복잡한 특수 부품의 빠르고 경제적인 제조

• What was needed: Special sliders with complex geometries
• Manufacturing method: Laser sintering
• Requirements: Optimised sliding properties, self-lubricating, durable
• Material: iglidur I3
• Industry: Automotive
• Success from the collaboration: Cost-effective, fast manufacture of small volumes. Durable components with dry operation.

Car drivers who cannot use their legs can now accelerate on the steering wheel with their hands thanks to the Darios digital accelerator ring. Developed by Kempf in Alsace, the elegant, unobtrusive accelerator ring ensures safe, comfortable driving and can be integrated into most automatic transmission vehicles. The challenge the engineers faced in adapting the accelerator ring to flattened steering wheels was getting the ring to slide around the corner. The solution took the form of special sliders made of the slide-optimised iglidur I3 3D printing plastic and earned the company the 2019 manus award for innovative plastic bearing solutions.

Complex special parts can be manufactured from the iglidur I3 self-lubricating laser sintering plastic in the igus 3D printing service within 24 hours. Parts printed with iglidur sliding polymers feature great wear resistance and predictable service life. 

 

가속 링 위치는 두 개의 센서에 의해 감지되고, 와이어 연결을 통해 측면 패널 아래에있는 컴퓨터로 전송됩니다.  각 스티어링 휠 모델은 메커니즘, 센서 및 DARIOS 인쇄 회로 보드를 최적으로 통합하기 위해 3D 스캐너로 측정됩니다. 출처: Kempf

문제

To manufacture accelerator rings for flattened steering wheels, the customer regularly needs special sliders that are joined together and slide "around the corner" on a metal ring. More than 200 elements are needed for each steering wheel. The only option for realising this movement is designing special sliders with a complex geometry involving numerous undercuts, making production with conventional manufacturing methods not only difficult, but very expensive. There is a 30-year guarantee on Kempf driving aids so the special sliders must be extremely durable and reliable. The components cannot be lubricated as they are permanently installed inside the accelerator ring's leather sleeve.

솔루션 제시

특수 슬라이더의 복잡한 구조와 언더컷은 적층 제조를 통해서만 효율적으로 생산할 수 있습니다. 슬라이딩 특성이 최적화된 고성능 폴리머인 iglidur I3는 Kempf에게 섬세한 요소를 인쇄할 수 있는 이상적인 소재를 제공했습니다. 24시간 이내에 레이저 소결되는 특수 슬라이더는 윤활이나 유지보수가 필요하지 않아 코너를 부드럽게 움직입니다. 주문 수량이 많음(주문 당 10,000 개 이상)에도 불구하고 특수 슬라이더의 복잡성은 사출 성형보다 비용 효율적으로 3D 프린팅이 가능했습니다.  

Darios 디지털 가속 링은 양손이 스티어링 휠에 있음을 의미합니다. 운전자는 또한 한 손으로 방향 조정 및 가속을 하고 다른 손으로는 핸드 브레이크를 조작 할 수 있습니다. 출처: Kempf

손으로만 운전: Darios, 스티어링 휠의 디지털 가속 링

 "The accelerator ring is the best-quality product on the market. Its workmanship is superb and its reliability unabated. So far, I have driven a total of 785,000 kilometres without any technical problems. Yes, 785,000 kilometres, or 19.625 times round the world."

This is only one of the many enthusiastic customer references from Darios users. And no wonder, after all, Kempf insists on the highest quality for its products and offers its customers a 30-year guarantee on all its driving aids.

KEMPF was established in 1955 by Hans Kempf, who had difficulty walking after suffering from polio. As an enthusiastic mechanic, he invented the accelerator ring in order to be able to drive with both hands on the steering wheel. By the time he died in 2002, he had retrofitted more than 100,000 vehicles.

The hand accelerator system Kempf developed is the only one on the market that adapts itself to the speed of the vehicle: at low speeds, the acceleration is gentle, progressive, and economical, while at high speeds, it is dynamic so that driving is safer and the driver can perform fast overtaking manoeuvres precisely and easily. All the usual steering wheel functions, such as adjustability, airbag, and horn, are retained. The pedals also remain functional – Darios can be deactivated by means of a switch so that other drivers can operate the vehicle in the usual manner.

가속 링은 자동 변속기가 있는 거의 모든 차량에 설치할 수 있습니다. 차량 내장 디자인에 매끄럽고 우아하게 어울립니다. 출처: Kempf

자유롭게 움직이는 슬리브로 정확한 가속

In order to accelerate, the ring is pressed in the direction of the steering wheel. This requires only a very small amount of force (about three newtons). The stroke between idling and full acceleration is only about 18mm. When the steering wheel slides back to the straight-ahead position after a curve, the freely rotating sleeve enables precise acceleration when the vehicle comes out of the curve, regardless of the position of the steering wheel. Both hands can remain on the steering wheel when Darios is in operation, but the accelerator ring can also be operated with only one hand so that the hand brake can be operated with the other. 

With its fine leather cover, the accelerator ring fits in harmoniously with the interior of vehicles and the colour of the leather can be chosen if required. Since Darios 211 has been developed many cars now have flat steering wheels. This accelerator ring is flat, but also has a freely rotating sleeve. But how can a flat ring be fitted with a sliding cover? 

많은 신차에는 플랫 스티어링 휠이 있습니다. 따라서 가속 링은 이러한 차량에 대해 평평한 디자인을 가져야 했으며 이로 인해 개발자에게 몇 가지 어려운 기술적 문제가 발생했습니다. 출처: Kempf

iglidur I3로 제작된 200개 이상의 특수 슬라이더로 마찰없는 슬라이딩 보장

차량에 둥근 스티어링 휠 대신 플랫을 장착하는 새로운 트렌드는 Kempf 엔지니어에게 큰 어려움을 안겨주었습니다. 플랫 스티어링 휠의 경우 기술 및 미적 이유로 스티어링 휠만큼 납작한 플랫 가속 링이 필요합니다. 차량의 자연스러운 부분처럼 보이는 눈에 띄지 않는 장치는 실제로 수많은 복잡한 세부 사항으로 가득 차 있습니다. 둥근 가속 링에 슬라이딩 슬리브를 장착하는 것은 비교적 쉽습니다. 평평한 가속 링을 원형처럼 자유롭게 회전하는 슬리브로 덮으려면 기술적으로 복잡한 솔루션이 필요합니다.  
 
Kempf의 제품 개발자는 이구스 3D 프린팅 팀과 협력하여 이 솔루션을 찾았습니다. 세계 최초의 플랫 가속 링인 Darios 211에는 최적화된 슬라이딩 특성을 가진 iglidur I3 폴리머로 제작된 적층 제조 부품이 사용됩니다. 플랫 가속 링에는 유연하게 결합된 200 개 이상의 요소가 있습니다. 가속 링의 평평한 금속 코어 주위에 슬라이딩 링을 형성하여 슬리브를 원활하게 슬라이딩 할 수 있습니다. 이 혁신적인 솔루션으로 Kempf사는 2019년 하노버 무역 박람회에서 동메달을 수상했습니다.

Darios 211 가속 링에는 금속 링 위로 가죽 슬리브를 마찰없이 슬라이딩 할 수있는 200 개 이상의 복잡한 특수 슬라이더가 포함되어 있습니다. 출처: Kempf

iglidur I3 재질로 프린트된 특수 슬라이더의 장점

The engineers decided to 3D print the complex special sliders, due to the numerous undercuts made injection moulding very complicated and therefore expensive. Additive manufacturing imposes hardly any restrictions with regard to design rules, and this makes manufacturing components with complex geometries economical. It also eliminates tool costs.

One of the most important reasons for choosing iglidur I3 as the manufacturing material for the special slider was the solid lubricants it contains. No component maintenance is necessary, and component service life increases considerably because there is hardly any wear. iglidur I3 is an SLS powder that can be processed by all conventional laser sintering machines. The powder is melted layer-by-layer with a laser, enabling precise reproduction of fine structures. Depending on the size of the component, several thousand pieces can be manufactured in a printing process lasting about 24 hours. The customer profits not only from the high cost savings, but also from the fast manufacturing and delivery time. Another special feature that only laser sintering enables in this form is the printing of packaging for the filigree parts in the same printing process. The costs of packaging and the work it involves are avoided and there is no risk that individual components will be lost or damaged.

iglidur I3 is by far the most frequently used 3D printing plastic in the igus 3D printing service. In addition to its suitability for different sliding applications, it demonstrates its strengths as one of the best plastics on the market for 3D printed gears.