Workpiece Holding with Dynamic Clamping for Heat Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional workpiece holding devices in heat-treatment systems face challenges such as inadequate force compensation for thermal expansion and contraction, leading to poor fixation and increased wear in the drive system, which limits process parameters and results in suboptimal heat input and workpiece warpage.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece holding device with at least two clamping units applying radial and axial forces, featuring exchangeable support units with adjustable positions and shapes to accommodate various workpieces, and a drive unit that rotates the workpiece independently, minimizing the mass to be moved and optimizing heat input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clamping force is increased to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction, then the workpiece fixation is improved, but the workpiece may deform due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device incorporates a movable clamping jaw that can dynamically adjust its position along the workpiece axis in response to thermal expansion and contraction. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain reliable fixation without applying excessive force that would cause deformation, as the clamping jaw follows the dimensional changes of the workpiece during heat treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the clamping force parameter dynamically during the heat treatment process. The control unit adjusts the actuation force based on temperature feedback and predetermined thermal expansion data, ensuring optimal fixation at each stage while preventing deformation. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining fixation and avoiding excessive force.
2Ease of operation
If the entire work table with clamping jaws is moved to simplify repositioning, then the supply lines repositioning is simplified, but the mass to be moved increases leading to high wear in the drive system
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the moving components into two parts: the heavy work table with heat sources remains stationary, while only the lightweight clamping jaw assembly with supply lines is moved. This segmentation allows the supply lines to be repositioned easily without requiring movement of the entire work table, thereby reducing drive system wear while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
A separate drive mechanism specifically for the clamping jaw assembly acts as an intermediary between the control system and the workpiece handling. This intermediary drive only needs to move the lightweight clamping jaw and supply lines, not the entire heavy work table, thus reducing wear while still enabling easy repositioning of supply connections.
3Ease of operation
If the work table with large mass is moved, then the clamping jaws can be repositioned, but the relative speed between inductor and workpiece is limited preventing optimized heat input
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the repositioning function from the heat treatment function. The clamping jaw assembly can be quickly repositioned independently of the workpiece, allowing optimal positioning before heat treatment. During heat treatment, the workpiece remains stationary at the optimized position, enabling high relative speed between inductor and workpiece for optimized heat input, while the lightweight clamping jaw can still be repositioned for different workpieces.
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
Ensures precise positioning, reduced wear, and flexible adaptation to different workpieces, allowing for consistent heat treatment and minimized warpage while reducing energy consumption and component stress.
Implementation Method 1
a workpiece holding device for holding a workpiece in a heat-treatment system, in which due to a heat treatment the workpiece experiences a thermal expansion and/or contraction
Implementation Method 2
an expansion and/or contraction due to a density difference arising in the microstructure during the phase transformation
Implementation Method 3
at least one of the support units, in particular the exchangeable support element and/or one of the clamping units, is configured as a drive unit and is designed to move the workpiece received in the workpiece holding device, in particular to set it in rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A workpiece holding device for holding a workpiece in a heat treatment system while the workpiece undergoes a thermal expansion and/or contraction includes at least two clamping units configured to apply a radial and/or an axial clamping force to the workpiece to hold the workpiece in the workpiece holding device in a predefined position, and at least three support units configured to support the workpiece. At least one of the support units includes a carrier and an exchangeable support element attached to the carrier, the exchangeable support element being configured to contact and rotatably support the workpiece in the predefined position.