Motor Vehicle Pulley Manufacturing via Die Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing metal pulleys for motor vehicle applications result in significant waste of material and high production costs due to the need for a minimum thickness on the hub's bottom for coining operations, while other areas can have lower thicknesses, leading to inefficient use of material.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a series of die operations to deform and shape a metal disk into a pulley structure, where material is displaced from the periphery to the center, allowing for reduced thickness in the hub's bottom while maintaining necessary dimensions, and incorporating coining operations to create impressions and grooves, minimizing waste and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional machining methods are used to manufacture pulleys with coining operations on the hub bottom, then the coining operation can be performed, but considerable amounts of waste material are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thickness parameter of the starting metal disk from a conventional uniform thickness to a reduced thickness that is specifically optimized for the coining operation. By carefully selecting and controlling the thickness parameter, the process achieves successful coining while minimizing material waste, as the starting material thickness is reduced to the minimum necessary for the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary shaping operations before the coining operation to pre-form the metal disk into a configuration that facilitates the subsequent coining process. This preliminary action includes creating the basic pulley shape and positioning the material appropriately, which allows the coining operation to be performed successfully on a thinner starting material, thereby reducing waste.
2Loss of substance
If the hub bottom thickness is reduced to minimize material waste, then material usage is optimized, but the coining operation becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary shaping operations that pre-form the metal disk and hub structure before the coining operation. This preliminary action includes creating the basic geometry and consolidating the material structure, which enables the coining operation to be successfully performed even on thinner starting materials that would otherwise be insufficient for the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the thickness parameter to a specific reduced value that balances material waste reduction with coining operation feasibility. Additionally, the invention may adjust other parameters such as material properties, forming forces, and tooling design to enable successful coining at this optimized thickness, thereby resolving the contradiction between material efficiency and manufacturing ease.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform thickness is used throughout the pulley, then manufacturing is simpler, but material is wasted in areas where less thickness is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different thickness characteristics to different parts of the pulley structure. The hub bottom is given a specific thickness optimized for the coining operation, while other areas of the pulley are formed with reduced thickness where structurally sufficient. This local differentiation of quality allows material waste to be minimized without compromising the functionality or structural integrity of the pulley.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thickness parameter from a uniform value to a spatially varying distribution throughout the pulley structure. By optimizing the thickness parameter locally in different regions based on functional requirements, the invention achieves both material efficiency and manufacturing feasibility, eliminating the need to use excessive material in areas where less is needed.
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 production of pulleys with reduced material waste and lower production costs by efficiently shaping the metal disk through deformation, allowing for thinner starting materials and eliminating swarf generation, thus optimizing material usage and reducing production expenses.
Implementation Method 1
A method involving a series of die operations to deform and shape a metal disk into a pulley structure, where material is displaced from the periphery to the center
Implementation Method 2
incorporating coining operations to create impressions and grooves
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a pulley (1) for motor vehicle applications starting from a plane disk (21), which has a central axis (A) and defines a reference plane (P) orthogonal to said axis (A); the method comprises the steps of: bending an annular peripheral portion (51) of the disk (21) in a direction transverse to the reference plane (P) so as to define a rim (59) in relief; deforming, in a first axial direction (S), a central portion (52) of the disk (21) so as to generate a first cup-shaped portion (53); deforming, in a second axial direction (T) opposite to the first direction (S), a central portion of the first cup-shaped portion (53) so as to generate a second cup-shaped portion (86) axially projecting from the opposite side of the reference plane (P) with respect to the rim (59); reducing the axial height of the second cup-shaped portion (86) with respect to the reference plane (P) so as to increase the thickness thereof; and carrying out a coining operation on a surface (13) of the second cup-shaped portion (86) that is parallel to the reference plane (P) and faces the opposite side of the reference plane (P) itself to generate a plurality of radial impressions (15).