Steel Bar End Detection for Surface Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing surface-treated steel bars, such as those used in hydraulic shock absorbers, face challenges in accurately detecting the ends of steel bars during local surface treatment, which hinders productivity when treating multiple bars aligned end-to-end.
Innovation Solution
A surface-treated component manufacturing method and apparatus that utilizes a moving device, an urging device to displace the steel bars radially, and a detecting device to accurately determine the ends of the steel bars, allowing for precise timing of surface treatment, specifically quenching, while moving the bars axially.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple steel bars are axially aligned end-to-end and moved continuously through the surface treatment process, then productivity is improved, but the ability to accurately detect end positions and determine surface treatment timing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The urging device radially displaces the steel bar in advance before it reaches the detection position, causing the end face to protrude or recess relative to adjacent bars. This preliminary displacement ensures that the end position is clearly distinguishable by the detection device, enabling accurate timing determination for surface treatment while maintaining continuous axial movement of multiple bars for high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The urging device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the moving steel bars and the detection device. It temporarily modifies the positional relationship of the bars by radial displacement, creating a detectable end position signal without interrupting the continuous flow of materials, thus bridging the conflict between productivity and measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If the steel bar is radially displaced by the urging device to enable end detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The urging device changes the radial position parameter of the steel bar temporarily to enable end detection. By adjusting the radial displacement amount appropriately, the end face becomes distinguishable by the detection device. This parameter change approach achieves accurate measurement without requiring complex detection systems, as the displacement creates a sufficient signal difference for simple detection
Data Source
AI summary
A surface-treated component manufacturing method and apparatus capable of detecting an end of a steel bar. Quenching (surface treatment) is locally applied to a plurality of steel bars aligned end-to-end in an axial direction while moving the steel bars in the axial direction. Quenched portions are locally formed on each of the steel bars through a moving step, a detecting step, and a quenching step. In the detecting step, an end portion of one steel bar is displaced relative to an end portion of another steel bar with a pressure roller device, and passage of the end of the one or another steel bar is detected with a detection sensor. In the quenching step, the quenched portions are locally formed on each of the steel bars with a quenching device at a quenching timing determined on the basis of the result of detection by the detection sensor.