Exhaust Shell Sizing with Extended Finger to Protect Sensor Hole
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional sizing methods for exhaust component shells with multiple diameters result in poor weld areas around sensor holes due to differing diameters, leading to large gaps and undesirable deformations during the manufacturing process of catalytic converters.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a plurality of fingers, with at least one extended finger, to size the outer shell to two different diameters, ensuring the extended finger partially covers the sensor hole during each sizing process, providing a better surface for welding and minimizing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional sizing methods are used to size the outer shell to two different diameters, then the shell can accommodate substrates of different sizes, but the weld area around the sensor hole becomes poor with large gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The sizing tool applies different sizing forces to different regions of the shell by using fingers of varying lengths. The extended finger protects the sensor hole region while shorter fingers size the shell to different diameters at other locations, creating local quality differences in the sized shell that accommodate both substrate size variations and maintain weld area integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The extended finger acts as an intermediary protective element during the sizing operation. It temporarily covers the sensor hole region, preventing direct contact between the sizing fingers and the hole area, thereby preserving the geometric integrity of the weld surface while still allowing the shell to be sized to different diameters
2Manufacturing precision
If the outer shell is sized to different diameters at different ends, then component tolerance variation is compensated, but deformation and gaps occur around the sensor hole
Solution Approach 1:
The extended finger is positioned to cover the sensor hole before the sizing operation begins. This preliminary protective action prevents the sizing fingers from directly deforming the hole region, counteracting the potential harmful effect of deformation before it can occur during the differential sizing process
3Ease of manufacture
If a sensor boss is welded to the outer shell around a sensor hole, then sensor attachment is achieved, but poor weld areas with large gaps result in unreliable attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor hole area is protected and preserved during the sizing operation before the welding process begins. By maintaining the geometric integrity of the hole region through the extended finger protection, the shell surface around the sensor hole remains flat and gap-free, providing an optimal base for subsequent sensor boss welding and ensuring reliable attachment
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus forms an exhaust component that includes first and second substrates. An outer shell surrounds the first and second substrates. At least one sensor hole is formed in the outer shell at a location between the first and second substrates. A first end of the outer shell is surrounded with a plurality fingers to size the first end around the first substrate to a first diameter. The plurality of fingers includes an extended finger that is longer than the other fingers such that the extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the first end. A second end of the outer shell is then surrounded by the fingers to size the second end around the second substrate to a second diameter. The extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the second end.