METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A PIECE COMPRISING SEVERAL PARTS CONNECTED TOGETHER
20170252877 · 2017-09-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
F16F3/12
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B29C45/14
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B64G1/641
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16F2230/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B23P15/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B29L2031/721
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16F2226/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16F1/40
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B29K2021/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B29C2793/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16F3/0873
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16F2226/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16F15/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16F3/0876
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
B23P15/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B29C45/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B29C45/14
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a final piece including several materials, the final piece being produced at least according to the steps of: inserting an elastomer (5) in at least one insertion cavity (6) of an initial piece (2) so that the elastomer (5) is in contact and fixed with the initial piece (2); then cutting the initial piece (2) in at least two distinct parts (3, 4), so that the at least two distinct parts (3, 4) are fixed together but not in contact with each other, the at least two distinct parts (3, 4) being connected together by the elastomer (5). This may be applied to manufacturing a final piece including several parts, of various natures, connected together.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a final piece comprising several materials, the final piece being performed at least according to the steps of: inserting an elastomer (5) in at least one insertion cavity (6) of an initial piece (2) so that the elastomer (5) is in contact and fixed with the initial piece (2), then, cutting the initial piece (2) in at least two distinct parts (3, 4), so that the at least two distinct parts (3, 4) are fixed together but are not in contact with each other, the at least two distinct parts (3, 4) being connected to each other by the elastomer (5).
2. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the final piece shows at least one clearance cavity (8) arranged to, once the initial piece (2) is cut, allow a movement of the two distinct parts (3, 4) relative to each other by deformation of the elastomer (5).
3. Method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one clearance cavity (8) is machined into the initial piece (2) after inserting the elastomer (5).
4. Method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the elastomer layers (7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7D) are inserted in the at least one clearance cavity (8), each layer being in contact with one single part of the two distinct parts (3, 4) and being located between the two distinct parts (3, 4).
5. Method of manufacturing according to claim 4, wherein the elastomer layers (7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7D) are obtained by inserting the elastomer (5) in the layer cavities (7).
6. Method of manufacturing according to claim 5, wherein each layer cavity (7) is connected to an insertion cavity (6) by a channel (9) allowing a passage of the elastomer (5) between these two cavities when inserting the elastomer (5) in one of these two cavities.
7. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising a cut at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5).
8. Method of manufacturing according to claim 7, further comprising: cutting at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5), then, cutting into the initial piece (2).
9. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein cutting is performed by wire electroerosion.
10. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the initial piece (2) is formed by a conductive material.
11. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer (5) comprises natural rubber.
12. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer (5) is moulded into the initial piece (2).
13. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer (5) is inserted into at least four distinct insertion cavities (6).
14. Method of manufacturing according to claim 5, wherein all the surfaces of the insertion cavities (6) and of the layer cavities (7) are treated in order to improve the link between the elastomer (5) and the distinct part or parts (3, 4).
15. Method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the cavities are holes machined across the entire initial piece (2).
16. Method of manufacturing according to claim 3, wherein the elastomer layers (7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7D) are inserted in the at least one clearance cavity (8), each layer being in contact with one single part of the two distinct parts (3, 4) and being located between the two distinct parts (3, 4).
17. Method of manufacturing according to claim 2, further comprising a cut at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5).
18. Method of manufacturing according to claim 3, further comprising a cut at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5).
19. Method of manufacturing according to claim 4, further comprising a cut at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5).
20. Method of manufacturing according to claim 5, further comprising a cut at the interfaces between the initial piece (2) and the elastomer (5).
Description
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES AND EMBODIMENTS
[0052] Other advantages and particularities of the invention will appear from reading the detailed description of implementations and embodiments which are not limiting, and the following attached drawings:
[0053]
[0054]
[0055]
[0056]
[0057]
[0058]
[0059]
[0060] In particular, these embodiments not being limiting, variants of the invention comprising only a selection of features described further below isolated from the other features described may be considered (even if the selection is isolated within a sentence comprising these other features), if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage to or differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art. This selection comprises at least one feature preferably functional without structural details, and/or with only one part of the structural details if only this part is sufficient to confer a technical advantage to or differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art.
[0061] First of all, with reference to
[0062] With reference to
[0063] According to a preferred embodiment, the initial piece 2 is formed in a single material, preferably in a metallic material, for example in aluminium. In particular, the initial piece 2 is formed in an electrically conductive material, i.e. with an electrical conductivity above 5×10.sup.6 S.Math.m.sup.−1 (Siemens per metre).
[0064] Subsequently, various bores are produced. The initial piece 2 may show positioning bores 80 advantageously allowing both positioning and correctly maintaining the initial piece 2 during the various steps of cutting and moulding in the course of the method. Preferably, four positioning bores 80 are machined on the four corners of the initial piece 2, respectively. In addition bores may be machined in order to prepare the various cutting steps. Cavity bores 81 are produced at the locations of future cavities 6 in order to start cutting the initial piece 2 and more specifically to allow the introduction of cutting means relative to the initial piece 2. Preferably, a cavity bore 81 is machined for each cavity 6, in this case four bores 81 for cutting four cavities 6 with reference to
[0065] With reference to
[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, the insertion cavities 6, the layer cavities 7 and the channels 9 are filled with a same material.
[0067] According to the invention, the initial piece 2 does not include any mobile part.
[0068] According to the embodiment represented in
[0069] Following the so-called roughing cut, a step of roughing finishing cut allows machining the cavities 6, 7 and the channels 9 to the exact desired dimensions. The dimension difference between the roughing cut and the roughing finishing cut is then reduced, to 0.04 mm in the example given above.
[0070] According to another embodiment, the step of roughing cut and roughing finishing may be executed in a single step.
[0071] Preferably the roughing cut is performed by wire electroerosion. The diameter of the wire used is 0.3 mm but may be comprised between 0.2 and 0.4 mm. In addition the cutting wire may be made of copper with a protecting covering. This technique has the advantage of having a very good cutting precision, and of faultlessly cutting the initial piece 2 which allows limiting the stress in the initial piece 2 during cutting. Likewise, if need be, the roughing finishing cut is also performed by wire electroerosion.
[0072] Thereafter, a step of preparation of the initial piece 2 is performed so as to prepare moulding of another material, of another nature than that of the initial piece 2. For example, a synthetic and/or natural polymer and more specifically an elastomer 5 may be moulded into the initial piece 2. Elastomer refers to, in this embodiment, a polymer that has elastic properties of rubber.
[0073] Before moulding, a surface treatment is performed in order to improve the link between the materials of various natures. All the surfaces of the insertion cavities 6 and the layer cavities 7 are treated to improve the link between the elastomer 5 and the distinct part or parts 3, 4, which are not distinctly visible on
[0074] First of all, the surfaces of the initial piece 2 are prepared by a chemical treatment of so-called alodine to prevent oxidation of the aluminium surfaces. According to another embodiment, the treatment may be sandblasting the surfaces of the initial piece 2. Afterwards, the initial piece 2 is cleaned by the so-called “ultra-sound” method and then carefully dried.
[0075] Then, an adherent product is applied on all the inner surfaces of the cavities 6, 7 and the channels 9. In more concrete terms, the adherent products are diluted with respect to the recommended proportions, in particular relative to the viscosity of the obtained product for applying by precise application means on the initial piece 2. Preferably, the adherent products should be diluted so that the viscosity of the adherent product obtained is that generally recommended for the following types of applications on the initial piece 2: [0076] “dipping” by emerging the entire piece 2 in the product, but potentially protecting some parts for example with an adhesive strip, or [0077] by an air pressure pistol.
[0078] Then, the initial piece 2 is adhered by “dipping” on all the surfaces of the insertion cavities 6 and the layer cavities 7. The “dipping” application has the advantage of being particularly recommended to fill in the interstices with difficult access. If need be, this surplus of adherent product is sucked out. After applying the adherent products on the initial piece 2, the initial piece is left to dry with respect to the recommended drying time. Finally, the thickness of deposit from the adherent product or products is controlled on the initial piece 2. For example, the adherent products used may be products such as Chemosil™ 211 or Chemosil™ NL 411.
[0079] According to other embodiments which are not described in the following, all the surfaces of the initial piece 2 are prepared i.e. receive a surface treatment and are covered with adherent product. This feature has the advantage of, even if part of the surfaces of the initial piece 2 is not in contact with another material or another piece, saving manufacturing time.
[0080] According to another embodiment, protections, for example resists, resisting to the solvents of the adherent products, are affixed onto the areas of the initial piece that do not require to be adhered.
[0081] Following several embodiments, the preparation of the initial piece 2, for moulding another material, may be performed manually or by machines.
[0082] With reference to
[0083] According to a preferred embodiment, the elastomer 5 is moulded into the initial piece 2. For example, moulding may be performed by injecting the elastomer 5, [0084] preferably in at least one layer cavity 7, then is spread by compression and transfer to all the insertion cavities 6 via channels 9 communicating between the insertion cavities 7 and the layer cavities 7, or [0085] in at least one insertion cavity 6, then is spread by compression and transfer to all the layer cavities 7 via the channels 9 communicating between insertion cavities 6 and the layer cavities 7.
[0086] The elastomer 5 is adhered under pressure (20 MPa) and at high temperature (150° C. to 180° C.).
[0087] Preferably, the step of inserting another material, and more specifically of injection moulding, provides the sub-steps of: [0088] loading a computer program for moulding in an injection press, assembling moulding tooling, connecting monitoring and/or control sensors, bringing the moulding tooling and press members to the regulation temperatures of the program, [0089] performing one or several trial mouldings (initial piece 2 showing at least one cavity without adherent product) to check the program, [0090] preheating a mould to 180° C. until all members of the press are stabilised, [0091] preparing strips of elastomer material for the injection, in order to supply the injection press continuously, [0092] preheating the initial piece 2 showing at least one cavity 6 to 140° C. during 15 min (with or without adherent product), [0093] placing the initial piece 2 showing at least one cavity 6 in the mould, checking the positioning (the tooling is designed for taking into account the dilation differentials), [0094] launch the moulding program (moulding condition: 30 min at 180° C.), [0095] unmoulding, [0096] leaving the initial piece 2 to cool with a first furnace level during 1 h at 80° C., then 12 h at room temperature, [0097] eliminating potential spillage of elastomer on the areas of the initial piece that are not adhered.
[0098] Furthermore, the step of moulding may comprise a step of vulcanization,
[0099] According to a specific embodiment, the elastomer 5 comprises natural or synthetic rubber or a silicon-type elastomer, preferably in natural rubber.
[0100] According to a preferred embodiment, the method of manufacturing allows producing a final piece 1 associating an aluminum with a mixture of natural rubber 35 ShA.
[0101] With reference to
[0109] Preferably, the invention comprises a cutting order as follows: [0110] a first phase of performing the cut at the interfaces between the initial piece 2 and the elastomer 5, i.e. at the location of the elastomer-aluminum contact so as to keep a “rigid” set while cutting the excess elastomer parts, [0111] a second phase performing the cut in the initial piece 2, i.e. removing the aluminum parts to unfix the assembly.
[0112] The step of finishing cut allows machining at least one clearance cavity 8 into the initial piece 2 and also forming the two distinct parts 3, 4.
[0113] This cutting order advantageously allows, as in the step of so-called roughing cut, preventing possible deformations of the piece by the stress relief event due to material removal.
[0114] More specifically and with reference to
[0146] Preferably, the cutting wire has a diameter of 0.3 mm. This diameter may be increased in cases of random breakage. For example the diameter of the cutting wire may be comprised between 0.3 and 0.4 mm. The cutting wire may be made of copper with a protection covering. Furthermore, the feed speed of the cutting wire must be reduced to 0.1 mm/min in areas where the wire approaches the elastomer 5, due to the resistance to forward movement made up by the elastomer 5. The cutting wire must be strongly supported over the elastomer in areas where the elastomer is present, this support is of the order of 0.1 mm plus or minus 10% but should be adjusted based on the height to cut.
[0147] The cutting operations of the initial piece 2 are possible because the cutting wire is inserted at the cutting ends when previously cutting the interfaces between the initial piece 2 and the elastomer 5.
[0148] According to an advantageous aspect of the method described, the conductive material of parts 3, 4 is closely tied to the polymer 5. During cutting, this conductive material is almost totally affected by the wire erosion except a small part of its circumference that is supported over the polymer 5 and thus clears it from any trace of the conductive material by scrapping. This method of manufacturing allows producing pieces having a shape that becomes an integral part of the moulding tooling, and having various future elements that only form a single final piece 1. A maximum precision is obtained, the method not depending on location systems inside the mould. The moulds are also simpler to produce such that some forms are only producible with this new method of manufacturing.
[0149] Once these steps have been performed, and with reference to
[0150] Finally a step of final treatment provides the application of the surface treatment giving resistance to the final piece 1 against oxidation. Thus, the final piece 1 is produced at least according to the steps of: [0151] inserting an elastomer 5 in at least one insertion cavity 6 of an initial piece 2 so that the elastomer 5 is in contact and fixed with the initial piece 2, then, [0152] cutting the initial piece 2 in at least two distinct parts 3, 4, so that the at least two distinct parts 3, 4 are fixed together but not in contact with each other, the at least two distinct parts 3, 4 being connected together by the elastomer 5.
[0153] According to the embodiment of the method described, the problems of relative positioning between parts 3 and 4 are solved, as these parts 3 and 4 were fixed together in the initial piece 2 before being separated for obtaining the final piece 1.
[0154] An example of final piece 1 obtained from the method above will now be described, with reference to
[0155] The production example is a damper 1 comprising: [0156] a set divided into three superposed planes, including a first plane 11, a second plane 21 located below the first plane 11, and a third plane 31 located below the second plane 21, this set comprising: [0157] a plate 10 extending in the first plane 11, [0158] a first plate 20 and a second plate 22 extending in the second plane 21 these two plates 20, 22 not being in contact with each other, and [0159] a plate 30 extending in the third plane 31, [0160] four elastomer mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D including: [0161] a mount 6A connecting the plate 10 of the first plane 11 with the first plate 20 of the second plane 21, [0162] a mount 6B connecting the plate 10 of the first plane 11 with the second plate 22 of the second plane 21, [0163] a mount 6C connecting the plate 30 of the third plane 31 with the first plate 20 of the second plane 21, and [0164] a mount 6D connecting the plate 30 of the third plane 31 with the second plate 22 of the second plane 21.
[0165] The damper 1 is produced so that the plate 10 of the first plane 11 and the plate 30 of the third plane 31 are connected by a joining element 3A extending across the second plane 21, this joining element 3A extending in a direction perpendicular to the second plane 21; the joining element 3A then extends between the first plate 20 of the second plane 21 and the second plate 22 of the second plane 21. In this way, the damper 1 is such that the plate 10 of the first plane 11, the plate 30 of the third plane 31, and the joining element 3A constitute a single piece 3 (named part 3 above) made of a same material.
[0166] The joining element 3A is covered by: [0167] an elastomer layer 7A located between the joining element 3A and the first plate 20 of the second plane 21, and [0168] an elastomer layer 7B located between the joining element 3A and the second plate 22 of the second plane 21.
[0169] However, the joining element 3A is not in contact with any of the four mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D.
[0170] In addition none of the elastomer layers 7A, 7B is in contact with one of the four mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D or with the first plate 20 of the second plane 21 or with the second plate 22 of the second plane 21.
[0171] According to the invention for each of the four mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, the volume of each mount is equal to a same reference volume plus or minus 1%. Likewise, for each of the four mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, the area of a mount in contact with one of the plates is equal to a same reference area plus or minus 1%.
[0172] According to a preferred embodiment, there is no material continuity between: [0173] the plate 10 of the first plane 11 and any plate 20, 22 of the second plane 21, and [0174] the plate 30 of the third plane 31 and any plate 20, 22 of the second plane 21.
[0175] The damper 1 therefore comprises this set, which is further divided into a fourth plane 41 from which at least one plate 40 extends, such that: [0176] the plate 40 of the fourth plane 41 is connected with the first plate 20 of the second plane 21 by a first edge 50 that crosses the third plane 31, [0177] the plate 40 of the fourth plane 41 is connected with the second plate 22 of the second plane 21 by a second edge 51 that crosses the third plane 31.
[0178] In addition the plate 40 of the fourth plane 41, the first plate 20 of the second plane 21, the second plate 22 of the second plane 21, the first edge 50, and the second edge 51 constitute a single piece 4 (named part 4 above) made of a same metallic material. The damper is arranged so that each plate is a metallic plate, preferably in aluminum. The volume of the single pieces 3, 4 (named parts 3, 4 further above) is of the order of 2500 cm.sup.3.
[0179] Furthermore, the damper 1 may comprise: [0180] for each edge of the first edge 50 and the second edge 51 respectively an elastomer layer 7E, 7F located between this edge 50, 51 and the plate 30 of the third plane 31, and [0181] an elastomer layer 7C, 7D located between the plate 40 of the fourth plane 41 and the plate 30 of the third plane 31. According to the embodiment represented in
[0182] The elastomer layers 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F are exclusively in contact with one or the other of the single pieces 3, 4, preferably 4. There is a clearance cavity 8 between the single pieces 3, 4, said clearance cavity 8 being arranged to allow a movement of the single pieces 3, 4 relative to each other by deformation of the elastomer 5.
[0183] The elastomer layers 7A, 7B are used to respectively protect the plates 20, 22 when the latter are moving with respect to the piece 3 by deformation of the mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D. Likewise, the elastomer layers 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F are used to protect the plate 30 relative to the first and second edges 50, 51 and the plate 40 when the latter relatively moves with respect to the piece 4 by deformation of the mounts 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D.
[0184] Furthermore, with reference to
[0185] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that were just described and many developments may be brought to these examples without leaving the domain of the invention.
[0186] For example, the method of manufacturing a final piece comprising several materials of various natures may be considered with other materials, conductive or nonconductive. In the cases of lack of electric conductivity, technics of laser cutting and/or water jet(s) and/or milling or any other mean are used.
[0187] Of course, the various features, forms, variants, and embodiments of the invention may be associated together according to various combinations as long as they are not incompatible or exclusive of each other. In particular, all the variants and embodiments described previously are combinable with each other.