Patent Document

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Field 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to machining tools and more particularly to a combination tool having a cutting element and an expandable peening element. 
       Background 
       [0002]    Machining operations for drilling or milling often require peening for final surface preparation. In current practice the drill bit or milling cutter must be removed from the machine and replaced with a peening device or the part moved from the machine tool to a separate location for peening. Orbital drilling is a comparatively new process for generating holes that uses a helical milling cutter path to machine holes rather than the conventional axial drilling process. This cutting process is particularly beneficial when generating holes in mixed stack materials such as titanium and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). This process also improves fatigue properties in these materials. However, the process has been shown to take a reduction in fatigue life in aluminum. While the drill/ream process has better fatigue life in aluminum, this process requires more coolant which creates a need for extensive clean up, produces interface and exit burrs that must be removed prior to installation of a fastener and has inferior fatigue properties in titanium and steel. All conventional drilling processes are time consuming and may present a greater risk to the mechanics. No orbital cutting tools or processes that improve fatigue life in aluminum open hole coupons exist in the prior art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Exemplary embodiments provide a machining tool incorporating a shaft having a first end configured to fit into a machining collet. A cutting portion extends from a second end of the shaft. A residual stress inducer is located between the first and second ends and includes a torsion element joined to the shaft at a connection end. A carbide tip is present on a free end opposite the connection end and the torsion element is configured such that a selected rotational speed, altered from a normal cutting speed, causes the carbide tip of the torsion element to contact a workpiece surface. 
         [0004]    The embodiments provide a method for inducing residual stress in a workpiece surface by machining the work piece with a cutting portion of a tool at a first rotational speed. A residual stress inducer having a torsion element is restrained within an outer diameter of the cutting portion at the first rotational speed. The rotational speed is then altered to extend the torsion elements to allow contact with the surface of the workpiece by a carbide tip on the torsion element. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present invention or may be combined in yet other embodiments further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1A  is a bottom perspective view of an example embodiment of a roto peening orbital drilling tool with the peening element in a retracted position; 
           [0007]      FIG. 1B  is a top perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 1C  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of the embodiment with the peening element partially extended at a cutting rotational speed; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a top perspective view of the embodiment with the peening element fully extended at a peening rotational speed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  is a bottom perspective view of the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A   
           [0013]      FIG. 3C  is a top view of the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment employing an intermediate spring attachment for the peening element; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a top view of the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 4A ; and, 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart demonstrating a method for machining employing the embodiments disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The embodiments described herein provide a residual stress inducer in the form of a peening device or feature integrated onto a cutting tool or tool holder that follows the cutting portion of the tool through the hole. After the cutting feature enters the material and creates the hole, the peening device enters the hole and peens the hole wall, creating compressive residual stress. This allows for an orbital process to create a hole with acceptable fatigue properties in a single pass, (without requiring a secondary process). While described herein for embodiments employed in an orbital process, the operational elements of the invention are equally applicable for embodiments of tools employing other standard rotary machining operations such as milling, drilling or cutting. 
         [0018]    Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1A-1B  show various views of an exemplary embodiment of a roto peening orbital drilling tool  10 . The tool  10  incorporates a shaft  12  having a first end  14  adapted for engagement by a chuck or collet of an orbital drill or other machining device. A cutting portion  16  extends from a second end  18  of the shaft  12 . The cutting portion  16  incorporates flutes or teeth  20 . The shaft  12  has a diameter  22  less than a diameter  24  of the cutting portion  16 . A residual stress inducer in the form of a pair of peening elements  26   a ,  26   b . While two peening elements are shown one element or multiple elements may be employed in alternative embodiments. The peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  are adapted to be closely received on the shaft  12  between the cutting portion  16  and first end  14  of the shaft. During cutting operation of the cutting portion  16  the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  remain concentrically within the diameter  24  of the cutting portion  16  to avoid any interference with the cutting operation. The residual stress inducer is operable by increasing the rotational speed of the tool  10  in the cutting direction (represented by arrow  28  in  FIG. 1C ) or by reversing the rotational direction of the tool (represented by arrow  30 ) to create centrifugal force urging the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  radially outward. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  during cutting operation the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  may partially extend due to centrifugal forces at the cutting rotational speed. The peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  have a torsion element  32  which is attached to the shaft  12  at a connection end  34 . The attachment may be accomplished by a rotational element  36  which may be a “live hinge” created by a flexible portion of the torsion element proximate the connection end  34  or a rotatable hinge as shown in the drawings. Alternatively, the rotational element  36  may be a rotary spring such as a helical or coil spring to provide or enhance the predetermined resistance to the centrifugal forces for the desired range of extension induced by rotation of the tool. A set of carbide balls  38  or comparable elements provide a carbide tip on the torsion element  32  at a free end  40  opposite the connection end  34 . For the embodiment shown, a flexible element  42  interconnects the carbide balls  38  to a body portion  44  of the torsion elements  32 . The exemplary configuration allows the torsion element  32  to have a resiliency necessary to sufficiently resist the centrifugal forces at the rotational speed for the cutting operation to retain the peening elements within the cutting element diameter  24  to avoid interference with the cutting operation. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 3A-3C  show the residual stress inducer fully deployed with the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  extended beyond the diameter  24  of the cutting portion  16 . The flexible element  42  allows more active surface interaction by the carbide balls  38  with a surface  43  of the workpiece during the peening operation. In certain embodiments the torsion elements  32  may be sufficiently flexible to provide desired active surface interaction and the flexible elements may be eliminated. As previously described, the full extension of the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  is accomplished in certain embodiments by increasing rotational speed of the tool  10  whereby the centrifugal forces urge the peening elements outward to or beyond the diameter  24  of the cutting portion  16 . In alternative embodiments, the peening operation may be induced by reversing the rotational direction which not only provides centrifugal force on the peening elements but aerodynamic force operating on the torsion element  32  to enhance the extension force. With the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  extended, the carbide balls  38  impact the surface of the workpiece. Flexibility of the flexible elements  42  and/or the torsion elements  32  provides the desired active surface interaction by the carbide balls  38 . For exemplary embodiments, the flexible elements  42  may be a fabric flap. The torsion elements  32  may be thin resilient steel or metallic alloy or may be a composite or impregnated fabric having resilient flexibility to conform to the shaft curvature and suitably react to the centrifugal forces for the desired range of extension. 
         [0021]    In an alternative embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  a spring  46  may be attached from the body  44  of the torsion element  32  into or through the shaft  12  to provide centripetal force to urge the torsion element toward the shaft to maintain the peening elements  26   a ,  26   b  within the diameter of the cutting portion  16  at the rotational speeds incurred during the cutting operation (seen in  FIGS. 4A and 4B ). If the spring  46  extends through the shaft for interconnection between the opposing torsion elements  32 , a slot  48  through the shaft may be employed for clearance of the spring during extension and retraction of the peening elements about the hinges  36 . The spring  46  is sufficiently resilient to allow expansion of the peening elements to the extended position at the rotational speed for peening. 
         [0022]    While the torsion elements  32  are shown as curved for the exemplary embodiments, where relative diameters of the shaft and cutting portion are sufficiently different, the torsion elements may be straight with length sufficient, when radially extended, to reach beyond the diameter of the cutting portion but rotated to within that diameter by either the rotational element incorporating a rotational spring or a centripetal spring. Alternatively the torsion element may be variably resilient along its length with a living hinge at the connection end and a preset resilient curvature extending from the living hinge toward the free end whereby the free end and carbide tip (along with any included flexible element) remain within the diameter of the cutting tool at the rotational speed for cutting. The preset curvature is then straightened by the centrifugal force at the altered rotational speed and/or direction for extension of the carbide tip into contact with the surface of the workpiece. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a method for inducing residual stress in a workpiece employing the embodiments described herein. Residual stress may be induced in a workpiece in a combined operation with machining of the workpiece surface such as in orbital drilling by machining the work piece with a cutting portion  16  of a tool  10  at a first rotational speed, step  502 . A residual stress inducer having a torsion element  32  is resiliently restrained within an outer diameter  24  of the cutting portion  16  at the first rotational speed, step  504 . After completion of the operation of the cutting portion  16 , rotational speed of the tool  10  is altered to extend the torsion elements  32  to allow contact with the surface of the workpiece by a carbide tip on the torsion element such as carbide balls by increasing to a second speed, step  506 , or reversing direction and rotating at an extension speed, step  508 . Aerodynamic force may also be employed on the torsion element in addition to the centrifugal force induced by the rotation to enhance extension of the torsion elements, step  510 . Upon completion of peening, the rotational speed of the tool  10  may then be reduced for retraction of the torsion elements  32 , step  512 . 
         [0024]    Having now described various embodiments of the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

Technology Category: 7