Functionally Graded Gear Fabrication Using Cold-Sprayed Alloy Teeth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current gear manufacturing processes are complex, energy-intensive, and costly, requiring numerous steps and high tooling costs, with existing methods failing to efficiently produce components with controlled hardenability and minimal defects while maintaining consistency and low grain growth.

Innovation Solution

The use of cold spray additive manufacturing to produce gear components with a carbon steel alloy core and tool steel alloy teeth, allowing for near-net shape production, high strain rate plasticity, and heat treatment to achieve enhanced mechanical properties without the need for carburization, thereby reducing energy consumption and tooling costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional gear manufacturing processes (casting, extrusion, forging, carburization, heat treatment, machining) are used, then gear components can be produced with required mechanical properties, but the process complexity increases to 50-160 steps with high energy consumption and long lead times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear mechanical propertiesVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple conventional manufacturing steps (forming, material deposition, heat treatment) into a single additive manufacturing process. The gear component is built layer-by-layer with controlled material deposition, integrating what were previously separate operations into one unified process that reduces complexity from 50-160 steps to a single additive manufacturing operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The additive manufacturing system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it forms the gear geometry, deposits material with controlled composition and distribution, and can incorporate heat treatment processes within the same equipment and workflow, making the system universally capable of producing complex gear components with tailored properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then gear components can be produced, but energy consumption increases due to multiple high-temperature processes including carburization and heat treatments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear mechanical propertiesVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The desired material properties and microstructure are built into the component during the additive manufacturing process itself, through controlled material deposition and in-situ heat treatment. This preliminary establishment of properties eliminates the need for subsequent high-temperature carburization and multiple heat treatment steps, significantly reducing total energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then gear components can be produced, but tooling costs increase due to the need for specialized fixtures and equipment for each manufacturing step

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear mechanical propertiesVSAvoidtooling cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple manufacturing operations into a single additive manufacturing system, eliminating the need for separate tooling for casting, extrusion, forging, carburization, and heat treatment. This merging of functions into one universal additive manufacturing platform dramatically reduces tooling costs while maintaining the ability to produce gears with required mechanical properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Strength

If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then gear components can be produced, but production lead time increases due to the sequential nature of 50-160 manufacturing steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear mechanical propertiesVSAvoidproduction lead time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The additive manufacturing process enables continuous production of gear components layer-by-layer without the interruptions and transitions between 50-160 separate manufacturing steps. The process maintains continuous useful action from raw material to finished component, dramatically reducing production lead time while preserving gear mechanical properties through controlled material deposition and in-situ heat treatment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 method results in increased ultimate tensile strength and yield by approximately 20% while minimizing defects and energy consumption, and allows for the production of lighter, stronger gear components with improved wear resistance and fatigue properties.

Implementation Method 1

spraying the powdered metal to accelerate and plastically deform the powdered metal; generating high strain rate plasticity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHigh strain rate plasticity: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11415210B2Structured material alloy component fabrication

Publication Date: 2022.08.16 RTX CORP

AI summary

A novel manufacturing method for functionally graded component includes a cold sprayed additive manufactured core material and a cold sprayed additive manufactured set of teeth around said core made from another material.