Manufacture of clutch components
Clutch components for automotive use usually include a pair of clutch members with operative faces. In particular, planar one way clutches include a pair of clutch members whose operative faces are enclosed spaced opposition, with each clutch face including a plurality of recessed defining respective load bearing shoulders. A plurality of struts are disposed between the coupling face of the members, and such struts are moveable between the coupling position and non coupling position. A preferable method of manufacturing such clutch components includes powder metal operations comprising die compacting a metal powder into a metal blank, sintering the metal blank to form a sintered metal blank, and cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank. The preferred metallic structure of the cooled metal blank is 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite. The application is especially useful for clutches used as backing plates in clutch brake applications.
1 . A method of manufacturing an automotive component comprising the steps of:
providing an initial pre-alloy metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,
admixing an additional 0.60-0.90% carbon and 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder,
die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder, to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,
cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,
the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.
2 . The method of claim 1
wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bis-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.
3 . The method of claim 1
wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.
4 . The method of claim 1
wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.
5 . The method of claim 1
wherein in the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.
6 . The method of claim 1
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).
7 . The method of claim 1
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).
8 . The method of claim 6
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
9 . The method of claim 7
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
10 . The method of claim 1
wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic gas.
11 . The method of claim 1
wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).
12 . The method of claim 1
wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.
13 . The method of claim 1
wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.
14 . An automotive component having
a metal composition comprised of, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, and 1.0-3.0% copper, with the balance essentially iron,
wherein the component bas a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.
15 . The component of claim 14
wherein the component has Rockwell hardness of about HRA45.
16 . The component of claim 14
wherein the component is manufactured in a powder metallurgy operation comprising die compacting, sintering, and cooling operations.
17 . An automotive component manufactured in a process comprising the steps of:
providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,
admixing an additional 0.60-0.90% carbon and 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder,
die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,
cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,
the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.
18 . The method of claim 17
wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bis-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.
19 . The method of claim 17
wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.
20 . The method of claim 17
wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.
21 . The method of claim 17
wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.
22 . The method of claim 17
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).
23 . The method of claim 17
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).
24 . The method of claim 22
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
25 . The method of claim 23
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
26 . The method of claim 17
wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic.
27 . The method of claim 17
wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).
28 . The method of claim 17
wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.
29 . The method of claim 17
wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.
30 . A method of manufacturing an automotive component comprising the steps of:
providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,
admixing an additional 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant for form a lubricated, admixed metal powder, die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,
cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,
the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.
31 . The method of claim 30
wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bi-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.
32 . The method of claim 30
wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.
33 . The method of claim 30
wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.
34 . The method of claim 30
wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.
35 . The method of claim 30
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).
36 . The method of claim 30
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).
37 . The method of claim 35
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
38 . The method of claim 36
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
39 . The method of claim 30
wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic.
40 . The method of claim 30
wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).
41 . The method of claim 30
wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.
42 . The method of claim 30
wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.
43 . An automotive component manufactured in a process comprising the steps of:
providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,
admixing an additional 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder, die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,
cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,
the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.
44 . The method of claim 43
wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bi-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.
45 . The method of claim 43
wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.
46 . The method of claim 43
wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.
47 . The method of claim 43
wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.
48 . The method of claim 43
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).
49 . The method of claim 43
wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).
50 . The method of claim 48
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
51 . The method of claim 49
wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.
52 . The method of claim 43
wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated Endothermic.
53 . The method of claim 43
wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).
54 . The method of claim 43
wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.
55 . The method of claim 43
wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.