Spanner Manufacturing Using Flat Blank Cold Forging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for making spanners, such as hot and cold forging, result in high material waste, lengthy processing times, and increased costs due to the need for complex heating processes and heavy stamping presses.
Innovation Solution
A method involving preparing a flat metal blank, forging and pressing it to form a head and shank with arch-shaped parts, followed by trimming to remove scrap and create finished holes, using simpler machines like heading and forming machines, and optional heat treatment to reduce waste and processing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If hot forging is used to make spanners, then the metal blank can be shaped more easily, but the processing cost increases due to heating machines and the processing time increases due to heating and cooling steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high (hot forging) to room temperature (cold forging), eliminating the need for heating machines while maintaining formability through proper tooling design. The metal blank is forged cold instead of hot, fundamentally changing the thermal state parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal system (heating machines, furnaces) with a purely mechanical system (forging presses, dies). The shaping capability previously achieved through thermal softening is now achieved through mechanical force application during cold forging.
2Ease of manufacture
If cold forging with thick round metal blank and round heads is used, then the spanner can be formed, but a heavy stamping press with much larger power output is required, increasing equipment cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary forming of the head and shank structures before the final stamping operation. By pre-shaping the metal blank into a closer approximation of the final form, the material thickness and density are reduced, requiring less force for the subsequent stamping operation and allowing the use of lighter presses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the forming process into multiple stages: initial forging of head and shank, intermediate shaping, and final stamping. This segmentation allows each stage to work on progressively smaller and lighter material, reducing the cumulative power requirement compared to a single heavy stamping operation on thick stock.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional hot forging or cold forging methods are used, then spanners can be manufactured, but material waste increases and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the blank geometry parameter from round cross-section to flat rectangular cross-section. This parameter change allows the metal to be more efficiently formed into the final spanner shape with minimal material removal, significantly reducing scrap compared to starting with round blanks that require extensive material removal to achieve the flat spanner profile.
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 reduces material waste, shortens processing time, and decreases manufacturing costs by using simpler machines and minimizing scrap removal, enabling efficient mass production of spanners.
Implementation Method 1
forging and pressing a part of the flat metal blank for forming a head and forming a shank which is forged and extended outwards from the head
Implementation Method 2
pressing the head and the shank end again to remove scrap or redundant metal projecting from their arch-shaped parts and punch respective finished holes
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a spanner comprises the steps of preparing a flat metal blank, forging and pressing a part of the metal blank to form a head and a shank whose width is smaller than a width of the head, pressing the head to form a first arch-shaped part, pressing a shank end of the shank to expand the shank end and then form a second arch-shaped part, and pressing the head and the shank end again to remove redundant scrap projecting from the first arch-shaped part and the second arch-shaped part and also punch finished holes in the head and the shank end respectively, thereby completing the finished spanner. Accordingly, the method reduces the waste of the material and the processing cost, decreases the use frequency of high-cost machines and promotes the processing efficiency by using the flat metal blank.