adjacent grooves ranges from 1mm to 3mm. In the design of the trapezoidal groove, the ratio of the upper base width to the lower base width is 1:1.5 to 1:2, and the depth and spacing also conform to the above ranges. The groove 2 reduces the actual contact area between the guide rail surface and the sliding component and forms a micro-oil reservoir for storing a small amount of lubricating medium, thereby reducing frictional resistance.

[0021] The arrangement of grooves 2 is optimized based on the actual application scenario of the guide rail. For example, in elevator guide rail applications, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the grooves 2 are arranged parallel to each other along the length of the guide rail. This design can accommodate the vertical lifting and lowering motion requirements of the elevator car. In automated equipment guide rail applications, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the grooves 2 can be designed in a staggered arrangement to accommodate multi-directional sliding requirements. Furthermore, the geometric parameters of the grooves 2 can be adjusted according to the load-bearing capacity and operating speed of the guide rail. Under high load conditions, the depth and width of the grooves 2 can be appropriately increased to improve oil storage capacity; under high-speed operating conditions, the spacing of the grooves 2 can be appropriately reduced to enhance surface lubrication.

[0022] The modified layer 3 is formed on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1 and the inner wall of the groove 2 through a surface strengthening process. Surface strengthening processes include, but are not limited to, micro-arc oxidation, hard anodizing, or laser cladding. In the micro-arc oxidation process, the aluminum alloy substrate 1 is placed in an electrolyte and a high-voltage electric field is applied to generate a dense ceramic oxide film as the modified layer 3. The hard anodizing process generates a high-hardness alumina film on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1 through electrolysis. The laser cladding process uses a high-energy laser beam to fuse metal powder onto the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1, forming a composite coating with excellent wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction. The thickness of the modified layer 3 ranges from 10 μm to 50 μm, its hardness is not lower than HV800, and its coefficient of friction is not higher than 0.2. The bonding strength between the modified layer 3 and the aluminum alloy substrate 1 is improved through pretreatment steps, including mechanical polishing, chemical cleaning, and surface activation. Mechanical polishing uses sandpaper or polishing wheels to remove the oxide layer and burrs on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1, so that its surface roughness reaches Ra0.8 or less; chemical cleaning uses alkaline solution to remove surface oil and impurities; surface activation is achieved by treating the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1 with acidic solution to form a micro-rough structure, which enhances the adhesion of the modified layer 3.

[0023] In the actual manufacturing process, the aluminum alloy substrate 1 is first machined to form the required groove 2 structure. CNC machine tools or milling machines are used during machining to ensure that the geometric parameters of the groove 2 meet the design requirements. A pretreatment step is then performed, sequentially completing mechanical polishing, chemical cleaning, and surface activation. In the micro-arc oxidation process, the pretreated aluminum alloy substrate 1 is immersed in an electrolyte containing silicates and phosphates, and a DC electric field with a voltage range of 300V to 500V is applied for 10 to 30 minutes, ultimately forming a ceramicized oxide film. In the hard anodizing process, the aluminum alloy substrate 1 is placed in a sulfuric acid solution, and a DC current density of 1A / dm² to 3A / dm² is applied for oxidation for 30 to 60 minutes, forming a high-hardness alumina film. In the laser cladding process, a fiber laser with a power of 1kW to 3kW is used to uniformly spray metal powder onto the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate 1, and then the cladding area is scanned by the laser beam to form a composite coating.

[0024] To verify the technical effects of this invention, multiple tests were conducted under laboratory conditions. The test object was an aluminum alloy low-friction guide rail sample prepared by the above process. The tests included hardness testing, friction coefficient testing, and wear resistance testing. Hardness testing used a Vickers hardness tester to measure the hardness value of the modified layer 3, and the results showed that its hardness was not lower than HV800. Friction coefficient testing used a pin-disc friction testing machine, with test conditions of a load of 100N and a sliding speed of 0.1m / s. The test results showed that the friction coefficient was not higher than 0.2. Wear resistance testing simulated high-frequency reciprocating motion conditions using a reciprocating friction testing machine, and the test time was 100 hours. The results showed that the modified layer 3 had no obvious wear marks, proving its excellent wear resistance. Furthermore, under conditions without external lubrication, the micro-oil reservoir formed by the groove 2 can effectively store a small amount of lubricating medium, extending the maintenance-free cycle of the guide rail.

[0025] In practical applications, the guide rail of this invention can be used in elevator guide rails, automated equipment guide rails, and precision mechanical guide rails. In elevator guide rail applications, the guide rail is installed inside the elevator shaft and works in conjunction with the elevator car's sliding shoes. When the sliding shoes contact the guide rail surface, the groove 2 reduces the actual contact area, while the lubricating medium stored in the micro-oil reservoir reduces frictional resistance, thereby improving the smoothness and comfort of elevator operation. In automated equipment guide rail applications, the guide rail is installed on the equipment frame and works in conjunction with a slider. When the slider reciprocates on the guide rail surface, the design of the groove 2 ensures that the lubricating medium is evenly distributed on the contact surface, significantly reducing sliding frictional resistance. In precision mechanical guide rail applications, the guide rail is installed on the workbench of mechanical equipment and works in conjunction with a precision slider. The high hardness and low coefficient of friction of the modified layer 3 ensure that the guide rail maintains a long service life even under high-frequency use conditions.

[0026] This invention solves the problems of high maintenance costs, poor long-term operational stability, and insufficient material wear resistance in existing low-friction guideways that rely on external lubrication or complex mechanical structures by machining a groove structure 2 on the surface of an aluminum alloy substrate 1 and combining it with a surface strengthening process to generate a modified layer 3. The groove 2 design not only reduces the actual contact area between the sliding parts and the guideway surface but also forms a micro-oil reservoir capable of storing trace amounts of lubricating medium, thus achieving a certain degree of self-lubrication even without external lubrication. The high hardness and low coefficient of friction of the modified layer 3 significantly improve the wear resistance and fatigue resistance of the guideway surface, enabling it to maintain stable low-friction performance even under high-frequency reciprocating motion and heavy-load conditions. Through optimized design of the geometric parameters and arrangement of the groove 2, the guideway of this invention can adapt to the needs of different application scenarios and has strong versatility and applicability.

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and implement this utility model, the following supplementary explanation of the implementation principle of this utility model is provided in conjunction with specific application scenarios.

[0028] In the application of elevator guide rails, the aluminum alloy base 1 is first fixedly installed inside the elevator shaft, ensuring that its contact surface with the elevator car's sliding shoe remains perpendicular. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the grooves 2 are arranged parallel to the length of the guide rail, a design that adapts to the vertical lifting and lowering motion requirements of the elevator car. When the elevator car is running, the sliding shoe contacts the guide rail surface and slides relative to it. Due to the presence of the grooves 2, the actual contact area between the sliding shoe and the guide rail is significantly reduced, thereby lowering frictional resistance. Simultaneously, the micro-oil reservoir formed by the grooves 2 can store a small amount of lubricating medium. During the reciprocating motion of the sliding shoe, the lubricating medium is gradually released to the contact surface, further reducing the coefficient of friction. The modified layer 3 is generated through a surface strengthening process. Its high hardness and low coefficient of friction effectively reduce wear caused by long-term high-frequency operation, ensuring that the guide rail maintains stable low-friction performance even under heavy load conditions. Furthermore, the strong bonding between the modified layer 3 and the aluminum alloy substrate 1 prevents peeling or fatigue damage caused by alternating loads, thereby improving the service life of the guide rail.

[0029] In the application of guide rails in automated equipment, the guide rails are mounted on the equipment frame and used in conjunction with sliders. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the grooves 2 are arranged in a staggered pattern to accommodate the multi-directional sliding requirements of the slider. When the slider reciprocates on the guide rail surface, the design of the grooves 2 ensures that the lubricating medium is evenly distributed on the contact surface, significantly reducing sliding friction resistance. The ceramicized oxide film or composite coating of the modified layer 3 not only has excellent wear resistance but also maintains a low coefficient of friction under high-speed operating conditions. By adjusting the geometric parameters of the grooves 2, such as appropriately reducing the groove spacing, the surface lubrication effect can be enhanced, thereby meeting the high-efficiency operation requirements of automated equipment. In addition, the high hardness of the modified layer 3 enables it to withstand the mechanical stress caused by the frequent reciprocating motion of the slider, avoiding surface scratches or wear caused by long-term use.

[0030] In precision mechanical guide rail applications, the guide rail is mounted on the worktable of mechanical equipment and used in conjunction with a precision slider. The low coefficient of friction of modified layer 3 ensures that the slider maintains smooth operation during high-frequency reciprocating motion, reducing vibration and noise caused by friction. The groove 2 design not only reduces the actual contact area between the slider and the guide rail, but also stores a small amount of lubricating medium through a micro-oil reservoir, achieving self-lubrication under conditions without external lubrication. This design is particularly suitable for scenarios with high cleanliness requirements, such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment or medical instruments. The high microhardness and fatigue resistance of modified layer 3 enable it to maintain a long service life under high-frequency use conditions, while avoiding the performance degradation problems of traditional guide rails caused by lubricant loss or environmental factors.

[0031] As can be seen from the operating principle of the specific application scenarios described above, this invention achieves stable operation of the guide rail under different working conditions through the geometric design of the groove 2 and the surface strengthening treatment of the modified layer 3. The design of the groove 2 effectively reduces frictional resistance by reducing the actual contact area and forming micro-oil reservoirs; the modified layer 3 solves the wear problem of traditional guide rails under high-frequency reciprocating motion and heavy-load conditions by improving the microhardness and wear resistance of the guide rail surface. These technical features work together to enable the guide rail structure of this invention to meet the modern industrial demand for high-efficiency, long-life, and low-energy-consumption guide rail systems without the need for additional complex mechanical parts or external lubrication.

[0032] All content not described in detail in this specification is prior art known to those skilled in the art, and the process parameters are not specifically limited; conventional equipment can be used. Specific operating steps and control components not mentioned in this technical solution are not shown in the accompanying drawings because they are prior art, and will not be described further here.

[0033] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0034] It should be noted that, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. At the same time, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

Claims

1. A surface treated aluminum alloy low friction rail characterized by: It includes an aluminum alloy substrate (1) and a modified layer (3) disposed on the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate (1). The surface of the aluminum alloy substrate (1) is provided with a plurality of grooves (2) extending along the length direction of the guide rail. The grooves (2) are regularly arranged and have uniformly distributed geometric parameters. The modified layer (3) covers the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate (1) and the inner wall of the grooves (2).

2. A surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail according to claim 1, characterized in that: The groove (2) has a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, with a depth ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a width ranging from 0.2 mm to 1 mm, and a spacing between adjacent grooves ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm.

3. A surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail according to claim 2, characterized in that: The grooves (2) are arranged parallel to each other along the length of the guide rail.

4. The surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail of claim 2, wherein: The grooves (2) are arranged in an alternating pattern.

5. The surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail of claim 1, wherein: The modified layer (3) is formed by micro-arc oxidation process, with a thickness ranging from 10um to 50um, a surface microhardness of not less than HV800, and a friction coefficient of not more than 0.

2.

6. A surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail as defined in claim 1, wherein: The modified layer (3) is formed by hard anodizing process, with a thickness ranging from 10um to 50um, a hardness of not less than HV800, and a friction coefficient of not more than 0.

2.

7. The surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail of claim 1, wherein: The modified layer (3) is formed by laser cladding process, with a thickness ranging from 10um to 50um, a hardness of not less than HV800, and a friction coefficient of not more than 0.

2.

8. The surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail of claim 1, wherein: Mechanical polishing brings the surface roughness of the aluminum alloy substrate (1) to below Ra0.

8.

9. The surface-hardened, low-friction aluminum alloy guide rail of claim 1, wherein: The aluminum alloy substrate (1) is made of 6061 aluminum alloy or 7075 aluminum alloy.

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