Thrust washer answers automotive demands
A
Minnesota Rubber and Plastics product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Feb 7, 2005
Minnesota Rubber and QMR Plastics injection mould a glass-filled nylon/silicone formulation to produce highly rugged thrust washers used in automotive universal joint assemblies.
Minnesota Rubber and QMR Plastics injection mould a glass-filled nylon/silicone formulation to produce highly rugged thrust washers used in automotive universal joint assemblies.
These thrust washers protect the universal joint from excessive wear and abrasion of the rotating action of the bearings.
This protection is especially important at the outside ends of the bearings and on the bearing caps in order to prevent metal-to-metal contact of the moving parts.
This application was challenging, as it required designing a one-piece thrust washer that would absorb the needle bearing length tolerance and function trouble-free in the universal joint housing.
Responding to the requirements of the automotive industry for improved component performance while lowering cost, Minnesota Rubber/QMR Plastics brought to bear its six decades of experience designing and manufacturing components used in harsh operating environments.
A glass filled nylon/silicone formulation, orange in colour, was developed for the thrust washer design giving it a useful temperature range of -40 to +150C.
As the component tolerances are critical to this application, the thrust washer is injection moulded with a variance of 25um.
This provides just enough clearance in the housing for ease of assembly and a precise fit.
Each universal joint consists of four sets of needle bearings assembled in a circle and packed with grease.
The bearings are sandwiched between a metal cap around the OD and a shaft in the ID.
The drive shaft fastens to the universal joint with a yoke on the end of the drive shaft.
The thrust washers are placed into the caps first.
Then the needle bearings are assembled.
The ends of the needle bearings rest on the thrust washer.
This successful thrust washer design proved the soundness of both the material selection and design configuration.
Choosing the right material was crucial for the thrust washer's dynamic operating environment.
It provided both high and low temperature resistance, excellent flex fatigue resistance, and most importantly, low cost.
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