Nozzle Piston Laser Machining for Precise Damper Flow Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damper production methods face challenges in achieving precise and cost-effective manufacturing of nozzle pistons with consistent damping force, due to issues like sensitivity to dirt, clogging, and material porosity in sintered materials, as well as thermal processing risks leading to internal stresses and deformations.
Innovation Solution
A two-step production process using machining for piston blanks followed by ultra-short pulse laser processing to create nozzles, allowing for controlled surface properties and precise adjustment of flow resistance, reducing tool wear and material deformation, and enabling flexible production with high reproducibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sintering process is used to manufacture radial nozzle pistons, then smaller nozzle cross-sections can be achieved, but material porosity reduces damping force tolerance and surface finish control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from sintering to machining solid material, fundamentally altering the material state and processing parameters. This enables precise control of surface finish and dimensional tolerances while eliminating porosity issues inherent in sintered materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal sintering process with mechanical machining processes (turning, milling, drilling, grinding). This substitution eliminates the porosity and surface finish control issues associated with sintering while maintaining the ability to produce small nozzle cross-sections.
2Productivity
If conventional laser cutting is used to create nozzle recesses, then material can be removed efficiently, but heat generates residual stresses and uncontrolled material deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ultrashort pulse laser technology that delivers energy in extremely short, periodic pulses rather than continuous heating. This pulsed action allows material ablation without significant heat diffusion, preventing residual stresses and uncontrolled deformations while maintaining efficient material removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrashort pulse laser induces direct phase transitions from solid to vapor or plasma state in the material, bypassing the melting stage. This ablation process removes material efficiently without the thermal effects that cause residual stresses and deformations associated with conventional laser cutting.
3Manufacturing precision
If axial nozzles are machined into pistons, then damping forces can be adjusted, but small drilling tools have extremely short service life and are susceptible to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by creating recesses in the piston that define radial nozzles, rather than drilling axial nozzles into the piston. This geometric inversion allows for better contaminant clearance and reduced clogging susceptibility while maintaining precise damping force control through the recess geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different local geometries to different parts of the nozzle system. The recesses are designed with specific profiles that create radial flow paths, and the local geometry of the recess entrance and exit is optimized to prevent contaminant accumulation and facilitate self-cleaning during piston operation.
4Productivity
If sintering tools are used for production, then nozzle pistons can be manufactured efficiently, but tool wear changes nozzle shape and cross-section, impacting damping force precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the sintering tool-based process with conventional mechanical machining tools. These tools, particularly when used with ultrashort pulse laser assistance, exhibit much slower wear rates and maintain consistent nozzle geometry throughout production runs, ensuring uniform damping force precision across all manufactured dampers.
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 method enables the cost-effective and reliable production of dampers with precise and consistent damping behavior, reducing waste and increasing production efficiency, while minimizing manufacturing tolerances and avoiding thermal-induced deformations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one recess, defining a nozzle, is introduced into the piston blank by ultrashort pulse laser processing
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (200) for the production of a nozzle piston (19) for arrangement in a damping space of a damper (100), which contains a damping fluid, wherein the piston (19) divides the damping space (110) into a first fluid chamber (111) and a second fluid chamber (112). The method (200) comprises at least the following steps: producing (210) a piston blank (18) and introducing (220) at least one recess (20) into the piston blank (18) by means of ultra-short pulse lasering, wherein the recess (20), in the case of an arrangement of the nozzle piston (19) in the damping space, defines a nozzle for the damping fluid for adapting the flow resistance for the damping fluid between the first fluid chamber (111) and the second fluid chamber (112). The invention also relates to a production method with the method according to the invention for a damper. The invention further relates to a nozzle piston (19) for arrangement in a damping space of a damper, which contains a damping fluid, wherein the nozzle piston (19) can be obtained by means of ultra-short pulse lasering of the recess from a piston blank (18). The invention also relates to a damper having a nozzle piston according to the invention. The invention further relates to a production plant (300) for the production of a damper having at least one ultra-short pulse laser station (310) for machining a piston blank (18) for the damper by ultra-short pulse lasering.