Bearing and shaft wheel assembly balancing techniques and equipment for turbochargers
View Patent ↗An exemplary clamp for clamping a bearing cartridge and shaft subassembly of a turbocharger includes an upper portion, a lower portion where the upper portion and the lower portion form a bore having a bore diameter sized to clamp a bearing cartridge and a fluid passage defined in part by the upper portion, the lower portion or the upper portion and the lower portion where the fluid passage includes an opening to the bore. Various other exemplary devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
1. A method for providing a turbocharger subassembly as a balanced unit, the method comprising:
press fitting a shaft into a bearing cartridge wherein the shaft comprises a turbine wheel to form a bearing cartridge and shaft subassembly;
clamping the subassembly in a bore of a clamp to secure an outer race of the bearing cartridge;
rotating the shaft of the subassembly with the outer race secured by the clamp;
measuring unbalance of the subassembly in one or more planes;
with the outer race secured by the clamp, pressurizing the bore of the clamp with air to prevent material from entering the bore; and
balancing the subassembly by removing material from the turbine wheel in response to the measuring unbalance to provide the subassembly as a balanced unit configured for insertion into a bore of a turbocharger housing without disassembly of the balanced unit.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the material comprises material removed from the turbine wheel in response to measuring unbalance of the subassembly.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the balanced unit into a bore of a center housing of a turbocharger without disassembling the balanced unit.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the rotating comprises applying a force to the turbine wheel.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the applied force reduces axial movement of the shaft in the bearing cartridge.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the applied force reduces radial movement of the shaft in the bearing cartridge.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the rotating comprises placing a belt over a portion of the turbine wheel.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the belt applies the force.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring unbalance and the balancing occur at separate work stations.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring unbalance and the balancing occur at the same work station.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring unbalance and the balancing comprise automated processes.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressurizing occurs prior to the measuring unbalance.