Fabrication

Designing the output pulley as a net-shape component, which includes an undercut radial groove, entailed the development of what the fabricator calls “extreme forming,” a proprietary tooling concept requiring four levels controlled by CNC logic. No secondary operations were used to create this component, other than a traditional tumble deburr and a coat in a rust preventative.

Results

This component is another example of the benefits of finding a parts fabricator to work with early in the design process.  Net forming the groove eliminated the time-consuming milling operation that would otherwise have been required with a machined steel part, and which would have increased its cost by about 50% and resulted in additional waste. Designing the part for fabrication at a density of 6.3 g/cm³ resulted in a 20% weight savings over a fully-dense machined part. The output pulley is produced at an annual quantity of 500,000 units.