DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTALLATION FOR MAGNETO-THERMAL REINFORCEMENT OF POLYMER PARTS OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES

Abstract

The annual growth rate of additive manufacturing technologies expands the range of applications for products (seals, gears and gears, blower and pump blades) made of polymer materials in agricultural engineering. Such products are lightweight, highly adaptable and easy to manufacture. At the same time, insufficient surface hardness and wear resistance limit their use in high-speed and heavily loaded mechanisms. In this regard, the development of methods for hardening polymer surfaces is an urgent task. The paper presents an experimental setup that allows using the method of magneto-thermal reinforcement to carry out the introduction of ultradispersed ferromagnetic particles (nickel powder PNK-UT3 with a dimension of 40 μm) into the surface of thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics. The main modes and parameters of the experimental setup have been determined. Microscopic and tribotechnical studies of hardened surfaces of polymer samples were carried out (polypropylene of the «Balen 01270» brand was used). The parameters of the surface hardness and wear resistance of the obtained samples are investigated. The possibility of obtaining products from thermoplastics and thermosets with a metal-reinforced surface directly in the process of their molding is shown, which significantly reduces the time and energy consumption for the production of parts.