Distortion Engineering - A New Concept to Control Distortion Problems

Distortion Engineering - a new Concept to Control Distortion Problems

H.-W. Zoch*, Th. Luebben*

Abstract:

Distortion is still one of the key issues of economical losses in industrial production, leading to high efforts in hard-machining to eliminate or even to scrap. In the past attempts to analyse or control distortion phenomena focused on single manufacturing steps like quenching. Yet several investigations of the last two decades indicated that final distortion is the result of different contributions of the entire process chain.

Therefore successful acting against distortion has to treat it as system attribute, including all manufacturing steps from steel making via forging, soft machining to heat treatment. The so-called “Methodology Distortion Engineering” approaches this complex system in a distinct way, using three different levels of identifying distortion parameters, understanding of distortion mechanisms and looking for possibilities of compensation. The Collaborative Research Center (CRC) “Distortion Engineering”, funded at University Bremen from 2001 to 2011 in this perspective covered distortion research on components of the transmission industry - bearing races, shafts and gears - made of through-hardening and carburising steel.

The general approach of “Distortion Engineering”, e. g. definition of so-called “carriers of distortion potential” will be explained and some examples be presented from the CRC research projects. Finally an outlook will be given on the maturity of this new methodology to be implemented into practice.

Keywords: distortion engineering, distortion mechanism, methodology

*   Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Werner Zoch  ASM  and  Dr.-Ing. Thomas Lübben
Stiftung Institut für Werkstofftechnik
Badgasteiner Straße 3
D-28359 Bremen
Germany
Contact: zoch @iwt-bremen.de