Suspension Connection Weldment with Ribbed Flank Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle and work machine frames face inefficiencies due to unpredictable loading, leading to excessively thick or oversized structures that generate heat during manufacturing, causing warpage and requiring oversized welds, which can result in inefficient designs and structural integrity issues.
Innovation Solution
A suspension connection weldment with a cross member and parallel flank walls featuring vertically extending rib elements with upper and lower bores to secure suspension connecting pins, allowing for a modular design that minimizes distortion and weight by distributing loads efficiently through a continuous load path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If excessively thick or oversized structures are used to accommodate unpredictable loading, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity and heat generation increase causing warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure is divided into modular components including suspension connection weldments with cross members and flank walls. These segmented modules can be manufactured separately with controlled welding, reducing heat accumulation and warpage while maintaining overall structural strength through proper module integration.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly thick structures, the design implements varying plate thicknesses and structural densities at different locations based on actual load requirements. The suspension connection weldment features strategically placed reinforcement at high-stress areas while using thinner materials elsewhere, reducing overall heat generation during manufacturing while maintaining strength where needed.
2Strength
If excessively thick or oversized structures are used to accommodate unpredictable loading, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure uses varying plate thicknesses and structural densities matched to local load requirements. The suspension connection weldment employs thinner plates in low-stress areas and strategic reinforcement at high-load points, achieving required strength while minimizing overall frame weight compared to uniformly thick designs.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the frame into modular weldment assemblies, each module can be optimized for its specific function and load conditions. This allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining strength in critical suspension connection zones.
3Strength
If oversized welds are used to join thick structures, then structural strength is improved, but heat generation increases causing warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The weldment design segments the structure into modular components that can be joined with smaller, more controlled welds. The suspension connection weldment assembly uses multiple connection points with moderate-sized welds rather than少数 large welds, distributing heat input and reducing cumulative warpage while achieving equivalent or superior joint strength.
4Strength
If thicker components are used to improve structural integrity, then strength is improved, but ease of manufacture decreases due to handling and welding difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the frame into modular weldment assemblies of manageable size improves manufacturing ease. Each module can be fabricated, inspected, and assembled independently, reducing handling difficulties compared to manufacturing and assembling single large thick-section components.
Solution Approach 2:
Using optimal plate thicknesses at each location rather than uniformly thick sections throughout makes manufacturing more feasible. Thinner sections are easier to cut, form, and weld, while maintaining required strength through strategic reinforcement where loads are highest.
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension connection weldment may include a cross member having a first end and a second end and a pair of substantially parallel flank walls spaced apart from one another and arranged at respective first and second ends of the cross member. The flank walls may extend upward and forward from the respective first and second ends of the cross member and generally orthogonal to the cross member. The flank walls may include a plurality of vertically extending rib elements spaced horizontally along respective flank walls from a rear side of the flank wall to a front side of the flank wall. Each rib element may include an upper bore in an upper end and a lower bore in a lower end. The upper and lower bores may be configured to receive a suspension connecting pin.