Workpiece Holding Device Synchronous Clamping Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional workpiece holding devices in heat-treatment systems face challenges in maintaining precise positioning and uniform clamping force due to thermal expansion and contraction, leading to inadequate heat input and increased wear in the drive system, which limits process parameters and results in suboptimal workpiece properties.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece holding device with at least two clamping units that apply radial and axial forces, featuring an adjusting device for synchronous clamping to ensure identical force application across all units, combined with a drive unit that moves only the workpiece, reducing wear and allowing for precise control of heat input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clamping means with movable clamping jaws are used to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction, then the workpiece can be held during heat treatment, but the force required for tracking the jaws may be too low causing loss of contact or too high causing workpiece deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device incorporates movable clamping jaws that can dynamically adjust their position along the workpiece axis to track thermal expansion and contraction. The jaws are mounted on movable supports that allow automatic adaptation to dimensional changes without requiring active force control, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable contact and avoiding excessive clamping forces that would deform the workpiece.
2Ease of operation
If the entire work table with clamping jaws is moved past fixed heat sources to simplify repositioning, then supply line repositioning is simplified, but the large mass leads to very high wear in the drive system requiring frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the heavy work table (stationary) from the clamping jaws (movable). Only the lightweight clamping jaws need to be repositioned along the workpiece, while the heat sources remain fixed relative to the stationary table. This segmentation eliminates the need to move the entire heavy assembly, dramatically reducing drive system wear while maintaining ease of operation for supply line repositioning.
3Ease of operation
If the entire work table with clamping jaws is moved to simplify repositioning, then supply line repositioning is simplified, but the large mass limits process parameters such as relative speed between inductor and workpiece preventing optimized heat input
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into a stationary heavy work table and a lightweight movable clamping jaw assembly, the patent enables high-speed repositioning of only the jaws. This allows optimized relative speeds between the inductor and workpiece for efficient heat input, while the stationary table with fixed heat sources maintains ease of supply line repositioning. The lightweight moving mass eliminates the speed limitations imposed by moving the entire heavy assembly.
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 solution ensures precise positioning, uniform heat distribution, reduced wear, and optimized heat input, minimizing deformation and warpage while allowing for cost-effective and robust operation.
Implementation Method 1
the workpiece received in the workpiece holding device experiences a thermal expansion and/or contraction
Implementation Method 2
the workpiece received in the workpiece holding device experiences a thermal expansion and/or contraction
Implementation Method 3
a drive unit that moves only the workpiece
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 an adjustment mechanism for setting the at least two clamping units to synchronously apply a substantially identical radial and/or axial clamping force to the workpiece.