Method of manufacturing a strip for a bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055182-B2
Application number	US-202117552528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 16, 2020
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a strip for a bearing may comprise roll-bonding a bearing layer comprising a tin-free aluminium alloy directly to a base layer to form a bimetal and heat-treating the bimetal at a temperature below a recrystallization initiation temperature of the aluminium alloy. A strip for a bearing manufactured using the method, and a bearing having a strip manufactured using the method, are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a strip for a bearing, the method comprising:
roll-bonding a bearing layer comprising a tin-free aluminium alloy directly to a base layer to form a bimetal;
heat-treating the bimetal at a temperature below a recrystallization initiation temperature of the tin-free aluminium alloy without performing a heat treatment to the bimetal at temperatures above the recrystallization initiation temperature of the tin-free aluminium alloy; and
coating a surface of the bearing layer with a sliding layer;
wherein only the bearing layer is roll-bonded to the base layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bimetal is heat-treated at a temperature less than 250° C.; and
the sliding layer comprises a polymer overlay.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness reduction of the aluminium alloy during roll-bonding is at least 40%.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminium alloy is substantially free of any soft phase elements.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises at least 90 wt % Al.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises between 1.0 wt % and 1.5 wt % Mn.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a bearing comprising the strip, at a load of 110 MPa, has a fatigue test pass rate of at least 90%.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a bearing comprising the strip has a fatigue load of at least 120 Mpa.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a hardness loss of a bearing comprising the strip after 500 hours in a soak test at 160° C. is less than 20%.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises:
between 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt % Mn; and
between 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt % Mg.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises between 0.8 wt % and 1.4 wt % Mn, and between 0.8 wt % and 1.3 wt % Mg; and
wherein the aluminium alloy comprises at least one of:
about 0.8 wt % Fe;
about 0.25 wt % Zn;
about 0.1 wt % Ti;
about 0.05 wt % Ga; and
about 0.05 wt % V.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises:
between 1.0 wt % and 1.5 wt % Mn, and between 0.8 wt % and 1.3 wt % Mg; and
wherein the aluminium alloy comprises at least one of:
about 0.7 wt % Fe;
about 0.25 wt % Cu;
about 0.25 wt % Zn.

13. A strip for manufacturing a bearing manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .

14. A strip for a bearing, the strip comprising:
a base layer;
a bearing layer comprising a tin-free aluminium alloy directly roll-bonded to the base layer;
a sliding layer disposed on a surface of the bearing layer, the sliding layer comprising a polymer overlay;
wherein only the bearing layer is roll-bonded to the base layer to form a bimetal;
wherein the bimetal is heat-treatable at a temperature below a recrystallization initiation temperature of the aluminium alloy without recrystallizing a microstructure of the aluminium alloy, so that a bearing comprising the strip satisfies at least one of the following:
at a load of 110 MPa, a fatigue test pass rate of at least 90%;
a fatigue load of at least 120 Mpa; and
a hardness loss after 500 hours in a soak test at 160° C. is less than 20%.

15. The strip for a bearing according to claim 14 , wherein the aluminium alloy contains between 0.7 wt % and 0.8 wt % of iron (Fe).

16. The strip for a bearing according to claim 14 , wherein the aluminium alloy is substantially free of any soft phase elements.

17. The strip for a bearing according to claim 14 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises at least 90 wt % Al.

18. A strip for a bearing, the strip comprising:
a base layer; and
a bearing layer comprising a tin-free aluminium alloy, wherein the bearing layer is directly roll-bonded to the base layer to form a bimetal;
wherein the bimetal is heat-treatable at a temperature below a recrystallization initiation temperature of the aluminium alloy, and wherein a microstructure of the aluminium alloy is not recrystallized; and
a sliding layer coated onto a surface of the bearing layer, the sliding layer comprising a polymer overlay.

19. The strip for a bearing according to claim 18 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises:
between 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt % Mn; and
between 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt % Mg.

20. The strip for a bearing according to claim 18 , wherein the aluminium alloy comprises at least one of:
about 0.8 wt % Fe;
about 0.25 wt % Zn;
about 0.1 wt % Ti;
about 0.05 wt % Ga; and
about 0.05 wt % V.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh
• Mahle Engine Systems Uk Ltd
• Mahle Metal Leve Sa

Inventors

• Campbell Sylvia
• Vieira De Morais Paulo R

Classifications

• B21B2001/383

  Cladded or coated products · CPC title

• C22F1/04 Primary

  of aluminium or alloys based thereon · CPC title

• C21D9/40

  for rings; for bearing races · CPC title

• F16C2360/22

  Internal combustion engines · CPC title

• F16C2220/44

  by rolling · CPC title