Helical-Tooth Sizing for High-Accuracy Sintered Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sizing devices are limited by the load-bearing capacity of thrust bearings, preventing the application of high pressing forces necessary for achieving high dimensional accuracy in sintered materials with helical teeth.
Innovation Solution
A sizing device and method that includes a die, first and second punches, and a thrust bearing supporting the first punch, with a first plate stopping the first punch at a predetermined position to manage load within the thrust bearing's capacity, allowing high pressing forces to be applied to sintered materials with helical teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a thrust bearing is used to support the first punch, then the punching operation can be performed, but the load-bearing capacity of the thrust bearing limits the pressing force that can be applied
Solution Approach 1:
A plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the first punch and the thrust bearing. The plate absorbs and distributes the pressing force, preventing excessive load from being transmitted directly to the thrust bearing. This allows high pressing forces to be applied to the sintered material while the thrust bearing operates within its safe load-bearing capacity.
2Manufacturing precision
If high pressing force is applied to achieve high dimensional accuracy, then tooth profile error and tooth trace error are reduced, but the load on the thrust bearing exceeds its bearing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The plate serves as a load-distributing intermediary that enables high pressing forces to be applied to the sintered material for achieving high dimensional accuracy (tooth profile error ≤6 μm and tooth trace error ≤27 μm) while preventing the thrust bearing from exceeding its load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transmission path is segmented into two stages: the plate handles the high pressing force application to the material, while the thrust bearing handles only the residual load after the plate has absorbed and distributed the primary force. This segmentation allows both high pressing force and thrust bearing reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the first punch is allowed to retreat fully, then the sintered material can be ejected, but the load on the thrust bearing increases beyond its capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The plate acts as a stop element that limits the retraction distance of the first punch. By positioning the plate at a predetermined location, the punch retreats only to the point where the load on the thrust bearing returns to within its bearing capacity, enabling safe ejection of the sintered material while protecting the thrust bearing from excessive load.
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 enables the production of sintered materials with excellent dimensional accuracy, specifically with tooth profile errors less than or equal to 6 μm and tooth trace errors less than or equal to 27 μm, enhancing the precision of helical teeth.
Implementation Method 1
a thrust bearing that rotatably supports the first punch
Implementation Method 2
one of an inner peripheral surface of the through-hole of the die and an outer peripheral surface of the first punch has a first helical tooth that meshes with the helical tooth of the sintered material
Implementation Method 3
a first plate that abuts and stops the first punch at a predetermined position in a retreating direction of the first punch
Data Source
AI summary
A cylindrical sintered material made of metal, in which one of an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the sintered material includes: a plurality of helical teeth arranged in parallel along a circumferential direction of the sintered material; and a sizing mark provided on at least a part of a tooth bottom surface, a tooth surface, and a tooth tip surface of each of the helical teeth, the helical tooth has a tooth profile error less than or equal to 6 μm, and the helical tooth has a tooth trace error less than or equal to 27 μm.