Stainless Fastener Element Finishing to Prevent Barrel-Grinding Black Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stainless alloy fastener elements exhibit a darker appearance due to adhesion of organic matter during barrel grinding, which is not observed in copper-zinc alloy elements, making them less desirable for high-end products despite their luxurious feel.
Innovation Solution
The use of plastic media and a compound with excellent dirt adsorption properties during barrel grinding minimizes the adhesion of grinding debris, maintaining a high-gloss appearance by reducing the number of black spots on the fastener element surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ceramic media is used for barrel grinding of stainless alloy fastener elements, then surface smoothness is improved and grinding time is reduced, but organic matter adhesion increases causing black spots on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the grinding media from ceramic to plastic, and adjusts the chemical composition parameters of the liquid compound (adding surfactants and chelating agents). This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the mechanical grinding function while reducing organic matter adhesion through different material properties and chemical interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a specifically formulated liquid compound as an intermediary between the grinding media and the fastener element surface. This liquid compound contains surfactants and chelating agents that prevent organic matter adhesion while allowing effective grinding to occur, thus resolving the contradiction between surface smoothness and organic matter adhesion.
2Illumination intensity
If stainless alloy material is used for fastener elements, then a luxurious feel and high-end appearance are achieved, but the material is harder and difficult to process into fine uneven shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the grinding media material from hard ceramic to softer plastic, and adjusts the liquid compound composition to include surfactants and chelating agents. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the softer plastic media to effectively process the hard stainless alloy while creating the desired fine uneven surface pattern for luxurious appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs plastic grinding media that can be easily replaced and replenished. This resolves the processing difficulty by using consumable plastic media that maintains effectiveness throughout the grinding process, unlike durable ceramic media that becomes embedded with stainless alloy particles and loses effectiveness.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If ceramic media is used for grinding, then durability of the grinding media is improved and grinding power is increased, but the fastener element surface becomes darker due to organic matter adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the grinding media from ceramic to plastic with different durability characteristics, and formulates a liquid compound with surfactants and chelating agents. This resolves the contradiction by accepting reduced media durability in exchange for preventing surface blackening through the chemical properties of the liquid compound.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of plastic media being less durable into a benefit by formulating a liquid compound that prevents organic matter adhesion. The liquid compound acts as a protective layer that prevents the very adhesion problem that would otherwise occur with plastic media, turning the material choice into an advantage.
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
The stainless alloy fastener elements achieve a high-gloss appearance and natural color by improving surface smoothness while reducing blackening from organic matter adhesion, suitable for high-end products.
Implementation Method 1
The use of plastic media and a compound with excellent dirt adsorption properties during barrel grinding minimizes the adhesion of grinding debris
Implementation Method 2
a compound with excellent dirt adsorption properties during barrel grinding minimizes the adhesion of grinding debris
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a stainless alloy fastener element. The fastener element is a stainless alloy fastener element after being ground by barrel grinding. The fastener element includes a head portion, a pair of leg portions, and an intermediate portion between the head portion and the leg portions. Among black spots of organic matter observed in a backscattered electron (BSE) image of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a side surface of the fastener element, the number of the black spots of the organic matter having a part with a length of 10 μm or more is less than nine in a head portion side surface upper half region or less than nine in an intermediate portion side surface upper half region.