Wheel Casting Mold with Grooved Rear Horn for Load Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle wheels face challenges in balancing high mechanical load resistance with low weight, particularly in radial directions, and current manufacturing processes are inefficient, leading to issues like air pocket accumulation and material wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a casting mold with a circumferential material recess in the collar, where the preform is initially cast with a first depth and then formed to a greater second depth, combined with mechanical forming, to create a wheel with a grooved rear horn area that solidifies quickly and has enhanced strength and elasticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the rear horn area is reinforced to withstand high radial loads, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the wheel weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thicker at the rear end face than at the front end face. This local variation in material distribution provides enhanced strength where needed (at the rear horn area) while minimizing overall weight increase. The material recess further optimizes this by removing material from less critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is divided into different thickness zones (thicker rear portion, thinner front portion) to distribute material strategically. This segmentation allows the structure to withstand radial loads effectively while reducing unnecessary material usage and overall weight.
2Weight of moving object
If material recesses are introduced to reduce weight, then the wheel weight is reduced, but air pockets may accumulate during casting
Solution Approach 1:
The material recess is designed with specific geometric features (gradual depth variation from front to rear, with the rear portion being deeper) that facilitate proper material flow and air evacuation during the casting process. The recess is prepared in advance with the correct shape to prevent air pocket accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The material recess, which could potentially trap air, is designed with features that actually promote air evacuation and proper material filling. The gradual depth change and specific orientation convert the potential harm of air trapping into a benefit by guiding material flow and air escape paths.
3Strength
If the collar is made thicker to improve radial load resistance, then the strength is improved, but the material usage and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly thickening the collar, the invention applies local quality by making the collar thicker only at the rear end face where radial load resistance is most needed, while keeping the front end face thinner. This optimized material distribution maintains strength while reducing overall material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar thickness is segmented into different zones along its length, with the rear portion being thicker and the front portion being thinner. This segmentation allows precise material placement to achieve the required radial load resistance with minimal material consumption.
4Manufacturing precision
If a two-stage depth formation process is used (casting with first depth, forming to second depth), then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The casting process creates the material recess with a preliminary first depth that establishes the basic geometry and removes the majority of excess material. This preliminary action prepares the workpiece for the subsequent forming operation, reducing the amount of material removal needed and improving overall efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The depth formation process is segmented into two distinct stages: casting (first depth) and forming (second depth). This segmentation allows each process to be optimized independently - casting for bulk material removal and forming for precise final depth control - thereby achieving high precision without excessive time consumption.
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 reduces material usage and weight while preventing air pocket accumulation, enhancing the wheel's mechanical strength and resilience, allowing it to withstand high radial loads effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The cavity (6) is filled, for example, through a central sprue (not shown) of the casting mold (1) with liquid aluminum or an aluminum alloy in a low-pressure casting process
Implementation Method 2
the preform (5) is compressed, preferably forged, to the second depth in the area corresponding to the material recess (14) for forming
Implementation Method 3
The compression of the preform in the extension area of the material recess takes place at least in the axial direction pointing towards the front horn area
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a wheel (7) having a rim body (8), which is adjoined by a front flange region (9), which is connected by means of a rim well (10) to an opposite rear flange region (11), which has a circumferential collar (12) that is thickened in comparison with the rim well (10), wherein a preform (5) is formed by casting, which preform is shaped into the finished wheel (7), wherein, in order to produce the wheel (7) having a circumferential material recess (14) that extends in the collar (12) in the shape of a groove along a rear end face (13) of the collar (12) and that has a defined groove depth (T3), the material recess (14) is first produced having a first depth (T1) from a reference point (Z) during the casting of the preform (5) and is then shaped until a second depth (T2) is formed, which is greater than the first depth (T1), wherein each depth (T1, T2) is defined based on a reference plane (F). The invention further relates to a casting mold (1) and to a wheel (7).