Pressed Spindle Nut Geometry for Faster Ball Screw Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of ball screws, particularly spindle nuts, is complex and laborious, leading to high manufacturing costs and time-consuming processes, with existing methods involving extensive material removal and tool-intensive operations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving pressing a cylindrical workpiece to form axially symmetrical channels and an internal thread, with channels open towards one end face, allowing for the integration of diverting inserts and minimizing material unbalances, thus reducing production complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional turning or milling methods are used to produce spindle nuts, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but the production process becomes extremely time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical turning and milling operations with a pressing operation. A pressing tool is introduced into a cylindrical workpiece to simultaneously form the central opening, channels, and ball diverters through plastic deformation, eliminating the need for sequential material removal operations while maintaining manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple forming operations into a single pressing step. The pressing tool simultaneously creates the central opening, axial channels, and ball diverters in one operation, merging what would traditionally require multiple separate machining steps into a unified process that dramatically improves productivity
2Ease of manufacture
If extensive material removal is used to create channels and ball diverters, then complex geometries can be achieved, but production costs and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces material removal operations with a pressing operation that forms complex geometries through plastic deformation. The pressing tool creates channels and ball diverters by displacing material rather than removing it, achieving complex shapes without the time-consuming sequential machining operations
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing operation performs all necessary forming actions simultaneously in a single step, creating the central opening, channels, and ball diverters before any subsequent operations. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for multiple follow-up machining steps to create the complex geometries
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sequential operations are used to form channels and threads, then dimensional accuracy can be maintained, but the process becomes tool-intensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of the central opening, axial channels, and ball diverters into a single pressing operation. The pressing tool is designed with multiple forming elements that simultaneously create all these features, reducing the number of tool changes and setup operations while maintaining dimensional accuracy through controlled plastic deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing tool serves multiple functions simultaneously: it creates the central opening, forms axial channels, and creates ball diverters in one operation. This multi-functional tool eliminates the need for multiple specialized machining tools and operations, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining precision
4Ease of operation
If longitudinal bores are configured over the entire length as passage bores, then cleaning and assembly are simplified, but material unbalances and structural weaknesses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates channels with different characteristics at different locations: the channels are open toward the first end face to facilitate cleaning and assembly, but are closed toward the second end face to maintain structural strength and prevent material unbalances. This local differentiation of channel properties optimizes both ease of operation and structural integrity
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 results in a precisely manufactured, cost-effective spindle nut with a long service life, avoiding time-consuming material removal steps and maintaining material cohesion, ensuring reliable performance under various loads.
Implementation Method 1
shaping the workpiece by pressing in an axially symmetrical central opening and by simultaneously pressing in at least one first and one second channel
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a spindle nut (10) for a ball screw (12) is provided, having the following steps: providing a substantially cylindrical workpiece (50) with first and second end faces (46, 44) and a lateral surface (14), shaping the workpiece (50) by pressing in an axially symmetrical central opening (16) and by simultaneously pressing in at least one first (18) and one second (20) channel which are arranged axially in parallel in the lateral surface (14) of the workpiece (50), the central opening (16) and the channels (18, 20) being open toward the first end face (46), introducing an internal thread (34) into the central opening (16), and introducing at least two radially running through-openings (22, 24) at least into the first channel in the form of a transfer channel for receiving diverting inserts (26, 28). A spindle nut (10) produced by the method and to a ball screw (12) having such a spindle nut (10) are also provided.