Coating Lance Portal Device for Cylinder Bore Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for metallic coating of engine cylinder bore surfaces are complex, prone to wear, and can result in incorrect coatings, leading to increased engine wear due to the need for repositioning workpieces and frequent adjustment of coating devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a portal device with two travel axes to move a coating lance into multiple bores without repositioning the workpiece, combined with a continuously operating metal plasma jet and a spray shield to prevent unwanted coatings, and a circulating conveyor for efficient processing and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the workpiece is repositioned for each coating operation, then the coating device can coat one bore at a time, but the processing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the workpiece to the coating device, the invention inverts the approach by moving the coating device to the workpiece. The portal device with traveling carriages allows the coating lance to be transported along guide rails to different bore locations, while the workpiece remains stationary on the conveying device.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic movement capabilities to the coating device through the portal structure with at least two travel axes. The first carriage moves along a first travel axis, and the second carriage moves along a second travel axis perpendicular to the first, enabling the coating lance to dynamically reach multiple bore positions without repositioning the workpiece.
2Manufacturing precision
If the coating device is adjusted frequently for different bores, then single bore coating is achieved, but device complexity and operation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The portal device serves multiple functions: it positions the coating lance for different bores, supports the conveying device, and provides a structured framework for the coating operation. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms for each bore.
Solution Approach 2:
The traveling carriages act as intermediaries between the stationary portal structure and the coating lance. These carriages simplify the complex positioning task by providing intermediate movement stages along the guide rails, making the system more manageable and less complex than direct multi-axis positioning.
3Productivity
If the coating lance is moved without a spray shield, then coating speed increases, but incorrect coatings occur on undesired locations
Solution Approach 1:
The spray shield acts as an intermediary element that controls the metal plasma jet's path. When the coating lance is retracted, the shield intercepts the plasma jet, preventing it from reaching undesired areas of the workpiece. This allows the coating lance to move quickly without compromising coating location accuracy.
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 approach significantly reduces processing time, ensures uniform and reliable coatings, minimizes non-productive times, and prevents incorrect coatings, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the metallic coating process.
Implementation Method 1
a coating lance through which a metal plasma jet can be generated for coating the bore wall
Implementation Method 2
a metal plasma jet is generated by the coating lance and the coating lance is rotated the metallic coating is applied to the bore wall
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a system and a method for metallically coating the wall of a bore in a workpiece, in particular the running surface of a cylinder bore in an engine block. A coating lance is inserted into the bore to be coated, a metal plasma jet is generated by the coating lance, and the metallic coating is applied to the bore wall while the coating lance is rotated. With the workpiece stationary, the coating lance is moved into several bores of the workpiece by means of a gantry system with at least two axes of travel, whereby the bore walls of the several bores are provided with the metallic coating by the coating lance.