Roller Straightening of Track Pins - A Market Survey

摘要

Track pins used in Army tracked vehicles undergo heat treatment during manufacturing to induce appropriate hardness. In the process, the pins wrap and need straightening before further processing.The problem is to straighten the pins without decreasing pin fatigue life or strength. Presently, straightening is done by chisel straightening, accomplished by supporting the pin at the ends and bending it in the middle until the outer fibers yield and the pin is straight enough to continue processing. Recently this operation has been automated, but the problem remains. Chisel straightening leaves pins with selected areas of yielded/plastically deformed outer fibers which can act as stress risers and reduce pin fatigue life, strength and reliability. These drawbacks would not occur if straightening were done via roller straightening. A market survey was conducted to find existing firms interested and able to implement roller straightening of track pins used in the Army M1 tank into an existing manufacturing plant. Questionnaires were sent to those who responded to a call for potential contractors placed in the Commerce Business Daily Journal. Only four respondents returned completed questionnaires. Of the four, only two truly addressed roller straightening; the others answered in terms of chisel straightening.