Jointed Shaft Hot Forming Without Cold Calibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing cardan shaft components are complex and require high manufacturing tolerances, with cold calibration being a time-consuming and costly step that can compromise process reliability and increase production complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method involving hot forming or semi-hot forming of cardan shaft components without cold calibration, where the functional surfaces are defined during the forming process to achieve the desired geometry and reduce friction, eliminating the need for additional machining and post-processing steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If cold calibration is performed on functional surfaces after hot forming, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity is reduced and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional surface geometryVSAvoidmanufacturing cycle time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The functional surfaces are pre-formed with the desired geometry during the hot forming process itself, rather than requiring subsequent cold calibration. The forming tooling is designed to create the final functional surface geometry (including raceways, grooves, and other critical features) directly during hot forming, eliminating the need for post-forming machining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the forming of the component geometry and the functional surfaces into a single hot forming operation. Instead of separating these operations into distinct steps (hot forming followed by cold calibration), the process merges them so that both the component shape and functional surfaces are created simultaneously during hot forming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If cold calibration is performed on functional surfaces, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional surface geometryVSAvoidnumber of manufacturing steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the forming of the component geometry and the functional surfaces into a single hot forming operation. Instead of separating these operations into distinct steps (hot forming followed by cold calibration), the process merges them so that both the component shape and functional surfaces are created simultaneously during hot forming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates the cold calibration step from the manufacturing process. By removing this intermediate processing step entirely and relying on hot forming to produce the final functional surface geometry, the overall process complexity is reduced while maintaining the necessary manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If cold calibration is omitted from functional surfaces, then productivity is improved and costs are reduced, but manufacturing precision may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing cycle timeVSAvoidfunctional surface geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter from cold to hot during the forming operation. By performing forming at elevated temperatures, the material becomes more formable and can achieve the desired functional surface geometry directly during hot forming without requiring subsequent cold calibration, thus maintaining precision while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The functional surfaces are pre-formed with the desired geometry during the hot forming process itself, rather than requiring subsequent cold calibration. The forming tooling is designed to create the final functional surface geometry (including raceways, grooves, and other critical features) directly during hot forming, eliminating the need for post-forming machining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If additional machining steps are performed after hot forming, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent geometryVSAvoidpost-processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The functional surfaces are pre-formed with the desired geometry during the hot forming process itself, rather than requiring subsequent cold calibration. The forming tooling is designed to create the final functional surface geometry (including raceways, grooves, and other critical features) directly during hot forming, eliminating the need for post-forming machining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the forming of the component geometry and the functional surfaces into a single hot forming operation. Instead of separating these operations into distinct steps (hot forming followed by cold calibration), the process merges them so that both the component shape and functional surfaces are created simultaneously during hot forming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach simplifies the production process, reduces costs, and ensures high manufacturing tolerances and optimal torque transmission with reduced friction, while accelerating the manufacturing process and minimizing production planning efforts.

Implementation Method 1

forming the blank into the drive shaft component by means of hot forming and/or semi-hot forming

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy: Heating

Implementation Method 2

forming the blank into the drive shaft component by means of hot forming and/or semi-hot forming

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlasticity: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4103341B1Method for producing a jointed shaft component, method for producing a jointed shaft, and jointed shaft component produced by such a method
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 HIRSCHVOGEL UMFORMTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP4103341B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4103341B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4103341B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a jointed shaft component (1) which can be directly or indirectly connected, via a functional surface, to an additional jointed shaft component in order to form a universal joint, in particular a constant velocity joint, the method comprising: - providing (101) a blank, preferably a rod-shaped blank and - forming (102) the blank into the jointed shaft component (1) by means of hot forming and/or warm forming, characterized in that no cold calibration takes place on any functional surface, in particular on any functional surface at all, of the formed jointed shaft component (1).