Planetary Carrier Bridge Plate Welding for Higher Material Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional planetary carrier manufacturing methods face challenges in ensuring strength while minimizing material cost, as they often result in inefficient use of materials and increased manufacturing costs due to complex shapes and excessive welding requirements.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method for a planetary carrier that involves connecting first and second supporting plates with bridge plates via welding, simplifying the planar shape of the components to reduce material usage and cost, while ensuring strength through strategic welding and clinching of pinion shafts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the carrier plate has leg portions extended radially from an annular base portion with a complicated planar shape, then the planetary carrier can be manufactured by press working, but the size of base material needed increases and material yield deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The planetary carrier is divided into multiple separate components: a carrier base, multiple arm portions, and multiple pinion gear assemblies. Each component is manufactured independently using simple planar shapes, then assembled together. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for material efficiency while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a monolithic three-dimensional press-formed structure to a modular assembly of multiple two-dimensional planar components. By flattening and separating the structure into distinct planar elements that are assembled together, material efficiency is improved while maintaining structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If stud pins are disposed between pinion gears and fixed by clinching, then welding during manufacture is avoided, but the strength of the planetary carrier is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fastening methods are combined to achieve both ease of manufacture and sufficient strength. The carrier base and arm portions are connected by rivets or bolts, while the pinion gears are secured to the arm portions using a combination of clinching and riveting. This multi-method approach provides both manufacturability and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The planetary carrier uses a composite construction with different materials and joining methods for different components. The carrier base and arm portions use metal plates connected by mechanical fasteners, while pinion gears use a combination of clinching and riveting. This composite approach optimizes both manufacturing ease and structural strength.
3Loss of substance
If the planar shape of supporting plates is simplified, then material yield improves and material cost decreases, but the number of welding spots increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is segmented into simple planar components (carrier base and arm portions) that can be manufactured with minimal material waste. The increased complexity from additional welding spots is acceptable because each component's simplicity leads to significant material yield improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the geometric parameters of the supporting plates to simple shapes that optimize material usage. The simplified planar shapes reduce material requirements while the welding process parameters are adjusted to efficiently join the components with minimal spots.
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 effectively enhances the strength of the planetary carrier while significantly reducing material costs by optimizing the size and shape of supporting plates and bridge plates, improving material yield and minimizing the number of welding spots.
Implementation Method 1
one end of each of which is joined to the first supporting plate via a welding portion and the other end of each of which is joined to the second supporting plate via another welding portion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A planetary carrier includes a plurality of pinion gears, a plurality of pinion shafts that are each inserted in the corresponding pinion gear, a first supporting plate that supports one end of each of the pinion shafts, a second supporting plate that supports the other end of each of the pinion shafts, and a plurality of bridge plates, one end of each of which is joined to the first supporting plate via a welding portion and the other end of each of which is joined to the second supporting plate via a welding portion and which connects the first and second supporting plates.