Production device, in particular assembly device, workpiece coordination device, shaping tool, shaping tool insert, quality control device or installation gage, having wear and/or manipulation identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11045917-B2
Application number	US-201816133929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A production device having wear and/or manipulation identification is provided. The production device is produced at least for the most part by additive production methods and has a surface. The production device may be constructed as an assembly device, in particular workpiece coordination device, shaping tool or auxiliary technical production device. According to the present disclosure there is provided at least in a region of the surface at least one signal layer which, in an initial state of the production device, is arranged at a predetermined depth below a surface termination layer of the surface and is covered externally by the surface termination layer of the surface. In this instance, the signal layer differs in a visually perceptible manner from the surface termination layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning pin comprising:
a surface subject to wear during sliding within a through-opening of a blank used to form a component;
a plurality of adjacent signal layers disposed parallel to the surface;
a surface termination layer comprising the surface and a predefined thickness, wherein the surface termination layer covers the plurality of adjacent signal layers such that each of the plurality of adjacent signal layers are arranged at a predetermined radial depth below the surface when the positioning pin is in an initial state, and each layer of the plurality of adjacent signal layers is visually distinct such that different degrees of radial wear of the surface along a length of the positioning pin are visually distinguishable.

2. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein the positioning pin is at least one of a workpiece coordination device, shaping tool, shaping tool insert, quality control device, and an installation gage.

3. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein each signal layer of the plurality of adjacent signal layers and the surface termination layer are visually distinct.

4. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein two mutually adjacent signal layers of the plurality of adjacent signal layers have different colors.

5. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein two mutually adjacent signal layers of the plurality of adjacent signal layers have different patterns.

6. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of adjacent signal layers includes a visually perceptible distinctive feature configured to visually differentiate each of the plurality of adjacent signal layers from the surface termination layer and a property of the visually perceptible distinctive feature changes within each of the plurality of adjacent signal layers according to a radial depth below the surface termination layer.

7. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein the surface termination layer has an external texture.

8. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein at least a proportion of the positioning pin is made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics material.

9. The positioning pin of claim 1 , wherein at least one signal layer of the plurality of adjacent signal layers and the surface termination layer is formed by at least one additive production method.

10. The positioning pin of claim 9 , wherein the at least one signal layer is formed by a 3D color printer.

11. A positioning pin comprising:
a surface having a plurality of regions and subject to wear during sliding within a through-opening of a blank used to form a component;
a plurality of signal layers arranged in each region of the plurality of regions of the surface; and
a surface termination layer comprising the surface and a predefined thickness, the surface termination layer covering the plurality of signal layers arranged in each region when the positioning pin is in an initial state,
wherein each layer of the plurality of signal layers is produced by at least one additive production method and is visually distinct such that different degrees of radial wear of the surface along a length of the positioning pin are visually distinguishable.

12. The positioning pin of claim 11 , wherein a property of a visually distinctive feature of each layer of the plurality of signal layers changes within each of the plurality of signal layers according to a radial depth below the surface termination layer.

13. The positioning pin of claim 11 , wherein a visually distinctive feature of each layer of the plurality of signal layers is at least one of a color, a pattern, and a texture.

14. The positioning pin of claim 11 , wherein the surface termination layer has an external texture.

15. A positioning pin comprising:
a surface having at least one region and subject to wear during sliding within a through-opening of a blank used to form a component;
a first signal layer arranged in the at least one region of the surface;
a second signal layer adjacent the first signal layer; and
a surface termination layer comprising the surface and a predefined thickness, the surface termination layer covering at least one of the first signal layer and the second signal layer when the positioning pin is in an initial state such that the first and second signal layers are arranged at a predetermined radial depth below the surface termination layer,
wherein the first and second signal layers are visually distinct such that different degrees of radial wear of the positioning pin is visually distinguishable,
wherein the first signal layer, the second signal layer, and the surface termination layer have a visually distinct feature and are produced by an additive production method.

16. The positioning pin of claim 15 , wherein the visually distinct feature is at least one of a different color and a different pattern.

17. The positioning pin of claim 15 , wherein a property of the visually distinct feature changes within the first and second signal layer according to a radial depth below the surface termination layer.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Koch Raphael
• Bognar Lars

Classifications

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B21D37/01

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• B21D37/20

  Making tools by operations not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title

• B29C64/00

  Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering · CPC title

• B32B15/18

  comprising iron or steel {(B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence)} · CPC title