Wheel Bearing Chamfered Pilot Reduces Weight and Burrs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle wheel bearing apparatuses face challenges in reducing weight while minimizing material loss and manufacturing costs, as they often generate cutting burrs during lathe cutting, which increases manufacturing complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
The wheel bearing apparatus incorporates a chamfered portion on the wheel pilot portion, formed by forging, with a predetermined inclined angle relative to the axial end surface, which reduces weight and eliminates the need for burr removal, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and minimizing material loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the wheel pilot portion is formed without a chamfered portion, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but cutting burrs are generated during lathe cutting which increases manufacturing complexity and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The chamfered portion is formed by forging in advance before lathe cutting, so that the cutting tool does not generate burrs during the subsequent cutting operation. This preliminary shaping action prevents the harmful effect of burr generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The forging process that initially shapes the wheel pilot portion is utilized to create the chamfered portion, converting what would be a separate machining step into part of the forming process. This eliminates the need for additional burr removal operations.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the wheel pilot portion includes a chamfered portion formed by forging, then cutting burrs are eliminated, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The chamfered portion formation is merged with the forging process itself. The die design incorporates the chamfer geometry, so that one forging operation simultaneously creates both the wheel pilot portion and the chamfered portion, eliminating the need for separate machining steps.
3Weight of moving object
If the wheel bearing apparatus weight is reduced, then fuel consumption is improved, but material loss increases during manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined angle of the chamfered portion is optimized to balance weight reduction with material efficiency. By controlling the angle and dimensions of the chamfer, the design achieves weight reduction while minimizing excessive material removal during forging.
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 effectively reduces the weight of the wheel bearing apparatus, streamlines the manufacturing process, and decreases material waste, leading to cost savings while maintaining the structural integrity and durability of the components.
Implementation Method 1
A chamfered portion is formed by forging on a forward end of each separated pilot in view of its lathe cutting direction
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member, an inner member, and double row rolling elements freely rollably contained between the inner and outer raceway surfaces of the inner and outer members. A brake pilot portion extends from a base of a wheel hub mounting flange toward the outer side to guide an inner circumferential surface of a brake rotor. A wheel pilot portion extends from the brake pilot portion further toward the outer side to guide an inner circumferential surface of the wheel. The wheel pilot portion including a plurality of separated pilots separated along a circumferential direction. A chamfered portion is formed, by forging, on a forward end of each separated pilot in view of its lathe cutting direction. The chamfered portion has a predetermined inclined angle relative to an axial end surface of each separated pilot after lathe cutting.