Inductor Two-Loop Design for Rack Gear Hardening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inductive hardening methods for toothed racks lack optimal control over the hardening pattern and efficiency, particularly in achieving uniform hardness and minimizing equipment requirements.
Innovation Solution
An inductor with an annular induction coil having two loops that encompass the workpiece, allowing for relative movement to generate eddy currents perpendicular to the tooth flanks, with a field guide and connector design to enhance the magnetic field and hardness profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single-loop annular induction coil is used for feed hardening, then the equipment complexity is reduced and power requirements are lowered, but the hardening pattern control is insufficient and uniformity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The induction coil is divided into two separate loops instead of using a single loop. Each loop independently encloses the workpiece and generates eddy currents, allowing separate control of hardening zones. This segmentation enables precise control over the hardening pattern while maintaining relatively simple inductor structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Each loop is positioned to target specific regions of the workpiece, creating localized eddy currents in different zones. The first loop generates eddy currents in one region while the second loop targets another region, allowing different hardening characteristics in different areas of the workpiece surface.
2Productivity
If high power is used for simultaneous hardening over the entire length, then productivity is improved, but the equipment requirements and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor moves continuously along the workpiece in a feed hardening process, applying periodic heating action along the length of the workpiece. This allows progressive hardening without requiring high power for simultaneous heating of the entire workpiece, maintaining productivity while reducing peak power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of heating the entire workpiece length simultaneously with excessive power, the two-loop configuration applies partial heating action to specific zones at different times as the inductor moves along the workpiece, achieving complete hardening through cumulative effect with lower power requirements.
3Power
If the inductor is moved relative to the workpiece for gradual heating, then power requirements are reduced and hardening pattern control is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed hardening process maintains continuous relative motion between the inductor and workpiece, ensuring uninterrupted heating action. The two-loop configuration ensures that useful heating action is continuously applied as the inductor moves along the workpiece, reducing total processing time compared to intermittent or stepped heating methods.
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 design enables improved control over the hardening pattern, achieving uniform hardness and reducing power requirements while preventing unwanted flashovers, resulting in a more efficient and effective hardening process.
Implementation Method 1
The inductor generates an eddy current locally in the workpiece via induction, so that it is successively heated.
Implementation Method 2
The inductor generates an eddy current locally in the workpiece via induction
Implementation Method 3
the induction coil is essentially made of copper and is preferably a tube so that water or another liquid can be passed through the induction coil to cool the inductor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an inductor (1) for the progressive induction hardening of rack gears and to the hardening process using said inductor (1). The inductor (1) has an annular induction coil (2) for surrounding the rack gear in the receiving chamber (8) for the rack gear. In order to improve the hardening pattern, two loops (7) of the induction coil (2) surround the receiving chamber (8), each loop covering half of the circumference of the receiving chamber (8).