Ring Blank Cold Extrusion From Tubes With Low Scrap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing steel blanks for rolling bearings, gearwheels, and tubular mechanical connection members result in high material waste and low productivity due to hot-forging and turning processes, leading to high depreciation costs and reduced machine efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A process involving cold deformation of cylindrical pieces through contained forward extrusion, using a punch assembly and die assembly to transform slugs from a starting tube into precise blanks with minimal equipment and wear, suitable for various steel types including 100Cr6 and case-hardening steels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hot-forging operations are used to produce steel blanks for bearing rings, then good mechanical and operational characteristics are obtained, but high material scraps and high depreciation costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from hot-forging to cold-forging, and modifies the forming process from subtractive (drilling and machining) to additive (incremental forming). This allows obtaining bearing rings with good mechanical properties while significantly reducing material waste by forming the ring directly from a blank without removing material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional hot-forging mechanical system with a cold-forging system that uses incremental forming. This substitution eliminates the need for hot-drilling and subsequent machining operations, thereby reducing material scraps while maintaining the mechanical characteristics of the bearing rings.
2Reliability
If traditional turning operations are used to produce bearing rings, then good mechanical characteristics are obtained, but high material scraps and low productivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional turning operations with incremental cold-forging. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for subtractive machining, significantly reducing material scraps and increasing productivity by forming the bearing ring in a single progressive process rather than through multiple machining steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The incremental forming process continuously shapes the bearing ring through successive deformations, eliminating the intermittent stopping and starting required in traditional turning operations. This continuous action increases productivity while reducing material waste.
3Reliability
If hot-forging operations are used to produce gear ring blanks, then good operational characteristics are obtained, but high material scraps and high depreciation costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters from hot-forging to cold-forging with incremental forming. This allows producing gear ring blanks with good operational characteristics while minimizing material scraps by directly forming the blank from a cylindrical piece without subtractive machining.
4Reliability
If turning operations are used to produce tubular components, then good mechanical characteristics are obtained, but large amounts of swarf and low productivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces turning operations with incremental cold-forging for producing tubular components. This substitution eliminates the generation of large amounts of swarf by forming the tubular component through progressive deformation rather than subtractive machining, while maintaining mechanical characteristics.
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 achieves high geometrical precision, reduced material waste, and increased productivity while enabling the production of larger diameter and thickness blanks with improved mechanical properties, resulting in significant cost savings and equipment longevity.
Implementation Method 1
cold deformation of a tubular slug (30, 30bis) supplied in a cavity (21) of a die assembly (20), with a punch assembly (10), by means of a contained forward extrusion
Implementation Method 2
cold-forming station (2), which is prearranged for cold deformation of tubular slugs (30, 30bis) supplied in a cavity (21) of a die assembly (20)
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing bearing ring blanks, or gearwheel ring blanks, or tubular connection-member blanks, comprises the steps of:a) providing a steel tube;b) dividing the tube into a plurality of slugs each having an axial through cavity;c) supplying the slugs to a die assembly of a cold-forming station, the forming station including a punch assembly; andd) subjecting the slugs to contained forward extrusion through the die assembly, wherein the thrust imparted by a pushing member of the punch assembly on a subsequent slug causes passage of a preceding slug through the die assembly, with deformation thereof into a blank, while a restraining member of the punch assembly occupies the axial cavity of the subsequent slug and at least part of the axial cavity of the preceding slug.