Oversized Lens Laser Cutting for Automotive Lamp Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in producing motor vehicle lights lies in meeting tight tolerance specifications for dimensional accuracy and gap uniformity between the light and vehicle body parts, which is difficult to achieve with existing mechanical processing methods that can damage components and are not precise enough, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an oversized lens that protrudes beyond the outer edge of the lamp housing, allowing for precise 3D laser cutting to match the installation opening's dimensions, ensuring accurate alignment and reduced tolerances without mechanical processing risks, thus simplifying and cost-effectively meeting tolerance requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical processing methods are used to achieve tight tolerance specifications, then dimensional accuracy can be improved, but the risk of component damage and chip contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cutting methods with laser cutting technology. The laser beam precisely removes material from the lens to achieve the required tolerance specifications without physical contact, thereby eliminating mechanical damage risks and chip contamination while maintaining high dimensional accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the lens size parameter from exact dimensions to oversized dimensions initially, then uses laser cutting to remove excess material. This parameter change allows the lens to be mounted securely first, and then precisely adjusted to final dimensions without risking damage during the mounting process itself.
2Manufacturing precision
If lens is produced in exact size, then fit accuracy can be improved, but the flexibility for adjustment and alignment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary mounting of the oversized lens before final sizing. This allows the lens to be positioned and aligned in the assembly first, ensuring proper fit and alignment, and then the excess material is removed via laser cutting to achieve the exact final dimensions without compromising the preliminary alignment work.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the conventional approach of cutting the lens to exact size before mounting, the patent inverts the sequence by mounting an oversized lens first and then cutting it to size after mounting. This reversal provides adjustment flexibility during mounting while still achieving exact fit accuracy in the final product.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional cutting methods are used, then production process can be simplified, but surface quality and precision are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical cutting methods with laser cutting. This substitution maintains process simplicity as laser cutting is a straightforward single-step operation, while simultaneously dramatically improving surface quality by eliminating mechanical contact, chips, and contamination that plague traditional cutting 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 approach enables precise fulfillment of tolerance specifications, reduces the risk of damage, and enhances the surface quality of motor vehicle lights by eliminating chip contamination and mechanical processing errors, allowing for more flexible production across various designs.
Implementation Method 1
A laser cutting device for three-dimensional (3D) processing of workpieces is known from DE 20 2006 021 021 U1.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for manufacturing motor vehicle lamps is described, each comprising: - a lamp interior enclosed by a lens and a lamp housing, containing at least one light source, - a lamp housing with at least one light opening for light emission, which in the finished motor vehicle lamp is closed by the lens and surrounded by at least one wall of the lamp housing, wherein: - the wall has an inner surface facing the light opening and an outer surface facing away from the light opening, as well as a circumferential edge surface around the light opening.which borders the inner surface along an inner edge whose contour reflects the surface profile of the light aperture and borders the outer surface along an outer edge, and connects the inner and outer surfaces between the inner and outer edges, continuing the surface profile of the light aperture, and - at least one mounting point is provided on the luminaire housing. The method comprises the following steps: - fitting (I) the luminaire housing with the devices and components housed in the interior of the finished automotive luminaire, - manufacturing (II) a light disc shaped according to the surface profile of the light aperture with an oversize, so that the light disc placed on the edge surface projects beyond the outer edge of the edge surface in at least one direction, - closing (III) the light aperture by placing the light disc on the edge surface and connecting the light disc to the luminaire housing.wherein the lens projects beyond the outer edge in at least one direction, - Inserting (VII) the motor vehicle lamp into a receptacle according to its arrangement in a mounting opening, - Cutting (VIII) the portion of the lens projecting beyond the outer edge with reference to the receptacle points serving as fixed points, and - Removing (IX) the motor vehicle lamp from the receptacle.