Throttle Body Casting with 3D Printed Spigots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing throttle bodies are costly and time-consuming due to the need for specific castings for each design variant, making rapid prototyping and variant production economically and temporally inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A method combining casting and 3-D printing, where a single unique casting is used with 3-D printed spigots made from aluminum or other materials, allowing for quick and cost-effective production of multiple variants by welding the spigots to the cast main body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a specific casting is made for each design variant of throttle body, then the throttle body can be produced with required structural accuracy, but the production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle body is divided into two segments: a common casting body that remains identical across variants, and a variant-specific spigot that differs between designs. This segmentation allows the majority of the structure to be produced once via casting, while only the spigot portion requires variant-specific manufacturing, dramatically reducing production time for new variants.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal casting body is designed that can accommodate multiple spigot variants. The casting includes a standardized interface and mounting structure that works with different spigot configurations, allowing the same base casting to serve multiple design variants through interchangeable spigots.
2Strength
If a specific casting is made for each design variant of throttle body, then the structural integrity can be ensured, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle body is segmented into a cast main body and a separately manufactured spigot. The casting process is performed once for the common body structure, eliminating the need for expensive variant-specific castings. The spigot can be manufactured using more cost-effective methods such as 3-D printing or machining from standard materials.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal casting body design is created that maintains structural integrity for all variants while reducing tooling costs. The standardized casting can be produced once and reused for multiple variants, eliminating the need for expensive variant-specific molds and casting setups.
3Productivity
If multiple castings are avoided and a single casting is used with different spigots, then production cost and time are reduced, but the complexity of assembling different spigots to the main body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The casting body incorporates a universal interface design with standardized mounting features, attachment points, and alignment structures. This universal interface simplifies the assembly process by providing consistent connection mechanisms for all spigot variants, reducing assembly complexity despite using different spigot components.
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 significantly reduces production time and costs by enabling the rapid creation of various throttle body profiles using a single casting, facilitating quicker and more affordable production of throttle bodies for prototyping.
Implementation Method 1
each spigot can be 3-D printed from aluminum or other material. Once the first casting is available, a significantly reduced period of time is needed to produce each new 3-D printed spigot variant that can be welded to the cast main body.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a throttle body assembly, includes casting a main body portion having a passage there through and mounting features for pivotally mounting a throttle valve within the passage. An annular spigot is formed by 3-dimensional printing and is welded to the main body portion in order to provide a quicker less expensive method of prototyping.