Sheet Metal Flange Component with Variable Wall Thickness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flange component parts for exhaust gas systems in internal combustion engines are costly due to the need for high wall thicknesses to ensure reliable welding and prevent warping, making them heavy and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece sheet metal flange component part is produced using metal forming techniques, such as deep-drawing, to create a lightweight and cost-efficient design with a closed revolving annular step and pipe section collar, allowing for a compact and affordable construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high wall thickness is used for the flange and pipe section to ensure reliable welding and prevent warping, then welding reliability is improved, but the component becomes heavier and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The flange component is divided into distinct functional zones with different wall thicknesses: a flange portion with first wall thickness for welding and a pipe section with second wall thickness for structural integrity. This segmentation allows each part to have optimized thickness for its specific function rather than uniform high thickness throughout, reducing overall weight while maintaining welding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the flange component are assigned different wall thicknesses based on their functional requirements. The flange portion has greater wall thickness to prevent warping during welding, while the pipe section has appropriate thickness for its structural role. This local differentiation of quality (thickness) optimizes the weight-strength relationship.
2Stability of the object's composition
If high wall thickness is used for the flange and pipe section to prevent warping during welding, then structural stability is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The component is segmented into flange and pipe section portions with different wall thickness requirements. The flange portion uses greater thickness specifically for stability during welding, while the pipe section uses optimized thickness, avoiding unnecessary material costs throughout the entire component.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall thickness parameter is varied along the component length, changing from greater thickness in the flange portion to optimized thickness in the pipe section. This parameter change allows the component to achieve necessary stability where required while reducing material usage and production cost elsewhere.
3Reliability
If uniform high wall thickness is used throughout the flange component, then welding reliability is improved, but the component becomes more expensive and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The flange component is segmented into distinct flange and pipe section portions, each with optimally different wall thicknesses. This segmentation simplifies the design by avoiding uniform high thickness throughout, allowing each section to have the minimum necessary thickness for its function, thereby reducing overall complexity and cost.
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 results in a significantly lighter and more cost-effective flange component part with reduced wall thickness, maintaining structural integrity while minimizing production costs compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The flange component part is a single piece sheet metal mold with the flange and pipe section produced from a single metal sheet by means of metal forming
Data Source
AI summary
A flange component part (1) for a component of an exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine, in particular of a vehicle, has a flange (2), which extends in a flange plane (4) and has a pipe section (3), which projects away from the flange (2) at a longitudinal center axis (5), which is perpendicular to the flange plane (4). A cost-efficient producibility results when the flange component (1) is a sheet metal mold, which is produced from a single metal sheet (6) by means of metal forming.