Tapered Roller Bearing Inner Ring Cold Extrusion for Low Friction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for manufacturing tapered roller bearing inner rings are costly and do not consistently produce high-quality components with minimized friction.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an inner ring blank with a raceway and fixed rim section, formed through cold extrusion at ambient temperature, where the fixed rim section forms a toroidal contact surface and the raceway is shaped in a single forming step, reducing material displacement and post-processing needs, and allowing for cost-effective production with enhanced performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional cutting or multi-step forming methods are used to manufacture inner rings, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but production costs increase and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner ring qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary forming of the inner ring blank including the raceway section and fixed rim section in a single extrusion step before final separation, preparing the basic structure and reducing subsequent processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The inner ring is divided into functionally distinct sections (raceway section and fixed rim section) that are formed simultaneously but can be separated independently, allowing each section to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Shape

If traditional multi-step forming methods are used, then complex geometries can be achieved, but manufacturing time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner ring geometryVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The formation of the raceway section and fixed rim section are merged into a single extrusion step, creating both geometrically complex sections simultaneously rather than through sequential operations, thereby maintaining shape complexity while dramatically improving productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If material displacement is minimized in forming, then manufacturing precision improves, but the forming process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional accuracyVSAvoidforming process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extrusion process is designed to preliminarily form both the raceway section and fixed rim section with minimal material displacement from the starting blank, establishing the final geometry in one step and reducing the need for complex subsequent forming operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary 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

The method enables the production of inner rings with reduced friction and improved functional properties at lower costs, achieving high-quality tapered roller bearings with minimized friction and efficient manufacturing processes.

Implementation Method 1

formed through cold extrusion at ambient temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCold extrusion: Cold-forming

Data Source

PatentEP3308044B1Method of manufacture the inner ring of a tapered roller bearing and tapered roller bearing with an inner ring
Publication Date: 2022.08.10 SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO KG
  • EP3308044B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3308044B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3308044B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

Tapered roller bearings make it possible to deflect both radial loads and axial loads via a bearing. The aim of the invention is to propose a method for producing an inner ring for a tapered roller bearing which is cost-effective but at the same time leads to a sufficiently high quality of the inner ring. For this purpose, a method for producing an inner ring (2) for a tapered roller bearing (2) is proposed in which the inner ring (2) has a raceway portion (13) and a fixed edge portion (14), said method comprising the steps of: providing an inner ring blank (25), the inner ring blank (25) having an unfinished raceway portion (26) and an unfinished fixed edge portion (27), the unfinished fixed edge portion (27) having a larger outside diameter than the unfinished raceway portion (26), and the inner ring blank (25) having a through-opening (28); cold forming the inner ring blank (25) into the inner ring (2) by means of extrusion in a main forming step, wherein the unfinished fixed edge portion (27) is transformed into the fixed edge portion (14) and the unfinished raceway portion (26) is transformed into the raceway portion (13).