Additive manufactured component that indicates wear and system and method thereof

• US 10,267,718 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Lonny E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, R. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Courson, Tania
• Application Number:
  US15/088,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 116200-201, 116204, 116208-209, 73431, 73762, 738665, 702185
• CPC Class Codes: C21B 7/04 with special refractories refractory materials C04B
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2055/065 Moulded gears, e.g. inserts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/012 of gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/06 Use of materials; Use of treatments of toothed members or worms to affect their intrinsic material properties coatings for lubrication F16H57/041; producing gear wheels from plastics or substances in a plastic state B29D15/00; heat treatment C21D9/32; electrolytic surface treatment C25D; heating by electromagnetic field H05B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/01 Monitoring wear or stress of gearing elements, e.g. for triggering maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 1/1621 Making linings by using shaped elements, e.g. bricks
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 21/0021 Devices for monitoring linings for wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/022 Power-transmitting couplings or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0664 using witness specimens
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/56 Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion

Abstract

A three-dimensional printed metal component for a lubricated system is provided. The metal component includes a three-dimensional printed metal body formed of a plurality of metal layers of a first metal and having a contact surface configured to movingly contact another component of the lubricated system. The metal component further includes at least one first three-dimensional printed wear-identifying layer of a material different from the first metal embedded in the metal body at a predetermined depth, a predetermined distance from an outer surface portion of the contact surface. The predetermined distance defines a predetermined wear state of the contact surface associated with replacement of the metal component.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first three-dimensional printed metal part for a first lubricated sub-system, the first three-dimensional printed metal part including;

a first three-dimensional printed metal body formed of a plurality of metal layers of a first metal and having a plurality of contact surfaces,

at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer of a first material different from the first metal, positioned in the first three-dimensional printed metal body at a first predetermined depth from a first contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces,

wherein the first predetermined depth is indicative of an amount of wear of the first contact surface associated with replacement of the first three-dimensional printed metal part, and

lubricant analysis sensor circuitry configured to perform an on-board detection of loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer in lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system where the lubricant and the first three-dimensional printed metal part remain in the first lubricated sub-system and the first lubricated sub-system remains closed.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second three-dimensional printed metal part for the first lubricated sub-system, the second three-dimensional printed metal part including:

a second three-dimensional printed metal body having a plurality of contact surfaces, and

at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer positioned in the second three-dimensional printed metal body at a second predetermined depth from a second contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces of the second three-dimensional printed metal body, the second predetermined depth being indicative of an amount of wear of the second contact surface associated with replacement of the second three-dimensional printed metal part.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer is comprised of a second material different from the first material and the first metal, the first material of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer and the second material of the at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer being different materials from any other material inside the first lubricated sub-system.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising lubricant analysis sensor circuitry configured to detect existence of loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer and existence of loose portions of the at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer in lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system, the loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer and the loose portions of the at least one second three-dimensional layer each having a constitution that affects a dielectric constant of the lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second three-dimensional printed metal part for a second lubricated sub-system, the second three-dimensional printed metal part including:

a second three-dimensional printed metal body having a plurality of contact surfaces, and

at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer positioned in the second three-dimensional printed metal body at a second predetermined depth from a second contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces of the second three-dimensional printed metal body, the second predetermined depth being indicative of an amount of wear of the second contact surface associated with replacement of the second three-dimensional printed metal part.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the lubricant analysis sensor circuitry includes:

a first lubricant analysis sensor configured to detect loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed first marker layer in lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system;

a second lubricant analysis sensor configured to detect loose portions of the at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer in lubricant of the second lubricated sub-system; and

a processor configured to identify wear states of the first three-dimensional printed metal part and the second three-dimensional printed metal part based on signals from the first and second lubricant analysis sensors.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer of a second material different from the first metal and the first material, positioned in the first three-dimensional printed metal body at a second predetermined depth from the first contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, the first and second three-dimensional printed marker layers being representative of different wear states of the first three-dimensional printed metal part.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer of a second material different from the first metal and the first material, positioned in the first three-dimensional printed metal body at the first predetermined depth from a second contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, the first and second three-dimensional printed marker layers being representative of different wear states of different surfaces of the first three-dimensional printed metal part.

9. A method comprising:

additive printing a plurality of metal layers of a first metal to form a first printed metal body having a first contact surface;

additive printing at least one first wear marker layer of a second metal, different from the first metal, the at least one first wear marker layer being provided in the first printed metal body at a first predetermined distance away from the first contact surface,

wherein the first predetermined distance is indicative of an amount of wear of the first contact surface associated with replacement of the first printed metal body,

providing a lubricant analysis sensor circuitry configured to detect loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer in lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system; and

performing, using the lubricant analysis sensor circuitry, an on-board detection of the loose portions of the at least one first three-dimensional printed marker layer in the lubricant of the first lubricated sub-system when the lubricant and the first three-dimensional printed metal part remain in the first lubricant sub-system and the first lubricated sub-system remains closed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a wear state of the first printed metal body based when said detection of loose portions indicates existence of free portions of the at least one wear marker layer.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising additive printing at least one second wear marker layer of the second metal, the at least one second wear marker layer being provided in the first printed metal body and spaced apart from the at least one first wear marker layer.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising additive printing at least one second wear marker layer of a third metal, different from the second metal, the at least one second wear marker layer being provided in the first printed metal body at a second predetermined distance away from the first contact surface.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising additive printing at least one second wear marker layer of a third metal, different from the second metal, the at least one second wear marker layer being provided in the first printed metal body at a second predetermined distance away from a second contact surface of the first printed metal body.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

additive printing a plurality of metal layers of the first metal to form a second printed metal body having a second contact surface; and

additive printing at least one second wear marker layer of a third metal, different from the first metal and the second metal, the at least one printed second wear marker layer being provided in the second printed metal body at a second predetermined distance away from the second contact surface of the second printed metal body.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer of a second material different from the first metal and the first material is positioned in the first three-dimensional printed metal body at a second predetermined depth from the first contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, the first and second three-dimensional printed marker layers being representative of different wear states of the first three-dimensional printed metal part.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one second three-dimensional printed marker layer of a second material different from the first metal and the first material is positioned in the first three-dimensional printed metal body at the first predetermined depth from a second contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces, the first and second three-dimensional printed marker layers being representative of different wear states of different surfaces of the first three-dimensional printed metal part.