Method for non-linear fracture splitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618103-B2
Application number	US-201514947601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a machine component includes forming a non-linear break notch in a workpiece, freezing the workpiece, and snapping the frozen workpiece apart along the non-linear break notch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a machine component, comprising:
forming a non-linear break notch in a workpiece, the non-linear break notch including a valley, a channel, and a groove;
freezing the workpiece; and
snapping the frozen workpiece apart along the non-linear break notch.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
machining bolt holes in the workpiece, the bolt holes intersecting the non-linear break notch.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein machining the bolt holes in the workpiece is performed before snapping the frozen workpiece.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein machining the bolt holes in the workpiece is performed after snapping the frozen workpiece.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
heat treating the workpiece.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein heat treating the workpiece includes heating the workpiece, quenching the workpiece, and tempering the workpiece.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the non-linear break notch includes forging the workpiece to form the valley.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the non-linear break notch includes machining the workpiece to form the channel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the non-linear break notch includes machining the workpiece to form the groove.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein machining the workpiece to form the groove is performed with a laser.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-linear break notch includes at least one apex and further comprising:
machining a break guide hole into the workpiece at each at least one apex.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
finish machining the workpiece.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein freezing the workpiece is cryogenic freezing.

14. A machine component manufactured by the method of comprising:
forging a workpiece;
forming a non-linear break notch in the workpiece, the non-linear break notch including a valley, a channel, and a groove;
freezing the workpiece; and
snapping the workpiece apart along the non-linear break notch.

15. The machine component of claim 14 , wherein the method of manufacture further includes:
machining bolt holes in the workpiece before snapping the workpiece, the bolt holes intersecting the non-linear break notch.

16. The machine component of claim 14 , wherein the method of manufacture further includes:
machining bolt holes in the workpiece after snapping the workpiece, the bolt holes intersecting the non-linear break notch.

17. The machine component of claim 14 , wherein forming the non-linear break notch includes:
the valley being formed by forging;
the channel being formed by machining; and
the groove being formed by machining.

18. The machine component of claim 14 , wherein freezing the workpiece is cryogenic freezing.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Rathod Chandrasen R
• Richerson Chris

Classifications

• B23K26/359

  by providing a line or line pattern, e.g. a dotted break initiation line · CPC title

• B21J5/06

  for performing particular operations · CPC title

• B21L9/02 Primary

  of roller-chain or other plate-link type · CPC title

• B62D55/213 Primary

  Master track links · CPC title

• B23P15/00

  Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · CPC title