Method and Device for the Production of a Split Bearing Arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a split bearing arrangement, in which a top bearing part (6) is separated in several machining stations from a basic bearing part (5) that is monolithically joined thereto via a severing breaking process on a predefined plane of breakage (10) by applying a certain force, whereupon the two parts are joined back together by means of a screw connection comprising at least two screws. The basic bearing part (5) and the top bearing part (6) are fixed on an adapter device (1) that is conveyed from one machining station to another while the top bearing part is retained at least during some processes in the machining stations via a retractable auxiliary support (13) which is disposed on the adapter device and catches the top bearing part outside the area of the screw connection.

Description

Essential elements, aspects and process steps of the invention are described and explained in more detail below by referring to the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an adapter device with a workpiece in the form of a crankcase having an auxiliary support which engages a top bearing part of said crankcase, i.e. which is in the advanced position,

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement as according to FIG. 1 with the auxiliary support retracted from the top bearing part of the crankcase,

FIGS. 3 a-3l show a schematic representation of the top bearing part of the crankcase as according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the auxiliary support at different machining stages and in different machining stations of the inventive production device, and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic machine layout of an inventive production device equipped with a carousel arrangement for carrying out the inventive method.

The exemplary embodiment of an adapter device 1 as shown in a vertical cross-section in FIGS. 1 and 2 rests on a transport mechanism 2 and is essentially trough-shaped, i.e. it has a U-shaped cross-section.

The workpiece in the form of a crankcase 3 rests in the interior of the trough-shaped adapter device 1 and is provided (when seen in the drawing plane) with a number of bearing arrangements 4 arranged in series, each consisting of a base bearing part 5 as well as a top bearing part 6.

The bottom of the crankcase 3 rests on counterstops 7 and the side of the crankcase facing the bearing arrangement 4 abuts against a counterstop 8.

On the side opposite the bearing arrangement 4, the adapter device is equipped with two clamping cylinders 9 via which the crankcase 3 can be pressed onto the counterstops 7 and 8 and can thus be clamped to the adapter device.

So as to divide the bearing arrangement 4, the top bearing part 6 must be separated from the bearing part 5 that is monolithically connected thereto along a fracture plane 10. This takes place via a fracture separation process, known per se, in what is known as a fracture separation station, in which a breaking force is applied to the bores of the bearing arrangement 4 in a known manner via a fracturing mandrel that is typically split in two parts.

As may be taken from FIGS. 1 and 2, support plungers 11 are disposed at an acute angle to each other on that side of the adapter device 1 opposite the clamping cylinders 9, with said support plungers being arranged at the front end of support cylinders 12 which together form the auxiliary support 13 for the top bearing part 6. As already mentioned, FIG. 1 shows the auxiliary support 13 in a position engaging the top bearing part, i.e. in its advanced position, whereas FIG. 2 shows the support plungers 11 of the auxiliary support 13 in a retracted position, i.e. lifted away from the top bearing part 6.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the Figures, the top bearing part 6 is retained at the base bearing part 5 by a screw connection comprising two screws once the fracture separation process has been carried out.

Mounting holes for screws as well as the necessary threads are incorporated for this purpose in a known manner into the top bearing part 6 and the base bearing part 5 in a drilling station (not shown) prior to the fracture separation process. The crankcase thus prepared is then conveyed by the transport mechanism 2 via the adapter device 1 to the first station of the production device, in which fracture grooves 14 are incorporated in the fracture plane. This technology is known and can be carried out in various ways, preferably however by removing material using a laser.

A schematic representation of this procedure is shown in FIG. 3a. The auxiliary support 13 is retraced at this stage.

After incorporating the fracture grooves 14, the crankcase 3 is conveyed to the fracture separation station via the transport mechanism 2 in the adapter device. Given that the top bearing part 6 is still monolithically connected to the base bearing part at this stage, the auxiliary support 13 is still in its retracted condition, as may be taken from FIG. 3b.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, main supports 15 are advanced prior to the subsequent fracture separation process, with said main supports resiliently engaging the top bearing part 6 in a known manner and preventing what is known as a torsional fracture during the fracture separation process.

After completion of the fracture separation process, the auxiliary support 13 is first advanced and the main support 15 is thereupon retracted, as shown schematically in FIG. 3c. In doing so, the auxiliary support 13 ensures that the top bearing part 6, which has already been separated from the base bearing part 5 at this stage, cannot be released from the base bearing part 5 and thus be mixed up with another top bearing part.

After retraction of the main support 15, a fixing means 16 is advanced, as shown schematically in FIG. 3d. In the present exemplary embodiment, said fixing means 16 comprises two fixing and holding pins 17, which are linked together via a yoke 18.

Further, a vibration or impacting device 19 is arranged in the area of said fixing means.

As can be seen from FIG. 3e, the fixing and holding pins 17 are inserted into the bores for the screws in a further work step and thus the top bearing part 6 is accurately fixed in position in parallel to the fracture plane 10 with respect to the base bearing part 5, while at the same time being held in a loose manner perpendicularly to the fracture plane. The auxiliary support 13 is retracted at this stage and the vibration or impacting device 19 is advanced and brought into abutment against the top bearing part 6, as shown schematically in FIG. 3e. The vibrating or impacting function is performed thereupon and thus metal particles possibly adhering to the fracture plane are released.

Given that the top bearing part 6 is held loosely by the fixing and holding pins 17, the top bearing part can, if necessary, even be pulled away from the base bearing part 5 to a limited extent and the fracture surface can be additionally cleaned by blowing, suctioning or brushing off.

In a subsequent step, the auxiliary support 13 is advanced again and thus the top bearing part 6 is fixed accurately with respect to the base bearing part 5. The vibration or impacting device 19 can be decoupled and the fixing means 16 retracted at this stage.

In a subsequent work step, the screws are positioned and inserted into the bores, as shown schematically in FIGS. 3g and 3h. After supplying the screws, a screwing device is provided in a subsequent work step. The screws are thereupon tightened at a predetermined torque, as shown schematically in FIG. 3k.

During the described stages (FIGS. 3f to 3k), the top bearing part 6 is retained with precision at the base bearing part 5 at all times and thus not only the mix-ups described above are excluded but also it is ensured that the top bearing part 6 is securely retained at the base bearing part 5 in a position corresponding exactly to the position prior to the fracture separation process, i.e. such that the elevations and depressions of the fracture surface of one part correspond exactly to the depressions and elevations of the fracture surface of the other part. According to the invention, this situation is moreover ensured throughout the entire course of the production given that the top bearing part is retained at the base bearing part in precise allocation and position either by the auxiliary support 13 or (as shown in FIG. 3e) by the fixing and holding pins 17.

It is a further advantage of the procedure as according to the invention that the screws are only inserted and tightened after completion of the fracture separation process and thus a high-quality screw connection is ensured at all times. Damage to the screws or even a bending of the screws during the fracture separation process is thus excluded.

After tightening the screws at a predetermined torque, the auxiliary support is retracted and the crankcase thus machined is conveyed to a further process step via the adapter device 1 and the transport mechanism 2.

In the production device as shown schematically in FIG. 4, a so-called carousel arrangement 21 was selected as the central transport mechanism 2, with the different stations being disposed at the periphery thereof.

It is a further characteristic of this particular arrangement that two stations each are combined into a twin station.

The transportation from one station to the subsequent station is marked by arrows in FIG. 4. The sequence is revealed by the position numbers given in each circle, which designate the workflow in the carousel arrangement along with the different stations.

In more detail, the workflow in the production device as suggested in FIG. 4 is as follows:

In position 1, the workpiece is placed in the adapter device, aligned and clamped by means of the clamping cylinders. The auxiliary supports are in the retracted position at this stage (cf. FIG. 2).

From position 1, i.e. the loading station, the adapter device is conveyed to the carousel arrangement (position 2) together with the clamped workpiece and from there to the laser station (position 3).

Once the fracture separation groove has been incorporated in the laser station, the adapter device is fed back to the carousel arrangement in position 4 together with the workpiece and moved to position 5 via a rotation of the carousel arrangement, wherefrom it is subsequently conveyed to the fracture separation station (position 6) and, after the fracture separation, to the release and cleaning station (position 7).

The adapter device together with the fracture-separated and cleaned workpiece are then returned to the carousel arrangement (position 8) and will reach position 9 via a rotation of the carousel arrangement, wherefrom the adapter device together with the workpiece are subsequently fed to the screwing station (position 10), in which the screws are turned in and tightened at a predetermined torque.

After this process, the adapter device is conveyed to the unloading station (position 12) via position 11 on the carousel arrangement. The finished workpiece is removed from the adapter device and discharged at this stage.

The use of a carousel arrangement 21 as a central transport mechanism and the configuration of the loading and unloading station on the one hand, the screwing station and the laser station on the other hand, as well as the fracture separation station and the release and cleaning station into a double station each has the advantage that the work steps depicted in the following can run simultaneously, i.e. there is no need to wait until the previous, fully machined workpiece has been unloaded before a new workpiece can be loaded.

The sequence can thus be selected on the basis of the carousel arrangement 21 such that in the time span during which one workpiece is provided with a fracture separation groove in the laser station, a previous workpiece, which has already been provided with a fracture separation groove, can at the same time undergo a fracture separation process in the fracture separation station and any possible metal particles can be removed therefrom in the release and cleaning station. Downtimes can thus be reduced in the individual stations and the number of pieces machined per time unit increased.

Claims

1. A method for producing a split bearing arrangement, in which in several machining stations a top bearing part is separated in a predefined fracture plane from a base bearing part monolithically connected thereto via a fracture separation process by applying force, whereupon the two parts are joined back together by means of a screw connection comprising at least two screws, the base bearing part and the top bearing part are fixed on an adapter device that is conveyed from one machining station to another while the top bearing part is retained at least during some processes in the machining stations via a retractable auxiliary support disposed on the adapter device and engaging the top bearing part outside the area of the screw connection,the base bearing part and the top bearing part are subjected to a release and cleaning process in the fracture plane after the fracture separation process, andthe location of the top bearing part is accurately fixed in parallel to the fracture plane with respect to the base bearing part during the release and cleaning process, whilst the top bearing part is held in a loose manner in a direction perpendicular to the fracture plane.

2. The method as according to claim 1, wherein the base bearing part is clamped to the adapter device in all the machining stations.

3. The method as according to claim 1, wherein there are main supports acting resiliently upon the top bearing part during the fracture separation process.

4. (canceled)

5. The method as according to claim 1, wherein the release process is carried out by vibrating or impacting action.

6. The method as according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning process is carried out by blowing, suctioning or brushing off.

7. (canceled)

8. The method as according to claim 1, wherein a fracture separation groove is incorporated in the fracture plane by a laser prior to the fracture separation process.

9. The method as according to claim 1, wherein the screws are inserted and tightened at a predetermined torque after the release and cleaning process.

10. The method as according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance of the adapter device to and from the individual machining stations is carried out via a carousel arrangement.

11. A device for producing a split bearing arrangement, in which the workpiece consisting of a base bearing part and a top bearing part monolithically connected thereto is conveyed at least to a fracture separation station for separating the top bearing part from the base bearing part along a fracture plane and to a screwing station for joining back together the top bearing part and the base bearing part by means of at least a screw connection comprising two screws, a transport mechanism is provided, via which an adapter device supporting the workpiece is conveyed from one machining station to at least one subsequent machining station, with said adapter device being equipped with a retractable auxiliary support which is fixed to said adapter device so as to engage the top bearing part of the workpiece outside the screw connection, anda release and cleaning station is provided following the fracture separation station, in which a fixing means is provided for an accurate fixation in location in parallel to the fracture plane and for a loose hold in a direction perpendicular to the fracture plane.

12. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 2, wherein clamping cylinders interacting with counterstops are arranged on the adapter device for clamping the base bearing part to said adapter device.

13. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 3, wherein main supports are provided in the fracture separation station, which are brought into resilient abutment against the top bearing part during the fracture separation process.

14. (canceled)

15. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 5, wherein the release and cleaning station is equipped with a vibration or impacting device which acts upon the top bearing part.

16. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 6, wherein the release and cleaning station is equipped with a blowing, suctioning or brush device.

17. (canceled)

18. The production device as according to claim 11, wherein the fixing means comprises fixing and holding pins which can be inserted into the bores for the screws.

19. The production device as according to claim 18 for a screw connection comprising two screws, wherein two fixing and holding pins are provided, which are linked together at one end via a yoke.

20. The production device as according to claim 19, wherein the yoke is connected to a feed cylinder.

21. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 8, wherein a laser station is provided before the fracture separation station.

22. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 9, wherein a screwing station is provided after the release and cleaning station, in which screwing station the screws are inserted and tightened at a predetermined torque via a screwing device.

23. The production device as according to claim 11 for carrying out the method as according to claim 10, wherein the transport mechanism is essentially designed as a carousel arrangement, with the machining stations being distributed about its periphery.

24. The production device as according to claim 23, wherein a loading and unloading station, a laser station, a fracture separation station, a release and cleaning station, as well as a screwing station are provided in the region of the carousel arrangement.

25. The production device as according to claim 24, wherein the loading and unloading station, the screwing station and the laser station, as well as the fracture separation station and the release and cleaning station are each combined into a double station.