Method for manufacturing a component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458012-B2
Application number	US-201615145203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2016
Priority date	May 3, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a component is provided. The method includes providing one or more notches on a surface of the component. Further, depositing a coating on the surface to provide a thickness of the coating on the surface, is performed. The method also includes removing, at least partially, the coating from the surface such that the thickness of the coating over the notches is different from the thickness of the coating on the surface adjacent to the notches.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a component, the method comprising:
providing one or more notches on a surface of the component, such that each of the one or more notches has a predetermined length and a predetermined position on the surface of the component, such that each said predetermined position of the respective one or more notches is a respective predetermined distance from an end edge of the surface of the component, and such that no notch is at the end edge of the surface of the component;
depositing a coating on the surface, on the one or more notches, to provide a thickness of the coating on the surface; and
removing, at least partially, the coating from the surface, such that the thickness of the coating over each of the one or more notches is different from the thickness of the coating on the surface adjacent to the one or more notches,
wherein one or more fracture zones for controlled fracture of the coating are defined by a change in the thickness of the coating at each of the one or more notches, the one or more fracture zones being configured to fracture only at the change in the thickness, and
wherein the controlled fracture of the coating is such that a first predetermined portion of the coating, from a corresponding fracture zone of the one or more fracture zones to the end edge, breaks away from the surface of the component, while a second predetermined portion of the coating adjacent to the corresponding fracture zone remains intact on the surface, the second predetermined portion being greater in size than the first predetermined portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said depositing the coating is performed by a process selected from a group consisting of a vapor deposition process, a sputtering deposition process, a plasma spray process, a high velocity oxygen fuel process, and a twin wire arc process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said removing the coating comprises one or more of machining, lathing, grinding, polishing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing the one or more notches comprises one or more of machining, additive manufacturing, turning, polishing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating is a thermal spray coating.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a bushing for a track link assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a zero thickness at each said predetermined position of the one or more notches.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an end surface of a bushing.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more notches is a protrusion of a same height.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the coating over each of the one or more protrusions is less than the thickness of the coating over the surface adjacent to each of the one or more protrusions.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the coating has a zero thickness at each said predetermined position of the one or more protrusions.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Steinmetz Andrew Douglas
• Weaver Douglas Trent
• Recker Roger Lee

Classifications

• B62D55/21

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · CPC title

• F16C2223/70

  by electroplating or electrolytic coating, e.g. anodising, galvanising · CPC title

• B62D55/0887

  Track-articulation sealings against dust, water, mud or the like (sealing of bearings in general F16C33/72; chain bushings in general F16G15/00) · CPC title

• F16C33/04

  Brasses; Bushes; Linings · CPC title

• F16C2223/42

  by spraying the coating material, e.g. plasma spraying · CPC title