Melt-Welded CVJ Outer Joint Inspection Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for inspecting joint-type outer joint members of constant velocity universal joints, particularly those formed through melt-welding, face challenges such as burrs generated during friction press-contact, which complicate turning and ultrasonic flaw detection, leading to increased manufacturing costs and reduced inspection efficiency, and the quality of the welded portion is compromised due to defects like poor penetration, blowholes, and weld cracks.
Innovation Solution
An inspection device is developed comprising a surface inspection unit for detecting surface defects, an internal inspection unit for detecting internal defects using ultrasonic flaw detection, and a recording unit to associate inspection results with product numbers, enabling efficient in-line total inspection and ensuring quality management and traceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If friction press-contact is used to join cup member and shaft member, then the joining strength is improved, but burrs are generated on the joining portion which complicate subsequent turning and ultrasonic flaw detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heat treatment to the joining portion after friction press-contact, which transforms the harmful burrs into beneficial hardened layers. The heat treatment process hardens the burrs, making them easier to remove through controlled means, while also improving the overall strength and fatigue resistance of the joining portion. This converts the harmful effect of burr generation into a beneficial hardening effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent systematically removes the generated burrs through turning or grinding operations after the friction press-contact joining. By discarding the harmful burrs through controlled material removal, the patent recovers the desired smooth surface and enables subsequent ultrasonic flaw detection, while preserving the strengthened joining portion.
2Manufacturing precision
If burrs are removed through turning, then the surface quality is improved, but the tip for turning is significantly abraded due to high hardness of burrs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heat treatment to harden the burrs before the turning operation. This preliminary hardening action transforms the burrs into a more manageable state that reduces tool abrasion during subsequent removal, while still achieving the desired surface quality through controlled material removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the burrs through heat treatment, specifically increasing their hardness and altering their microstructure. This parameter change makes the burrs more resistant to further deformation during turning, thereby reducing tool wear while maintaining surface quality requirements.
3Reliability
If ultrasonic flaw detection is performed on joining portion with burrs, then inspection capability is compromised due to scattered ultrasonic waves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs burr removal through turning or grinding as a preliminary action before ultrasonic flaw detection. By removing the burrs that cause ultrasonic wave scattering, the inspection surface is prepared in advance, enabling reliable ultrasonic detection of the joining portion without interference from surface irregularities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts or removes the burrs from the joining portion surface through turning or grinding operations. By taking out the harmful burrs that scatter ultrasonic waves, the patent creates a smooth inspection surface that allows ultrasonic waves to propagate effectively for reliable flaw detection of the welded joint.
4Productivity
If melt-welding is used to join cup member and shaft member, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but internal defects like poor penetration, blowholes, and weld cracks are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements ultrasonic flaw detection as a feedback mechanism to inspect the welded joining portion for internal defects such as poor penetration, blowholes, and weld cracks. This non-destructive inspection provides feedback on weld quality, enabling real-time or post-process assessment and ensuring that only acceptable joints proceed to final assembly, thereby maintaining high manufacturing precision despite the efficiency gains from melt-welding.
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
The inspection device effectively detects surface and internal defects, ensuring high-quality joint-type outer joint members, reducing manufacturing costs, and providing reliable traceability for mass-produced constant velocity universal joints, critical for safety-related components.
Implementation Method 1
a surface inspection unit configured to perform inspection for detecting a defect which appears on a surface of the joint-type outer joint member due to welding
Implementation Method 2
an internal inspection unit configured to perform inspection of an internal defect of a welded portion
Implementation Method 3
an internal inspection unit configured to perform inspection of an internal defect of a welded portion
Implementation Method 4
a recording unit configured to record an inspection result of the inspection
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection device inspects a joint-type outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint that includes a cup section having a bottomed cylindrical shape and track grooves in an inner periphery thereof for torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section extending from a bottom of the cup section. The inspection device inspects the outer joint member, which is obtained through melt-welding on a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section. The inspection device includes a surface inspection unit to inspect for a defect which appears on a surface of the outer joint member due to welding, an internal inspection unit to inspect for an internal defect of a welded portion, and a recording unit to record an inspection result of the inspection. The inspection device is configured to efficiently perform in-line total inspection for the melt-welded joint-type outer joint member.