Cutting Head Coolant Gap Control Using Sintered Spacers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing friction tools face challenges in ensuring sufficient coolant supply due to tolerances in the coolant distribution gap, which affects the bore quality and efficiency of the cutting process.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves creating protruding spacers on the cutting head to maintain a defined gap for the coolant distributor, allowing for efficient coolant flow without the need for complex mechanical constructions. This design ensures that the coolant distributor is held at a precise distance from the cutting head, optimizing coolant distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coolant distributor is inserted into a coolant channel with a clamping screw, then the coolant can be redirected to the cutting edge area, but various tolerances (solder joint thickness, cutting head height, distributor web width, internal thread position) cause the coolant distribution gap to be insufficient, worsening coolant supply
Solution Approach 1:
The spacers are integrated into the cutting head as primary mold elements during the sintering process, establishing the correct gap distance before the coolant distributor is installed. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for subsequent adjustments and ensures the gap is correct despite variations in other component dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers act as intermediary elements between the cutting head support surface and the coolant distributor. These spacers physically define and maintain the required gap distance, serving as a mechanical mediator that compensates for tolerances in other components and ensures adequate coolant flow passage.
2Reliability
If the cutting head is designed as a sintered carbide blank to increase performance, then the cutting head can be reworked by turning and grinding, but drilling coolant channels becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant channel system is segmented into two parts: the main coolant channel is drilled into the base body before the cutting head is attached, and the coolant distributor (separate component) is installed in this pre-drilled channel. This segmentation allows the sintered carbide cutting head to maintain its performance benefits while the coolant delivery system is manufactured using conventional drilling methods in the base body.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple components are assembled with chained tolerances (solder joint, cutting head height, distributor web, internal thread), then the assembly can be manufactured, but the cumulative tolerances result in insufficient coolant distribution gap
Solution Approach 1:
The spacing function is extracted from the chain of assembled components and consolidated into dedicated spacer elements that are integrated into the cutting head. By taking out the spacing requirement and embedding it in the primary mold, the design eliminates dependence on the cumulative tolerances of multiple separate components (solder joint, cutting head height, distributor web, internal thread position).
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 enhances the coolant supply efficiency, reduces production effort, and minimizes extreme tolerances, leading to improved bore quality and tool performance.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling lubricant distributor (26) is held seated on the spacers (30), so that the gap (48) defined by the spacers (30) between the support surface (28) and the cooling lubricant distributor (26) remains free for the passage of cooling lubricant
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of protruding spacers (30) are sintered onto a support or guide surface (28) of the cutting head (16) as primary mold elements
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a cutting tool, having a main body (14), a cutting head (16), which is joined to the free end of the main body (14) and is formed, by primary shaping, as a sintered piece provided with at least one cutting edge (18), and a cooling lubricant feed (24), which is led through the main body (14) axially and which has a cooling lubricant distributor (26) inserted into the cutting head (16) for redirecting cooling lubricant into the region of the at least one cutting edge (18). According to the invention, a plurality of protruding spacers (30) for keeping a gap clear with respect to the cooling lubricant distributor (26) and/or the main body (14) are sintered on a supporting surface (28) of the cutting head (16) as primary shaped elements.