US20220161376A1 - Method for remanufacturing internal spline components and splined connection - Google Patents
Method for remanufacturing internal spline components and splined connection Download PDFInfo
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- US20220161376A1 US20220161376A1 US17/101,463 US202017101463A US2022161376A1 US 20220161376 A1 US20220161376 A1 US 20220161376A1 US 202017101463 A US202017101463 A US 202017101463A US 2022161376 A1 US2022161376 A1 US 2022161376A1
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- internal
- cladding
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- internal geometry
- geometry
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23P—METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS
- B23P15/00—Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass
- B23P15/14—Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass gear parts, e.g. gear wheels
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D1/00—Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements
- F16D1/10—Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/0093—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/34—Laser welding for purposes other than joining
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23P—METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS
- B23P6/00—Restoring or reconditioning objects
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C24/00—Coating starting from inorganic powder
- C23C24/08—Coating starting from inorganic powder by application of heat or pressure and heat
- C23C24/10—Coating starting from inorganic powder by application of heat or pressure and heat with intermediate formation of a liquid phase in the layer
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H57/00—General details of gearing
- F16H57/08—General details of gearing of gearings with members having orbital motion
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
- B23K2101/006—Vehicles
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D1/00—Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements
- F16D1/10—Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially
- F16D2001/103—Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially the torque is transmitted via splined connections
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H57/00—General details of gearing
- F16H57/08—General details of gearing of gearings with members having orbital motion
- F16H57/082—Planet carriers
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates generally to splined components and, more specifically, relates to methods for remanufacturing internal spline components.
- An electric rope shovel is an electrically powered machine used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction. Unlike more common excavators, the shovel's bucket is moved by a series of cables and winches rather than hydraulics. In order to serve its function, the upper section of the shovel must rotate relative to ground to move excavated material out of the dig site. This rotation requires a substantial swing drive including a number of splined components which transfer energy from a motor to the rotating components.
- Splined connections are used to transmit torque from a shaft to a gear hub or other rotating component. External gear teeth on the shaft engage an equal number of internal teeth in the hub. Because multiple teeth engage simultaneously, they can transmit large torques.
- Splined components are used in a huge variety of engines, motors, and other systems with rotationally moving parts. In many of these systems, these components suffer considerable wear, but the cost of replacing parts is substantial. In many applications, the bore of the internal spline component is considerably longer than the diameter. In these cases, damage or wear to the internal geometry may be difficult to repair using conventional methods.
- a remanufactured internal spline component includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore and a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface.
- the internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter.
- the remanufactured internal geometry is created by removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
- a method of remanufacturing an internal spline component includes providing an internal spline component having an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore, and a worn internal geometry on the inner surface; removing the worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce a remanufactured internal geometry.
- a splined connection includes an external spline component and a remanufactured internal spline component.
- the remanufactured internal spline component includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore and a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface.
- the internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter.
- the remanufactured internal geometry is created by removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric rope shovel, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a swing drive of the electric rope shovel shown in FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 3 is cross-section of a planetary gearbox of the swing drive shown in FIG. 2 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a splined connection, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view and cross section of a planet carrier gear of the planetary gearbox shown in FIG. 3 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view and cross section of an output gear of the planetary gearbox shown in FIG. 3 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a flow chart of a method of remanufacturing an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
- the electric rope shovel 100 is an electrically powered machine used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction.
- the shovel 100 includes a frame 110 with an upper section 112 and a lower section 114 , a track system 120 supporting the frame 110 , an engine 130 , an operator cabin 140 , and a digging arm 150 equipped with a bucket 160 mounted on the frame 110 .
- the upper section 112 and the lower section 114 of the frame 110 are configured to rotate relative to each other.
- the rotation is controlled by a swing drive 200 , with the lower half shown in FIG. 2 (the upper half is substantially similar and rotated 180 degrees vertically).
- the swing drive 200 includes two planetary gearboxes 210 , each driven by a motor 220 and located on each section of the frame 110 . These gearboxes 210 drive a swing rack (not shown) and cause the upper section 114 to rotate.
- the planetary gearbox 210 includes among other components, a planet carrier gear 230 , and an output gear 240 which contribute to transferring energy from the motor 220 to a shaft (not shown) driving the swing rack (not shown).
- Both the planetary carrier 230 and the output gear 240 include an internal spline component and serve as half of a splined connection.
- Splined connections 300 include two parts, an external spline component 310 and an internal spline component 400 .
- the external spline component 310 may be part of a cylindrical shaft 320 and has an external geometry 330 around at least some portion of an outer surface 340 .
- the internal spline component 400 has an internal bore 410 configured to fit the external spline component 310 therein.
- the internal bore 410 is roughly cylindrical and defined by an inner surface 420 .
- At least some portion of the inner surface 420 has an internal geometry 430 .
- the internal geometry 430 is configured to mesh with the external geometry 330 of the corresponding external spline component 310 .
- the specific embodiments of the planetary carrier 230 and output gear 240 of the planetary gearbox 210 are depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively.
- the internal geometry 430 may include a plurality of teeth 440 and grooves 450 running parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bore 410 .
- the teeth 440 and grooves 450 are configured to mesh with corresponding teeth and grooves on the external spline component 330 .
- the teeth 440 extend radially inward towards the center of the bore 410 .
- the teeth 440 may be any shape known in the art, including straight and involute.
- the grooves 450 extend radially outward away from the center of the bore 410 .
- a minimum diameter 460 may be measured from the centermost point of the tooth 440 and a maximum diameter 470 may be measured from the outermost point of the groove 450 .
- teeth 440 and grooves 450 may spiral around the inner surface 420 , contain flat sections for alignment, or other geometries known in the art.
- the bore 410 may be 16 inches deep with a maximum diameter of 9 inches.
- the internal geometry may extend for 8 inches.
- the teeth 440 may have a total height of 3 ⁇ 8 inch creating a minimum diameter 460 of 8.25 inches.
- internal spline components 400 are subject to substantial stresses. This can result in a worn internal geometry 430 , particularly damage to the edges of the teeth 440 . When the wear is severe enough, the component 400 can no longer function and may cause the gearbox 210 to fail or operate.
- damage or wear to the internal geometry 430 may be difficult to repair using conventional methods. The difficulty results in part because the bore 410 of the internal spline component 400 is often considerably longer than the diameter, making access challenging.
- repairing the internal spline components 400 requires adding additional material. Most methods of adding material, such as welding, require substantial heat, which can overheat the inner surface 420 . In a component 400 with a deep bore 410 , it can be difficult to dissipate heat at the needed rates.
- internal spline components 400 can be repaired through a process of laser-cladding re-manufacturing.
- the process includes three main aspects: removing a worn internal geometry 430 , cladding, and machining a remanufactured internal geometry 430 .
- Removing the worn internal geometry 430 requires machining the inner surface 420 until the worn internal geometry 430 is gone and a generally smooth surface suitable for subsequent laser cladding is produced. Any method known in the art may be used for this step, including but not limited to broaching, cutting, and milling. This process should remove all material at least to the maximum diameter 470 of the internal geometry 430 . Preferably, the inner surface 420 should be removed to a pre-cladding diameter 480 greater than the maximum diameter 470 of the internal geometry 430 , as shown in FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 also depicts the internal geometry as a dotted line. This allows for all material which may contain hidden micro-cracks and fatigue to be removed.
- removing to a depth below the internal geometry allows for any stresses created at the bonding point between the original material and the cladding material to be buried within the component and not in an area subject to further stresses.
- a typical example of a worn component may be analyzed to determine the typical depth of potentially damaged material and set the pre-cladding diameter 480 accordingly.
- the pre-cladding diameter 480 may be 3 mm greater than the maximum diameter 470 of the internal geometry 430 .
- Laser cladding is a method of adding material to a surface by melting a feedstock with a laser and bonding that melted material to the surface.
- the feedstock may be in either a powder or wire form.
- the laser cladding is performed by a cladding head (not shown) which directs a laser and the feedstock material to meet at the cladding surface 490 .
- the bore 410 requires a cladding head configured to function within the constrained space.
- the cladding head may be configured to deflect the laser at an angle.
- the material chosen for cladding should be selected to bond well with the inner surface 420 of the internal spline component 400 while maintaining the same material properties.
- the material should have the same hardness so that it does not wear too quickly or cause too much damage to the external spline component 310 .
- the material must furthermore have similar patterns of stress, wear and fatigue so that a weak spot does not form at the boundary.
- the porosity of the material must be low to ensure complete bonding with the inner surface 430 .
- the cladding material may be added in a plurality of layers until the post-cladding diameter 500 is reached.
- the post-cladding diameter 500 must be greater than the minimum diameter 460 of the internal geometry 430 to allow for machining, as shown in FIG. 9 .
- FIG. 9 also depicts the internal geometry as a dotted line.
- the layers may be 1-2 mm thick each. In some embodiments, 6-7 layers may be required, although any number of layers may be used as needed. Using a plurality of layers may aid in avoiding overheating of the inner surface 420 and result in a more consistent surface for subsequent steps.
- the cladded surface 490 is machined to produce a remanufactured internal geometry 430 .
- This step may be done by any method suitable for the purpose, including, but not limited to, broaching, cutting, and milling.
- Splined components are used in a huge variety of engines, motors, and other systems with rotationally moving parts. In many of these systems, these components suffer considerable wear, but the cost of replacing parts is substantial. As such, the method of remanufacturing internal splines according to the present disclosure may be of use for components in many applications, including mining and construction equipment, agricultural machinery, vehicles, and any system in which splined connections in gearboxes are subject to substantial wear.
- the re-manufacturing method 600 includes four steps, as shown in FIG. 10 .
- the worn internal geometry 430 must be removed (block 620 ).
- Removing the worn internal geometry 430 requires machining the inner surface 420 to provide a suitable surface for laser cladding. This process should remove all material at least to the maximum diameter 470 of the internal geometry 430 .
- the inner surface 420 should be machined to a pre-cladding diameter 480 greater than the maximum diameter 470 of the internal geometry 430 . This allows for material which may contain hidden micro-cracks and fatigue to be removed. Any method known in the art may be used for this step.
- cladding material may be added to the inner surface 420 in a plurality of layers to produce a cladded surface 490 until a post-cladding diameter 500 is reached.
- the post-cladding diameter 500 must be greater than the minimum diameter 460 of the internal geometry 430 to allow for machining.
- the layers may be 1-2 mm thick each. In some embodiments, 6-7 layers may be required, although any number of layers may be used as needed. Using a plurality of layers may aid in avoiding overheating of the inner surface 410 and result in a more consistent cladding surface 490 for the subsequent step.
- the remanufactured internal geometry 430 of the internal spline component 400 is produced by any suitable method of machining the cladded surface 490 , as shown in block 640 .
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Abstract
A remanufactured internal spline component includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore and a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface. The internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter. The remanufactured internal geometry is created by removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
Description
- The present disclosure relates generally to splined components and, more specifically, relates to methods for remanufacturing internal spline components.
- An electric rope shovel is an electrically powered machine used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction. Unlike more common excavators, the shovel's bucket is moved by a series of cables and winches rather than hydraulics. In order to serve its function, the upper section of the shovel must rotate relative to ground to move excavated material out of the dig site. This rotation requires a substantial swing drive including a number of splined components which transfer energy from a motor to the rotating components.
- Splined connections are used to transmit torque from a shaft to a gear hub or other rotating component. External gear teeth on the shaft engage an equal number of internal teeth in the hub. Because multiple teeth engage simultaneously, they can transmit large torques.
- Splined components are used in a huge variety of engines, motors, and other systems with rotationally moving parts. In many of these systems, these components suffer considerable wear, but the cost of replacing parts is substantial. In many applications, the bore of the internal spline component is considerably longer than the diameter. In these cases, damage or wear to the internal geometry may be difficult to repair using conventional methods.
- Processes exist to repair external spline components, such as that disclosed by U.S. Patent Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0228219A1 to Finton et al. Finton teaches a process to repair an external spline in which additional material is welded to the surface of each tooth of the external spline and then machined into the correct shape. However, this process cannot be applied to internal splines because of the restricted space and risk of overheating the inner surfaces. As such, there remains a need for a method of remanufacturing internal spline components.
- According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a remanufactured internal spline component is disclosed. The remanufactured internal spline component includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore and a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface. The internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter. The remanufactured internal geometry is created by removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of remanufacturing an internal spline component is disclosed. The method includes providing an internal spline component having an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore, and a worn internal geometry on the inner surface; removing the worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce a remanufactured internal geometry.
- According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a splined connection is disclosed. The splined connection includes an external spline component and a remanufactured internal spline component. The remanufactured internal spline component includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore and a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface. The internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter. The remanufactured internal geometry is created by removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter, cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
- These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood after reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric rope shovel, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a swing drive of the electric rope shovel shown inFIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 3 is cross-section of a planetary gearbox of the swing drive shown inFIG. 2 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a splined connection, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view and cross section of a planet carrier gear of the planetary gearbox shown inFIG. 3 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view and cross section of an output gear of the planetary gearbox shown inFIG. 3 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 10 is a flow chart of a method of remanufacturing an internal spline component, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. - Referring now to the drawings, and with specific reference to
FIG. 1 , an electric rope shovel is depicted and referred to asreference numeral 100. Theelectric rope shovel 100 is an electrically powered machine used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction. Theshovel 100 includes aframe 110 with anupper section 112 and alower section 114, atrack system 120 supporting theframe 110, anengine 130, anoperator cabin 140, and adigging arm 150 equipped with abucket 160 mounted on theframe 110. - The
upper section 112 and thelower section 114 of theframe 110 are configured to rotate relative to each other. The rotation is controlled by aswing drive 200, with the lower half shown inFIG. 2 (the upper half is substantially similar and rotated 180 degrees vertically). Theswing drive 200 includes twoplanetary gearboxes 210, each driven by amotor 220 and located on each section of theframe 110. Thesegearboxes 210 drive a swing rack (not shown) and cause theupper section 114 to rotate. - As shown in cross-section in
FIG. 3 , theplanetary gearbox 210 includes among other components, aplanet carrier gear 230, and anoutput gear 240 which contribute to transferring energy from themotor 220 to a shaft (not shown) driving the swing rack (not shown). Both theplanetary carrier 230 and theoutput gear 240 include an internal spline component and serve as half of a splined connection. - An exemplary
splined connection 300 is depicted inFIG. 4 . Splinedconnections 300 include two parts, anexternal spline component 310 and aninternal spline component 400. Theexternal spline component 310 may be part of acylindrical shaft 320 and has anexternal geometry 330 around at least some portion of an outer surface 340. Theinternal spline component 400 has aninternal bore 410 configured to fit theexternal spline component 310 therein. Theinternal bore 410 is roughly cylindrical and defined by aninner surface 420. At least some portion of theinner surface 420 has aninternal geometry 430. Theinternal geometry 430 is configured to mesh with theexternal geometry 330 of the correspondingexternal spline component 310. The specific embodiments of theplanetary carrier 230 andoutput gear 240 of theplanetary gearbox 210 are depicted inFIGS. 5 and 6 respectively. - A stylized cross section of an
internal spline component 400 is shown inFIG. 7 . Theinternal geometry 430 may include a plurality ofteeth 440 andgrooves 450 running parallel to a longitudinal axis of thebore 410. Theteeth 440 andgrooves 450 are configured to mesh with corresponding teeth and grooves on theexternal spline component 330. Theteeth 440 extend radially inward towards the center of thebore 410. Theteeth 440 may be any shape known in the art, including straight and involute. Thegrooves 450 extend radially outward away from the center of thebore 410. Aminimum diameter 460 may be measured from the centermost point of thetooth 440 and a maximum diameter 470 may be measured from the outermost point of thegroove 450. In other embodiments,teeth 440 andgrooves 450 may spiral around theinner surface 420, contain flat sections for alignment, or other geometries known in the art. - In the specific embodiment of the
output gear 240, thebore 410 may be 16 inches deep with a maximum diameter of 9 inches. The internal geometry may extend for 8 inches. Theteeth 440 may have a total height of ⅜ inch creating aminimum diameter 460 of 8.25 inches. - During use,
internal spline components 400 are subject to substantial stresses. This can result in a worninternal geometry 430, particularly damage to the edges of theteeth 440. When the wear is severe enough, thecomponent 400 can no longer function and may cause thegearbox 210 to fail or operate. Although methods are known to repairexternal spline components 310, damage or wear to theinternal geometry 430 may be difficult to repair using conventional methods. The difficulty results in part because thebore 410 of theinternal spline component 400 is often considerably longer than the diameter, making access challenging. Furthermore, repairing theinternal spline components 400 requires adding additional material. Most methods of adding material, such as welding, require substantial heat, which can overheat theinner surface 420. In acomponent 400 with adeep bore 410, it can be difficult to dissipate heat at the needed rates. - However,
internal spline components 400 can be repaired through a process of laser-cladding re-manufacturing. The process includes three main aspects: removing a worninternal geometry 430, cladding, and machining a remanufacturedinternal geometry 430. - Removing the worn
internal geometry 430 requires machining theinner surface 420 until the worninternal geometry 430 is gone and a generally smooth surface suitable for subsequent laser cladding is produced. Any method known in the art may be used for this step, including but not limited to broaching, cutting, and milling. This process should remove all material at least to the maximum diameter 470 of theinternal geometry 430. Preferably, theinner surface 420 should be removed to apre-cladding diameter 480 greater than the maximum diameter 470 of theinternal geometry 430, as shown inFIG. 8 .FIG. 8 also depicts the internal geometry as a dotted line. This allows for all material which may contain hidden micro-cracks and fatigue to be removed. Furthermore, removing to a depth below the internal geometry allows for any stresses created at the bonding point between the original material and the cladding material to be buried within the component and not in an area subject to further stresses. In some cases, a typical example of a worn component may be analyzed to determine the typical depth of potentially damaged material and set thepre-cladding diameter 480 accordingly. - In the specific embodiment of the output
gear spline component 240, the entirety of theteeth 440 past the bottom of thegrooves 450 may be removed. Thepre-cladding diameter 480 may be 3 mm greater than the maximum diameter 470 of theinternal geometry 430. - Once the substrate is prepared, new material is built up on the
inner surface 420 by laser cladding to produce acladded surface 490 with apost-cladding diameter 500. Thecladded surface 490 will be generally even without internal geometry. Laser cladding is a method of adding material to a surface by melting a feedstock with a laser and bonding that melted material to the surface. The feedstock may be in either a powder or wire form. The laser cladding is performed by a cladding head (not shown) which directs a laser and the feedstock material to meet at thecladding surface 490. In cases with a deep bore like theplanet carrier 230 andoutput gear 240, thebore 410 requires a cladding head configured to function within the constrained space. In some embodiments, the cladding head may be configured to deflect the laser at an angle. - The material chosen for cladding should be selected to bond well with the
inner surface 420 of theinternal spline component 400 while maintaining the same material properties. In particular, the material should have the same hardness so that it does not wear too quickly or cause too much damage to theexternal spline component 310. The material must furthermore have similar patterns of stress, wear and fatigue so that a weak spot does not form at the boundary. Finally, the porosity of the material must be low to ensure complete bonding with theinner surface 430. - The cladding material may be added in a plurality of layers until the
post-cladding diameter 500 is reached. Thepost-cladding diameter 500 must be greater than theminimum diameter 460 of theinternal geometry 430 to allow for machining, as shown inFIG. 9 .FIG. 9 also depicts the internal geometry as a dotted line. The layers may be 1-2 mm thick each. In some embodiments, 6-7 layers may be required, although any number of layers may be used as needed. Using a plurality of layers may aid in avoiding overheating of theinner surface 420 and result in a more consistent surface for subsequent steps. - Finally, the
cladded surface 490 is machined to produce a remanufacturedinternal geometry 430. This step may be done by any method suitable for the purpose, including, but not limited to, broaching, cutting, and milling. - Splined components are used in a huge variety of engines, motors, and other systems with rotationally moving parts. In many of these systems, these components suffer considerable wear, but the cost of replacing parts is substantial. As such, the method of remanufacturing internal splines according to the present disclosure may be of use for components in many applications, including mining and construction equipment, agricultural machinery, vehicles, and any system in which splined connections in gearboxes are subject to substantial wear.
- The
re-manufacturing method 600 includes four steps, as shown inFIG. 10 . First, as shown inblock 610, aninternal spline component 400 with worninternal geometry 430 on theinner surface 420 of acylindrical bore 420 is provided. Next, the worninternal geometry 430 must be removed (block 620). Removing the worninternal geometry 430 requires machining theinner surface 420 to provide a suitable surface for laser cladding. This process should remove all material at least to the maximum diameter 470 of theinternal geometry 430. Preferably, theinner surface 420 should be machined to apre-cladding diameter 480 greater than the maximum diameter 470 of theinternal geometry 430. This allows for material which may contain hidden micro-cracks and fatigue to be removed. Any method known in the art may be used for this step. - Next, as shown in
block 630, cladding material may be added to theinner surface 420 in a plurality of layers to produce acladded surface 490 until apost-cladding diameter 500 is reached. Thepost-cladding diameter 500 must be greater than theminimum diameter 460 of theinternal geometry 430 to allow for machining. The layers may be 1-2 mm thick each. In some embodiments, 6-7 layers may be required, although any number of layers may be used as needed. Using a plurality of layers may aid in avoiding overheating of theinner surface 410 and result in a moreconsistent cladding surface 490 for the subsequent step. - Finally, the remanufactured
internal geometry 430 of theinternal spline component 400 is produced by any suitable method of machining the claddedsurface 490, as shown inblock 640. - While the preceding text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of protection is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the scope of protection.
Claims (20)
1. A remanufactured internal spline component, comprising:
an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore; and
a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface having a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter, the remanufactured internal geometry created by:
removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter,
cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and
machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
2. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the pre-cladding diameter is larger than the maximum diameter of the internal geometry.
3. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the internal geometry includes a plurality of teeth and grooves.
4. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the cladded surface has a post-cladding diameter smaller than the minimum diameter of the internal geometry.
5. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical bore has a length greater than a diameter.
6. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the internal spline component is a planetary gear.
7. The internal spline component of claim 1 , wherein the internal spline component is an output gear.
8. A method of remanufacturing an internal spline component, the method comprising:
providing an internal spline component having an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore, and a worn internal geometry on the inner surface;
removing the worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter,
cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and
machining the cladded surface to produce a remanufactured internal geometry.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the internal geometry has a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pre-cladding diameter is larger than the maximum diameter of the internal geometry.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cladded surface has a post-cladding diameter smaller than the minimum diameter of the internal geometry.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical bore has a length greater than a diameter.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the internal spline component is a planetary gear.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the internal spline component is an output gear.
15. A splined connection comprising:
an external spline component having an external geometry; and
a remanufactured internal spline component having:
an inner surface defining a cylindrical bore configured to fit the external spline within, and
a remanufactured internal geometry on the inner surface having a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter, the remanufactured internal geometry created by:
removing a worn internal geometry to a pre-cladding diameter,
cladding the inner surface in a plurality of layers by laser cladding to produce a cladded surface, and
machining the cladded surface to produce the remanufactured internal geometry.
16. The splined connection of claim 15 , wherein the pre-cladding diameter is larger than the maximum diameter of the internal geometry.
17. The splined connection of claim 15 , wherein the internal geometry includes a plurality of teeth and grooves.
18. The splined connection of claim 15 , wherein the cladded surface has a post-cladding diameter smaller than the minimum diameter of the internal geometry.
19. The splined connection of claim 15 , wherein the internal spline component is a planetary gear.
20. The splined connection of claim 15 , wherein the internal spline component is an output gear.
Priority Applications (7)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US17/101,463 US11344981B1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2020-11-23 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components and splined connection |
GB2307853.8A GB2615723A (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components |
AU2021382000A AU2021382000A1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components |
CA3198320A CA3198320A1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components |
DE112021005076.1T DE112021005076T5 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | PROCESS FOR REMANUFACTURING INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENTS |
CN202180077982.2A CN116490700A (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | Method for remanufacturing an internally splined component |
PCT/US2021/060033 WO2022109231A1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2021-11-19 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US17/101,463 US11344981B1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2020-11-23 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components and splined connection |
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US20220161376A1 true US20220161376A1 (en) | 2022-05-26 |
US11344981B1 US11344981B1 (en) | 2022-05-31 |
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US17/101,463 Active US11344981B1 (en) | 2020-11-23 | 2020-11-23 | Method for remanufacturing internal spline components and splined connection |
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US (1) | US11344981B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN116490700A (en) |
AU (1) | AU2021382000A1 (en) |
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DE (1) | DE112021005076T5 (en) |
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US20060228219A1 (en) | 2005-04-12 | 2006-10-12 | General Electric Company | Repaired spline and seal teeth on mated components |
JP5692571B2 (en) | 2010-10-12 | 2015-04-01 | 株式会社ジェイテクト | DLC coated member |
DE102015201873A1 (en) * | 2015-02-03 | 2016-08-18 | Gkn Sinter Metals Engineering Gmbh | Silent gear |
US20170022614A1 (en) | 2015-07-20 | 2017-01-26 | Goodrich Corporation | Methods for repair of aircraft wheel and brake parts |
EP3369017A4 (en) * | 2015-10-28 | 2019-06-12 | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Protective cover and gear assembly |
US20180326547A1 (en) * | 2015-11-30 | 2018-11-15 | The Gleason Works | Additive manufacturing of gears |
GB201611572D0 (en) * | 2016-07-01 | 2016-08-17 | Victrex Mfg Ltd | Polymeric materials |
US11198181B2 (en) * | 2017-03-10 | 2021-12-14 | California Institute Of Technology | Methods for fabricating strain wave gear flexsplines using metal additive manufacturing |
DK179485B1 (en) * | 2017-12-04 | 2018-12-19 | Cnc Onsite Aps | Method for Repairing a Gear and Processing Machine for Carrying out the Method |
CN108085680B (en) | 2018-01-23 | 2019-12-31 | 西安科技大学 | Adjustable fixture for repairing bevel gear through laser cladding |
CN108385104A (en) | 2018-03-30 | 2018-08-10 | 燕山大学 | A kind of restorative procedure of automobile castellated shaft |
US20200023431A1 (en) * | 2018-07-20 | 2020-01-23 | Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation | Shape memory alloy coating using additive manufacturing |
KR102206212B1 (en) * | 2018-12-10 | 2021-01-22 | 에스 알 씨 주식회사 | Geared product with reinforced deposition surfaces and deposition system used for manufacturing the same |
CN110387543B (en) | 2019-09-10 | 2021-06-29 | 西安煤矿机械有限公司 | Method for repairing planet carrier external spline through laser cladding welding |
CN110453218A (en) | 2019-09-10 | 2019-11-15 | 西安煤矿机械有限公司 | A kind of restorative procedure of the coalcutter planet carrier based on laser melting coating welding |
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CN116490700A (en) | 2023-07-25 |
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US11344981B1 (en) | 2022-05-31 |
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