Workpiece Holding with Rotating Supports for Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional workpiece holding devices in heat-treatment systems face challenges in maintaining precise positioning and sufficient clamping force due to thermal expansion and contraction, leading to wear in the drive system and limitations in heat input optimization, which affects workpiece properties and dimensional accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece holding device with at least two clamping units and multiple support units, including rotatable cylinders, that apply radial and axial forces to maintain precise positioning and support the workpiece, allowing for thermal expansion and contraction compensation, while minimizing wear and optimizing heat input through controlled friction and adjustable clamping forces.
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 clamping jaws may be too low causing insufficient holding or too high causing workpiece deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device incorporates a movable clamping jaw that can dynamically adjust its position during heat treatment to follow the thermal expansion and contraction of the workpiece. The clamping jaw is guided along a predetermined path that compensates for thermal dimensional changes, allowing the system to adapt to temperature-induced dimensional variations while maintaining appropriate clamping force within a defined range to prevent both insufficient holding and workpiece deformation.
2Device complexity
If the entire work table with clamping jaws and workpiece is moved to simplify repositioning of supply lines, then the device structure is simplified, but the large mass to be moved causes very high wear in the drive system requiring frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the workpiece holding and clamping functions from the drive system. Instead of moving the entire work table with all components, only the workpiece and clamping jaw are subjected to thermal expansion compensation while the drive system remains stationary. This segmentation reduces the moving mass to minimal components, significantly decreasing wear on drive system components and eliminating the need for frequent replacement.
3Ease of operation
If the entire work table with large mass is moved, then supply line repositioning is simplified, but the large mass and device dimensions set overall limits for process parameters such as relative speed between inductor and workpiece preventing optimized heat input
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping jaw is designed to dynamically follow the thermal expansion and contraction path of the workpiece independently of the drive system. This allows the workpiece to be held securely while enabling optimized heat input parameters including controlled relative speed between the inductor and workpiece, as the massive work table movement is eliminated and only minimal components need to be positioned.
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 device ensures precise positioning, reduced wear, and optimized heat input, minimizing workpiece warpage and crack formation, with adjustable clamping forces and support mechanisms that adapt to thermal changes, enhancing the reproducibility and effectiveness of heat treatment processes.
Implementation Method 1
at least one rotatable support cylinder configured to support the workpiece and be capable of rotation about a support cylinder central axis perpendicular to the workpiece central axis
Implementation Method 2
at least two clamping units that are designed to apply a radial and/or axial clamping force to the workpiece so that the workpiece is positioned in the workpiece holding device in a predefined position
Implementation Method 3
wherein the workpiece received in the workpiece holding device experiences a thermal expansion and/or contraction
Implementation Method 4
an expansion and/or contraction due to a density difference arising in the microstructure during the phase transformation
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. A first one of the at least three support units includes a first cylinder configured to support the workpiece, the first cylinder having a longitudinal axis and being configured to rotate around the longitudinal axis.