Diffusion Treatment Device for R-T-B Sintered Magnets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing R-T-B sintered magnets face challenges in achieving high mass production efficiency while minimizing chip formation and maintaining high coercivity, particularly when dealing with the diffusion treatment process, which is laborious and time-consuming, especially when handling small and elongated magnet pieces.
Innovation Solution
A diffusion treatment device with a cylindrical treatment container and a conveyor system that allows for hermetical sealing, heating, and cooling, enabling simultaneous diffusion treatment and cooling stages, reducing the need for extensive chamber cleaning and increasing throughput without increasing chamber height, thus minimizing chip formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the treatment chamber length is increased to increase throughput, then productivity improves, but the takeout time increases and chips are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment chamber is divided into a heating section and a cooling section, allowing simultaneous diffusion treatment and cooling of magnet pieces. This segmentation enables continuous processing without waiting for complete cooling before takeout, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining short takeout time.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system moves magnet pieces through the treatment chamber in a continuous flow, transitioning from batch processing to continuous processing. This dimensional change in the process flow enables simultaneous heating and cooling operations to occur in parallel, improving productivity without increasing takeout time.
2Productivity
If the treatment chamber length is increased to increase throughput, then productivity improves, but chip formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the treatment chamber into heating and cooling sections, magnet pieces are cooled in a controlled manner before takeout. This prevents thermal shock and mechanical stress that cause chip formation, while still allowing high throughput through continuous processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Magnet pieces are pre-cooled in the cooling section before being discharged from the treatment chamber. This preliminary cooling action prevents thermal stress-induced chipping during takeout and handling, maintaining product quality while enabling high productivity.
3Reliability
If conventional diffusion treatment methods are used, then coercivity is improved, but the process is laborious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The manual arrangement process is replaced with an automated conveyor system that continuously transports magnet pieces through the treatment chamber. This mechanical substitution eliminates laborious manual handling while maintaining the diffusion treatment effectiveness, thereby improving coercivity and productivity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system enables continuous diffusion treatment of magnet pieces without interruption or batch processing delays. This continuity maintains the thermal conditions necessary for achieving high coercivity while dramatically improving mass production efficiency by eliminating idle time between batches.
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 solution enhances mass production efficiency by allowing simultaneous diffusion treatment and cooling, reducing chip formation, and maintaining high coercivity in R-T-B sintered magnets, suitable for high-temperature applications like hybrid vehicle motors.
Implementation Method 1
a diffusion step including, after (e), heating the treatment container to a treatment temperature of not less than about 450° C. and not more than about 1000° C.
Implementation Method 2
a cooling unit provided after the heating unit
Data Source
AI summary
A diffusion treatment device includes: a treatment container including a cylindrical main body and first and second lids, the cylindrical main body having a treatment space which is capable of receiving sintered magnet pieces and RH diffusion sources, the first and second lids being capable of hermetically sealing first and second openings, respectively, at opposite ends of the cylindrical main body; a conveyor for conveying the treatment container by a predetermined distance in an x-axis direction while a longitudinal direction of the treatment container is located in a y-axis direction in a rectangular coordinate system xyz; a heating unit including a lower heating section provided under the treatment container and an upper heating section provided above the treatment container, and a first rotating unit for rotating the treatment container around a y-axis while the longitudinal direction of the treatment container is located in the y-axis direction.