Alloy Wheel Rim Flange Printing With Continuous Rotation and Pivoting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for printing the rim flange of light metal vehicle wheels are inefficient, as they result in visible color discrepancies between the printed and non-printed areas, requiring manual rework and limiting automation in wheel production.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic method involving a rotating and pivoting wheel with a pressure roller that continuously prints around the horn of the rim flange, ensuring uniform ink application on both the outer and inner surfaces, eliminating the need for manual correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the rim flange is painted using conventional methods, then the outer surface can be printed, but the front and inner sides remain unprinted creating visible base color rings
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel is continuously rotated and pivoted from horizontal to vertical position during the printing process, transforming a static printing operation into a dynamic one that enables comprehensive surface coverage without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The printing process utilizes the third dimension by pivoting the wheel from horizontal to vertical position, allowing the printing roller to access and print on the front and inner sides of the rim flange that are not accessible in a purely horizontal orientation
2Manufacturing precision
If manual rework is performed to paint the rim flange completely, then the base color ring becomes invisible, but production time and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel itself facilitates the complete printing process through its own rotation and pivoting movements, eliminating the need for manual rework and enabling automated comprehensive coverage of all rim flange surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The printing process operates continuously with the wheel rotating and pivoting without interruption, allowing the printing roller to maintain continuous contact with all surfaces of the rim flange, thereby eliminating the need for separate manual rework operations
3Manufacturing precision
If the wheel is continuously rotated and pivoted during printing, then complete rim flange coverage is achieved, but the printing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel serving as both the workpiece and the facilitating mechanism performs multiple functions: it holds the rim flange to be printed, rotates to present different surfaces, and pivots to enable access to front and inner sides, thereby simplifying the overall system design
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for flange-encompassing printing of an outer rim flange (2) of an alloy wheel (1). This is a dynamic method, in which the impression roll remains on the surface of the rim flange (2) during the entire printing operation, whilst the alloy wheel (1) rotates continuously. In addition, during the printing operation, the wheel (1) is pivoted continuously from a horizontal position beyond a vertical position, as a result of which the flange-encompassing printing is achieved.