Undercut Solder Deposit Structure to Prevent Platelet Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solder platelets applied to stamped and contact components in the automotive industry tend to become loose or fall off during transport or due to vibrations, making further processing impossible.
Innovation Solution
A method involving deep drawing of a metal sheet to create an undercut depression with a dovetail-shaped cross-section, allowing a solder deposit to be securely anchored and preventing loss, using chipless forming techniques without punching out flash, and smoothing the metal sheet for evenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solder platelets are applied to stamped and contact components, then soldering can be performed, but the solder becomes loose or falls off during transport or vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The solder deposit is segmented into two functional parts: a collar portion that remains on the metal sheet surface and a deposit portion that extends into the undercut depression. This segmentation allows the collar to provide surface attachment while the deposit is mechanically anchored in the depression, preventing loosening during transport
Solution Approach 2:
The solder deposit is nested within the undercut depression formed in the metal sheet. The deposit portion is positioned inside the depression cavity, creating a nested structure where the solder is physically contained and secured by the depression geometry, preventing it from falling off during handling
2Reliability
If deep drawing is used to create depression, then solder anchoring is improved, but the metal sheet surface becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The metal sheet is given local quality variations: the depression area has a specific undercut geometry for solder anchoring, while the surrounding collar area maintains a smooth, even surface. This localized differentiation allows the depression to provide anchoring where needed while the collar preserves overall surface evenness for other functions
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional surface problem to a three-dimensional structure by creating an undercut depression with vertical walls and a cavity. This dimensional change allows the solder to be anchored in the depth direction while the collar maintains surface evenness in the horizontal plane
3Ease of manufacture
If flash is punched out during deep drawing, then material removal is simplified, but the structural integrity and anchoring capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing the flash as waste material, the invention converts the flash into a functional component. The flash is retained and formed into the collar structure that surrounds and secures the solder deposit, transforming what would be harmful waste into a beneficial anchoring feature
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 method ensures the solder remains captive on the metal sheet, preventing loss and enabling secure soldering even during handling or transport, with the undercut depression providing a form-fit anchor and increasing the surface area for improved solder joints.
Implementation Method 1
The depression is produced through tensile compression shaping by displacing part of the material from the topside toward the bottom side through chipless forming
Implementation Method 2
The material protruding from the bottom side as a result of deep drawing is pushed again in the opposite direction, i.e. back in direction towards the topside
Data Source
AI summary
in a method for producing a solder deposit in a metal sheet, a depression is made in a topside of the metal sheet through deep drawing, thereby causing material to protrude on a bottom side of the metal sheet. The metal sheet is then subjected to a material forming process to produce a collar such that the collar projects in relation to the topside. The collar is then at least partially pressed in a direction of the depression to reduce a cross-sectional area of a mouth of the depression, and the protruding material on the bottom side is completely pushed back so that the bottom side in a region of the depression is in one plane with neighboring regions of the bottom side.