Variable Density Fuel Rail via Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional manufacturing methods for fuel rails and fixing brackets in direct injection fuel systems result in high weight components with constant material density, limiting the ability to reduce weight without compromising structural robustness, and require additional costly machining processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing techniques to create a one-piece fuel rail with sections of varying densities, where sections with lower mechanical stress can be designed as lattice structures to reduce weight without sacrificing structural integrity, and the fixing bracket is manufactured separately using similar techniques to be combined with traditionally made components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional manufacturing methods (machining, stamping, deep drawing) are used to manufacture fuel rail components, then the components have constant material density and uniform high density, but the weight is high and there is no possibility to reduce local weight without additional costly machining processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the material density parameter across different sections of the fuel rail. Through additive manufacturing, the density parameter is changed from constant (traditional manufacturing) to variable, allowing high-density regions where structural integrity is needed and low-density regions where weight reduction is prioritized, thus resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by giving different sections of the fuel rail different material densities according to their specific functional requirements. Critical load-bearing sections maintain high density for strength, while non-critical sections use lower density to reduce weight, eliminating the need for post-manufacturing weight reduction operations
2Weight of moving object
If material is removed by machining to reduce weight, then the weight decreases, but the manufacturing cost increases due to additional process steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the correct material density distribution during the additive manufacturing process itself, rather than starting with a high-density component and removing material afterward. This preliminary establishment of optimal density eliminates the need for subsequent machining operations, reducing both weight and manufacturing cost simultaneously
3Weight of moving object
If constant density material is used throughout the fuel rail, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the weight cannot be optimized in sections where the fuel rail is over-engineered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material density parameter from constant to variable across different spatial locations within the fuel rail. This parameter change enables weight optimization in over-engineered sections while maintaining necessary strength in critical areas, with the added benefit that additive manufacturing technology makes this complex density distribution achievable without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
According to a first aspect the invention regards a fuel rail (1), comprising a main gallery (2) and in particular at least one fixing bracket (3) and in particular at least one injector cup (4). In order to provide an improved fuel rail (1), the invention suggests that the fuel rail (1) is a one-piece fuel rail (1) which comprises at least one first fuel rail section (5) having a first average density and at least one second fuel rail section (6) having a second average density, wherein the second average density is smaller than the first average density. According to a second aspect the invention regards a fixing bracket (3), in particular for a fuel rail (1), wherein the fixing bracket (3) comprises a body (7), which in particular has a cylindrical shape, said body (7) extending around a hollow cavity (8) and along a longitudinal direction (9) of the hollow cavity (8). In order to provide an improved fixing bracket (3) the invention suggests that the body (7) is a one-piece body (7) which comprises at least one first body section (17) having a first average density and at least one second body section (18) having a second average density, wherein the second average density is smaller than the first average density. According to a third aspect the invention regards a fuel rail (1) comprising a main gallery (2) and at least one fixing bracket (3) as described before. According to a fourth and a fifth aspect the invention regards a method for manufacturing a fuel rail (1) and a method for manufacturing a fixing bracket (3).