Multi-Material Bolt Element to Prevent Corrosion and Thermal Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bolt elements face challenges in attaching to workpieces made of different materials, leading to galvanic corrosion and mechanical stresses due to thermal expansion, which can result in damage or destruction, and often require suboptimal design compromises to achieve necessary material properties.
Innovation Solution
A bolt element with a fastening section and a functional section made of different materials, where the fastening section is designed for stable attachment and to prevent galvanic corrosion, and the functional section is optimized for specific properties such as hardness, with a rotationally fixed connection to ensure reliable and secure fastening without rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the functional element is made of a single material, then the manufacturing process is simple, but it cannot simultaneously achieve optimal fastening properties and functional area properties (such as high hardness)
Solution Approach 1:
The functional element is divided into two separate sections: a fastening section and a functional section. Each section can be manufactured from different materials optimized for its specific function, allowing the fastening section to provide reliable attachment while the functional section delivers optimal performance characteristics such as high hardness, without compromising manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The functional element combines different materials in a composite structure where the fastening section and functional section are made from different materials. This allows each material to be selected for its optimal properties - one material for fastening reliability and another for functional performance - while the sections are connected in a rotationally fixed manner to form an integrated component
2Reliability
If the functional element is made of a material different from the workpiece, then the functional area can have optimal properties, but galvanic corrosion and thermal expansion stresses occur
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the functional element into a fastening section and a functional section made from different materials, the patent isolates the material incompatibility issues to only the functional section. The fastening section can be made from a material compatible with the workpiece, eliminating galvanic corrosion and thermal expansion stresses at the fastening interface, while the functional section maintains its optimal performance properties
Solution Approach 2:
Different material properties are applied locally to different sections of the functional element. The fastening section uses a material optimized for attachment reliability and compatibility with the workpiece, while the functional section uses a material with properties optimized for its specific function. This local differentiation allows each section to perform its role optimally without the harmful effects of material incompatibility affecting the entire component
3Reliability
If the functional section and fastening section are made of different materials, then each section can be optimized for its specific requirements, but the connection between sections must prevent relative rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The functional section and fastening section are merged into a single integrated functional element with a rotationally fixed connection. This combining approach eliminates the need for separate connection components that would add complexity, while the rotationally fixed design ensures that the different material sections work together as a unified system without relative movement that could compromise performance
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
The invention relates to a functional element, in particular a bolt element, for attachment to a workpiece, especially a sheet metal part. The functional element comprises a fastening section, which has a forming section that can be shaped for fastening the functional element to the workpiece, in particular wherein the forming section is a rivet section, and a functional section with a functional area, wherein the functional section is connected to the fastening section, in particular in a rotationally fixed manner. The fastening section and the functional section are made of different materials.