Reciprocating compressor crank Thermal Deburring
As summer approaches and temperatures rise, air conditioning units and refrigerators will work harder than ever.
Critical component spotlight: the crank in hermetic compressors
The heart of a refrigeration unit is its compressor, specifically a reciprocating compressor, also known as a Scotch Yoke compressor.
Most cooling systems use this type of compressor, which comes in three variations: hermetic, semi-hermetic, and open.
Hermetic compressors fit in refrigerators, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, with about 20 million units produced annually.
Focus on hermetic compressors and their critical component, the crank.
Prolonged performance: the reliability of reciprocating compressors
While the design and principle of a reciprocating compressor are simple, they can run tirelessly for up to 50,000 hours to maintain the desired cooling effect.
The crankshaft is essential for a reciprocating compressor. It actuates the reciprocating piston, which fits into a cylinder through a sliding yoke.
The reciprocating compressor crankshaft is a small but complex hardened steel component. It has a characteristic shape and well-defined lubrication channels and oil holes, ensuring many years of smooth operation.
Thermal deburring for crankshaft finishing perfection
Machining the crankshaft can result in the formation of burrs, which can be problematic. Thermal deburring is a critical process that ensures complete burr removal.
Due to the crankshaft’s complex shape, high production rate, and low cost, thermal deburring is the only technology to ensure a flawless component.
The thermal deburring (TEM) process involves igniting a pressurized mixture of combustible gas and oxygen within a sealed, controlled chamber.
This ignition produces intense heat energy, reaching temperatures between 2500 °C and 3500 °C for milliseconds. The sudden release of this extreme heat causes burrs and flashes to catch fire, burn in excess oxygen, and vaporize until the heat dissipates into the body of the workpiece.
The result is meticulous removal of burrs, leaving behind a clean crank, ensuring optimal functionality.
Optimizing production with crankshaft thermal deburring
Depending on the machine size, several cranks can be deburred simultaneously in the thermal deburring machine chamber.
Each cycle lasts one minute, providing one of the most effective deburring costs per part in the market.
It’s fascinating to think that looking at air conditioning or a refrigerator, one would not realize, that it is another proven solution from Extrude Hone to making summer more comfortable.