Tolerance rings suit steering assemblies
A
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Rencol product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 25, 2004
Developments in tolerance ring technology are resulting in growing demand for these specialist spring steel fasteners in a range of steering assembly related applications.
Developments in tolerance ring technology are resulting in growing demand for these specialist spring steel fasteners in a range of steering assembly related applications.
In particular greater interest in electric power steering (EPS) and more sophisticated approaches to column collapse are highlighting the appeal, and versatility, of the rings.
A key factor in EPS applications is the rings' ability to provide reliable, low cost torque overload protection.
The latest generation of rings have modified waveforms, provide a wider contact area and can offer extended slip torque ranges from 1 to 2Nm up to 200Nm.
These are often required to protect the spur gears that transmit power to the steering mechanism, since they may encounter repeated abuse from incidents such as wheels contacting kerbs.
In such circumstances some form of slip clutch device is vital to prevent plastic or lightweight alloy gears and pinions shearing.
Tolerance rings can accommodate thousands of slip cycles without affecting operating performance under normal load.
Enhancements in the waveforms around the tolerance ring that create the interference fit between components are also the key to providing still greater control of steering column collapse parameters.
Conventional rings have a uniform series of waveforms around their circumference.
These give a secure interference fit within predefined parameters.
When the force on the column exceeds these in a crash the ring allows inner and outer columns to move relative to each other, absorbing impact.
The latest rings work in the same way but give still greater control of engineering parameters.
By using specially designed high precision tools to form the waves, they add a further level of control allowing very fine adjustment of the wave position and hence performance tuning in this safety critical application.
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