Composite Shaft Wedge Structure for Accurate Torque Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accuracy and consistency of composite material shaft manufacturing are compromised due to difficulties in controlling the location and geometry of the wedge-shaped layer, leading to variations in shaft properties and manufacturing inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a prefabricated metallic wedge member positioned on a mandrel, with fibre material wound over it, cured, and then machined to create a cylindrical surface for improved accuracy and consistency, allowing for enhanced torque transmission and flexibility in manufacturing. Additionally, features like annular grooves or varying fibre angles can be incorporated to control torque capacity and failure points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a wedge shaped layer of fibre material is wound onto a mandrel to form a composite shaft, then torque transmission capability is enhanced, but manufacturing accuracy and consistency deteriorate due to difficulty in controlling the location and geometry of the wedge shaped layer
Solution Approach 1:
A metallic wedge member is pre-formed with the required geometry and positioning features before being placed on the mandrel. This preliminary preparation ensures that the wedge shape is accurately defined in advance, eliminating the difficulty of controlling wedge layer geometry during the winding process. The pre-formed wedge member is positioned at a specific location on the mandrel, ensuring accurate location control before fibre winding begins.
Solution Approach 2:
A metallic wedge member serves as an intermediary element between the mandrel and the fibre material. This intermediate component provides a stable, precisely controllable wedge shape that the fibre material can be wound over. The metallic wedge acts as a mediator that transfers and maintains the required geometric properties, ensuring both accurate location and geometry control while enabling torque transmission.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wedge shaped layer geometry is not accurately controlled, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but shaft property consistency deteriorates leading to significant variations
Solution Approach 1:
The metallic wedge member is pre-manufactured with precise geometry and positioning features, ensuring consistent shaft properties across production batches. This preliminary action with standardized components provides manufacturing flexibility while maintaining composition stability, as each wedge member is produced to exact specifications before assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and form of the wedge element from a flexible fibre layer to a rigid metallic component. This parameter change enables precise geometric control and consistent positioning, ensuring shaft property consistency. The metallic wedge's fixed parameters (shape, size, position) provide stability while allowing manufacturing flexibility through standardized production processes.
3Strength
If machining is performed to expose fibres after winding, then torque transmission is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metallic wedge member is pre-formed with the final required geometry and surface characteristics before being placed on the mandrel. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for subsequent machining operations to expose fibres or create torque transmission surfaces, as the wedge member is already prepared in its final state. The pre-formed surfaces and geometries are ready for immediate fibre winding and torque transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the machining step from the manufacturing process. By using a pre-formed metallic wedge member with ready-to-use surfaces, the complex machining operation that would otherwise be required to expose fibres and create torque transmission features is completely removed. The wedge member is supplied in a state that requires no further processing.
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 results in improved manufacturing accuracy, reduced scrap, and enhanced torque transmission capabilities, with controlled failure points to prevent damage from excessive torque, and increased flexibility in shaft design.
Implementation Method 1
allowing a matrix material impregnated into the fibre material to cure
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacture of a shaft including positioning a prefabricated wedge member onto a cylindrical mandrel, winding a fibre material onto the mandrel, the fibre material extending over at least a part of the wedge member, allowing a matrix material impregnated into the fibre material to cure, and machining away at least part of the fibre material in the region of the wedge member to expose fibres thereof.