Rolling and sliding are equally important: the secret of constant velocity joint inner shell raceway design

The primary goal of the raceway design of the constant velocity joint inner shell is to ensure smooth power transmission between two different axes. This requires that the raceway design not only meets the needs of rolling contact, but also takes into account the influence of sliding contact. Rolling contact can reduce friction resistance and improve transmission efficiency; while sliding contact may cause additional wear under certain working conditions and affect service life. Therefore, the raceway design needs to find the best balance between the two.

Rolling contact is the basis of the design of the raceway of the constant velocity joint inner shell. In order to improve rolling efficiency, the raceway usually adopts precise geometry and surface treatment technology. The optimization of the geometry includes determining the appropriate radius of curvature, contact angle and axial position to ensure uniform distribution of contact pressure between the steel ball and the raceway. Surface treatment technology, such as hardening, polishing or coating, can significantly improve the hardness and wear resistance of the raceway and reduce wear during rolling.

However, a simple rolling contact design is not enough to cope with all working conditions. Especially in the case of large angle changes caused by steering or uneven road surface, sliding contact becomes inevitable.

Sliding contact is a complex and critical factor in the design of the raceway of the inner shell of the constant velocity joint. It may be caused by a variety of reasons, such as relative sliding between the steel ball and the raceway caused by angle changes, insufficient lubrication or material mismatch. Sliding contact not only increases friction resistance and reduces transmission efficiency, but may also cause severe wear on the raceway surface and shorten the service life of the constant velocity joint.

In order to cope with the impact of sliding contact, a series of measures need to be taken in the design of the raceway. First, by optimizing the geometry and surface treatment technology of the raceway, the area and intensity of sliding contact can be reduced. Secondly, the use of high-performance grease and optimized lubrication channels can ensure that the raceway is fully lubricated during the transmission process and reduce the friction coefficient. In addition, the selection of materials with excellent wear resistance and anti-sliding properties is also key.

In the design of the raceway, the mixed design of rolling and sliding is the key to achieving efficient transmission and long life. This design needs to fully consider the impact of sliding contact on the basis of meeting the rolling contact requirements, and balance the two through reasonable geometry, surface treatment technology, lubrication system and material selection.

To achieve this goal, designers usually need to conduct a lot of experiments and simulation analysis. They explored the best rolling and sliding hybrid design by changing the geometric parameters of the raceway, testing the performance of different materials and greases, and optimizing the design of the lubrication channel. These efforts are aimed at finding a balance point that can maintain efficient transmission and low wear under various working conditions.

In practical applications, the raceway design of the inner shell of the constant velocity joint can significantly reduce friction and wear during the transmission process after careful optimization. This not only improves the transmission efficiency and enables the vehicle to transmit power more efficiently, but also extends the service life of the constant velocity joint and reduces the frequency of maintenance and replacement.

The effect evaluation is usually carried out through comparative experiments. Designers will compare the constant velocity joint with the optimized raceway design with the traditional design to evaluate its transmission efficiency, wear and service life under different working conditions. These test data provide valuable basis for further optimization of the raceway design.

With the continuous development of automotive technology, the requirements for the raceway design of the inner shell of the constant velocity joint are also increasing. In the future, the raceway design will pay more attention to the balance of characteristics such as light weight, high strength and wear resistance. With the continuous emergence of new materials, new processes and intelligent lubrication systems, the optimization space of raceway design will be further expanded.

In addition, with the popularization of electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology, the design of the inner shell raceway of constant velocity joints will also face new challenges and opportunities. How to adapt to the high torque output of electric vehicles and the precise control requirements of autonomous driving systems while maintaining efficient transmission and low wear will become an important research direction for future raceway design.