Counterholder Ball with Soft Outer Rim for Sheet Metal Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machining tools for sheet metal often cause scratches, impressions, or dents on the workpiece surface due to the contact pressure between the upper and lower tools, which impairs the quality of the processed workpieces.
Innovation Solution
Designing a counterholder as a ball with a softer outer edge zone, which can be coated or cladded, and positioning it in a flexible receptacle with a holding device to absorb contact pressure without damaging the workpiece surface, allowing for overload protection and wear indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a hard counterholder ball is used to withstand contact pressure during machining, then the structural strength and durability of the counterholder is improved, but scratches, impressions or dents occur on the workpiece surface
Solution Approach 1:
The counterholder ball is designed with non-uniform hardness distribution: the outer layer (contacting the workpiece) has lower hardness to prevent surface damage, while the inner core maintains high hardness for structural strength. This is achieved through surface treatment methods such as nitriding, carburizing, or coating applications that create a hardness gradient from surface to center.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterholder ball combines materials or material states with different hardness properties - a hard core material (such as hardened steel) combined with a softer surface layer (through coating, cladding, or surface treatment). This composite structure allows the ball to simultaneously provide structural support and protect the workpiece surface from damage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a soft counterholder ball is used to protect the workpiece surface, then surface quality is improved, but the counterholder cannot withstand high contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The counterholder ball is designed with non-uniform hardness distribution: the outer layer (contacting the workpiece) has lower hardness to prevent surface damage, while the inner core maintains high hardness for structural strength. This is achieved through surface treatment methods such as nitriding, carburizing, or coating applications that create a hardness gradient from surface to center.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterholder ball combines materials or material states with different hardness properties - a hard core material (such as hardened steel) combined with a softer surface layer (through coating, cladding, or surface treatment). This composite structure allows the ball to simultaneously provide structural support and protect the workpiece surface from damage.
3Reliability
If a coating or cladding is applied to the counterholder ball, then wear resistance and surface protection are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The softer outer layer or coating on the counterholder ball is designed to be replaceable rather than the entire ball. When the surface layer wears out (indicated by wear markers), only the coating or outer layer needs to be removed and a fresh one applied, or the ball replaced, rather than manufacturing a completely new hard ball. This reduces overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs surface treatment parameters (hardness, coating thickness, material composition) that can be adjusted through established industrial processes such as nitriding, carburizing, PVD, CVD, or thermal spraying. These are成熟 manufacturing techniques that, while adding steps, do not fundamentally increase complexity and provide reliable wear protection.
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 solution prevents surface damage and deformations during machining, enhancing the processing quality of sheet metal by ensuring the counterholder's surface hardness is lower than the workpiece, and providing a cost-effective and flexible solution for tool production.
Implementation Method 1
the counterholder, which is designed as a ball, is softer than the workpiece to be machined or the workpiece surface to be machined, which means that, despite the contact pressure between the upper tool and the lower tool, there are no impressions on or in the surface of the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
this coating can also be used as a wear indicator. As soon as this coating shows signs of damage, spalling or perforations, wear and tear on the counter-holder can be detected and a replacement carried out
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The tool (11) has upper tools (21) for receiving machining tools (20), and a secondary tool (22) for receiving a backstop. The backstop is operated as a spring ball. The upper tools and the secondary tool are arranged opposite to each other such that a workpiece (12) is arranged between a side of the backstop and sides of the machining tools. The spring ball comprises an outer rim, which comprises smaller surface hardness than the workpiece to be machined on a workpiece surface of the workpiece to be machined. The outer rim is designed as a coating or a covering.