Powder Metallurgical Ball Screw Sintering Joining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing ball screws are complex and often require additional connection elements or adhesives, making it difficult to create structures with specific geometries like interior channels or deflector pieces economically.
Innovation Solution
A powder metallurgical process where precursor bodies with joining areas are brought into contact during sintering, allowing for metallurgical joining without additional connection elements, enabling the production of one-piece elements with complex geometries and internal structures like deflector pieces or threaded spindles with cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional production methods are used to create complex structures like interior channels or deflector pieces, then additional connection elements or adhesives are required, but this increases device complexity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate parts (precursor bodies) into a single integrated element through powder metallurgical sintering. The joining areas of precursor bodies are brought into contact during sintering, creating a metallurgically bonded one-piece structure that eliminates the need for separate connection elements, adhesives, or complex assembly operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional production methods are used for complex geometries, then material removal by machining or molding with dead cores is required, but this increases manufacturing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates complex internal structures and geometries during the forming stage of powder metallurgy, before any machining or finishing operations. Precursor bodies are molded with the desired complex geometries and internal channels already integrated, then joined through sintering. This eliminates the need for subsequent material removal by machining or complex molding operations with dead cores.
3Reliability
If multiple parts are joined using traditional methods, then additional connection elements such as screws or bolts are required, but this increases device complexity and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical joining methods (screws, bolts, adhesives) with a metallurgical joining process. During sintering, the joining areas of precursor bodies are brought into contact and metallurgically bonded through diffusion and bonding at the atomic level. This creates a permanent, reliable joint that is integral to the structure, eliminating all separate connection elements and their associated complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process simplifies the production of ball screws, achieves reliable metallurgical joining, and allows for the creation of complex structures that would be costly or impossible with traditional methods, eliminating the need for screws, bolts, or adhesives.
Implementation Method 1
the first precursor body and the second precursor body have been or are brought into contact via the first joining area and the second joining area prior to the sintering and/or during the sintering
Data Source
AI summary
A process for the production of a ball screw, which has at least one element produced powder metallurgically, is suggested, with which the at least one element is produced from a plurality of parts, wherein at least one first precursor body with a first joining area and one second precursor body with a second joining area are produced and the first precursor body and the second precursor body have been or are brought into contact via the first joining area and the second joining area prior to the sintering and/or during the sintering.