Automotive Supplier Achieves Process Stability, High Cost Efficiency with Modular Shot Peening System

For transmission components like gears and shafts, shot peening has become an indispensable step in the overall manufacturing process.  

With the RWT swing table machine, Rosler developed a modular equipment concept that can be easily adapted to different technical requirements and offers a maximum in process stability paired with absolutely repeatable peening results and high cost efficiency. One of the numerous customers within the automotive industry utilizing the RWT is an Asian automotive supplier.

The Need

As part of a capacity expansion for minivan transmissions, this customer increased annual production to 40,000 units and decided to carry out the required shot peening operation in-house instead of subcontracting it to an external job shop.

The specifications called for a system that can handle around 560,000 single work pieces per year, including 15 different types of gears and shafts. Each work piece type required the development of a specific peening program based on drawings and various work piece materials.

Another requirement was the tight control of the entire peening process capable of handling gears and shafts with diameters of 12 in (300 mm), heights of 20 in (500 mm), and weights of up to 55 lb (25 kg).

The Solution

The customer chose the Rosler shot peening system RWT 13/4 So due to its capability and fully automatic processing. This pressure blast system includes a table with two 180° segments, each equipped with two satellite stations which allows two parts to be processed in one segment while another pair of parts is loaded/unloaded in the other segment.

For complete coverage of the work pieces, the RWT is equipped with four blast nozzles – two for vertical and two for horizontal movement. Since some areas of the work pieces are completely finished before entering the machine, special wear-resistant masking is integrated into the work piece fixtures to protect the already finished surface area from being blasted.

To meet all customer requirements, the system design allows the parallel use of two different blast media types or one type with different shot sizes. 

Rosler tested various work pieces during the course of the project. Rosler’s global test centers and the in-house X-ray diffraction measurement capabilities showed that the achieved compressive stress values were twice as high as the values stipulated by the customer. The in house X-ray diffractometer allowed Rosler to shorten the process development cycle for these transmission components.

The measurement system can also be used for a variety of other parts besides gears and shafts. These can include valve and chassis springs, other chassis components, airplane turbines, and components for the energy generating industry. Rosler also offers x-ray diffraction measurements as a service.

Developed for Success

The RWT’s concept can easily be adapted to specific customer requirements since its swing table design is based on a modular concept developed for shot peening of rotationally symmetrical components.

The RWT's blast chamber

Compared to other peening systems on the market, the blast chamber contains considerably more wear protection and is easier to access for maintenance work. The pressure blast system requires a considerably lower amount of compressed air and, therefore, runs more efficiently.

The RWT's monitoring and control system

A comprehensive monitoring and control system measures the air volume to ensure the high process safety and consistency required for any shot peening operation.

The RWT's blast nozzles

The nozzles can be moved vertically and horizontally as well as pivoted at an angle from 0 to 90°. This guarantees complete coverage of all work piece surface areas over a large part size variety. The high efficiency of the pressure blast system results in significant savings in compressed air consumption.

For controlling the overall peening process Rosler also uses standard components. These include the automatic control of the blast media throughput and the precise measurement of the media throwing speed directly at the nozzle exit. The Magna valves for precise dosing of the blast media as well as all media hoses can also be monitored. The RWT can be equipped with a spiral separator for discharging any broken-down blast media.

The Rosler Way

With more than 80 years of experience, Rosler has the knowledge and expertise to find the exact shot peening machine to meet your needs. Contact us to discuss your challenges and be sure to sign up for enews alerts to be notified of new posts!

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