Shot peening system for transmission parts

A shot peening system was integrated into a new production line for transmission parts for electric vehicles at an automotive manufacturer. It is designed for high throughput and ensures short cycle times fully automatically.

Shot peening is one of the indispensable production steps in the automotive industry. For this task, a German car manufacturer integrated the RST 200-S15 satellite shot peening system from Rösler into a new production line for transmission parts for electric vehicles. The decisive factors were the performance, process reliability and ease of maintenance as well as the positive experience with existing systems of this type.

Shot peening, also known as compaction or shot peening, is used in the automotive industry to introduce residual compressive stresses into the components of transmission parts, for example, and thus increase the fatigue strength of the material. For this task, the BMW Group plant in Dingolfing uses customized and equipped satellite shot blasting systems from Rösler. The flexible RST 200-S15 system concept can now also be found in a new production line for transmission parts for electric vehicles.

Compact blasting system for high throughput

The turntable of the compact blasting system has 15 satellites with part-specific fixtures on which a customer-side loading and unloading system places one or more workpieces depending on the component. This solution enables efficient processing by minimizing non-productive times. After the loading process, the parts are transported through the system at 20-second intervals. They pass through two blasting positions where lifting doors prevent abrasive from escaping into adjacent areas. During the blasting process, the satellites rotate in front of the turbines. In conjunction with the automatic adjustment of the blasting pattern to the respective workpiece geometry, this ensures that a homogeneous blasting result is achieved for all gear parts. A cleaning station is located in front of the loading and unloading area, where dust and any blast media remaining on the parts is removed by blowing it off.

The selection of the part-specific blasting program with corresponding adjustment of the turbine position and blasting pattern is carried out automatically via the master computer of the production line. For this purpose, the system control was integrated into the higher-level system at BMW in Dingolfing.

High-performance turbines for precise abrasive discharge with optimum efficiency

To ensure the blasting result defined by an Almen value in the short cycle time, the system is equipped with two high-performance Rutten Gamma 400 blasting turbines with 22 kW drive power. The special Y-design with a precisely calculated angle of curvature of the throwing blades ensures very precise abrasive discharge at maximum speed and therefore optimum efficiency. This also makes the abrasive discharge around 25 % more energy-efficient compared to conventional turbines. In addition, the throwing blades can be used on both sides.

To ensure the high stability and traceability of the production processes required in the automotive industry, the system has appropriate solutions for continuous monitoring of the relevant blasting parameters. These include monitoring the speed of the turbine and satellites, the blasting time and the quantity of blasting agent. The blast media is also dosed automatically.

Shot blasting system with wear protection and ease of maintenance

The shot blasting system also scores points when it comes to wear protection and ease of maintenance. It is made of manganese steel and has replaceable protective plates made of this resistant material in the blasting area. The turbines are made from specially developed, high-strength alloys that enable a service life that is up to 16 times longer than conventional ones. Convenient and quick access to all maintenance and service-relevant system components is another feature of the RST 200-S15. The turbines can be easily swung out of the blast chamber through doors for service work, such as turning the throwing blades to use the second side. At the same time, this provides generous access to the blasting area, for example for replacing the wear protection plates. The components for abrasive transport and preparation as well as the control cabinet are easily accessible via the large inspection platform. (OM-12/24)

Contact

Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH
Vorstadt 1
96190 Untermerzbach (Germany)
Phone +49 9533 9240
www.rosler.com

About Rösler Oberflächentechnik

Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH has been an owner-managed company in the surface treatment sector for over 80 years. As an international market leader, it offers a comprehensive portfolio of systems, process equipment and services in the field of mass finishing and blasting technology for a wide range of industries.

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