Key Engineering Materials Vols.

467-469 (2011) pp 1731-1735

Online available since 2011/Feb/21 at www.scientific.net
© (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.467-469.1731

Design of Cantilever Semi-ball Valve Seat Assembly Machine

Tiecheng-Li1, a
1
College of Electromechanical Engineering, Henan University of Technology
Zhengzhou 450007; China
a
ltch@haut.edu.cn

Keywords: valve seat; assembly machine; spinning pretighten; double speed

Abstract: Basing on the analyzing assembly technology of the double eccentric semi-ball valvular,
the boom-type assembly machine is designed to assemble half spherical valvular. The assembly
machine can provide larger transmit torque at the ending tighten step, though the changing of two
speeds and releasing the energy of flywheel. Semi-ball valve seat assembly machine will greatly
increase the manufacture of semi-valve level and the production efficiency. And it has a good
application value.

Introduction
Double eccentric semi-ball valve is mainly composed of valve body, spool, and valve seat. The
spool can rotate around the valve body and the valve seat keeps stationary relative to the valve body.
The seal can be realized by the close fit of valve body and valve seat in the semi-ball valve. The
sealing surfaces of semi-ball valve and spool are annular concave inside and convex outside spherical
surfaces separately, and both of them need the operation of lapping finish[1]. Valve seat and spool are
fixed by a screw barrel, and sealed with mechanical seal. It’s necessary to exert large pretightening
force to ensure the reliabiltiy of seal by rotating the sleeve. At present, most enterprises utilize the
manual method by accessary appliances to solve the assamble of valve seat and valve body. This
method has low efficiency and hard labor. Since the pretightening force of the screw barrel is unable
to be controlled, designing a kind of specific cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine has
some important applications in realizing automatic valve seat assmbly. Besides it can increase the
productivity and assure the assembly quality with low labour strength through adjusting the
pretightening force [2] .

1 Assembly process analysis of double eccentric semi-ball valve

1.1 Structures of the double eccentric semi-ball valve seat and the screw barrel
Fig.1(a) shows the assembly structure of the semi-ball valve(style:DN300) seat; Fig.1(b) shows the
double eccentric semi-ball valve seat, which has the structure of annular concave inside spherical
surfaces and belongs to one of the crucial parts in semi-ball valve after lapping finish. Fig.1(c) shows
the screw barrel, which is a annular part casted by the material 30cr9M02V with external thread and
its rigidity HRC≥60.

1.2 Technological requirements of the double eccentric semi-ball valve seat

The double eccentric semi-ball valve is a kind of middle and high pressure value. In order to avoid
the leakage of medium during operations, sealing materials fill the gaps between valve seat and valve
body, and the higher level of sealing is put forwarded. As to the assemble of the double eccentric
semi-ball valve(DN300), the max tightening torque is 20,500 N.m in terms of calculations and
experimental values. According to the actual assembly requirements, the determined technical
parameters are presented as follows:
1) The assembly valve with a diameter of 300mm;

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1732 Materials, Mechatronics and Automation

2) The spindle speed of the assembly Machine is 2.5~40rmp;

3) The main shaft's torque is 22,000~25,000N.M.

(a)
86

140
R1

17.5

49
34

φ242 φ242
φ294 M298×2

(c) (b)

Fig. 1 the semi-ball valve(DN300) seat and the screw barrel

(a) assembly drawing; (b) valve seat; (c) screw barrel;
The main design idea of the semi-ball valve seat assembly machine is formed by simulating
artificial assembly process, and this machine feeds by rapid precessions at the initial stage. At the end
of assembly stage, it needs to have low rotating speeds, high torque and the function of percussion
screw so as to meet the requirement of predetermined pretightening force. Before assembling, in order
to assure the allocations of the spinning pressure head and workpieces, the assembly machine should
be able to move along vertical direction rapidly and horizontal slowly and rotate with the vertical axis.
On the basis of the requirements of assembly processes, during the process of the precession, the
assembly machine enable to compensate for the small displacement caused by the screw barrel and to
have functions of overload separation and protection.

2 Design of the cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine

2.1 General design scheme

Fig.2 shows the general drive scheme for the cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine.
Using a cantilever frame structure, it is composed of the lifting drive system, the transverse mobile
system, the main drive system and spinning devices. In order to locate the spinning device and
workpiece at random, this device has three degrees of freedom. They are: straight-line movement
along the vertical axis and transverse axis, rotation with the vertical axis. The main spindle box is
mounted on the cantilever beam and convenient to be controlled, which is independent of the lifting
drive system and the transverse mobile system without any interferences. In virtue of the great weight
of the semi-ball valve, the height of the working surface of the assembly machine is designed low
enough to be suited to load and unload workpieces. The special fixtures on the work platform are used
to clamp and fix workpieces[3].
 Key Engineering Materials Vols. 467-469 1733

Fig. 2 The working principle diagram

1-bed; 2-locking equipment; 3- standing columniation; 4-rotating outer tub; 5- feather key; 6- cantilever;
7-elevating speed reducer; 8- elevating motor; 9- elevating screw mechanism; 10- traveling gear shift fork 11-
sliding double-gear block; 12- friction clutch; 13- main drive motor; 14-belt driving; 15-transverse moving
guide rail;16- driving bevel gears; 17-transverse moving screw mechanism; 18- main spindle box;19- overload
clutch; 20- spinning head

2.2 Design of the main driving system of the assembly machine

2.2.1 The composition and working regime of the main driving systerm
The main driving box is the major structure of the assembly machine. As Fig.3 shows, the main
driving system includes two-speed motor, belt driving, cylindrical gear transmission and bevel gear
driving. All the parts of the main drive system except electromotor and belt driving are installed in the
sealed box[4].
Except belt driving, the main driving system of the assembly machine includes two gear chains: Ⅰ
(1’-2-3-4-5-6-7-8), Ⅱ(1-9-7-8). During the assemble, the gear chain can be changed by switching the
sliding gear 1-1’. The screwing assembly process can be divided into two sections: In the first section,
employing the low speed of the two-speed motor and gear chainⅡto realize the rapid spinning feed of
screw barrel. After the first section, the flywheel and the gear chain Ⅱare sperated by the clutch, and
the flywheel stores large kinetic energy when the connection swithches to the high speed of the
two-speed motor. In the second section,the sliding gear 1-1′connects with the gear chain Ⅰ, and after
the reconnection between clutch and the drive devices, the shot-term hudge torsional shocks are
caused by the low speed rotation of the spinning pressure head to accomplish the final tightening
assemble of the valve seat[5]. In normal condition, the electromotor should keep steady running so as
to support engough energies to the flywheel. The main drive sysem is the keypoint of the whole design
of valve seat assembly machine, which inputs high speed and low torque motion, and outputs low
speed and high torque motion. In the drive system, the flywheel is a critical part and creates impact
effects on the spinning pressure head by means of storing and releasing energies. In the main drive
system, the transmission ratio of the belt driving is 3; the transmission ratio of the cylindrical gearing
is 4; the bevel gearing is 3. From the electromotor to the spinning pressure head, the total transmission
ratio of the gear chain Ⅰis 36, and the working revolving speed of the spinning pressure head is
1734 Materials, Mechatronics and Automation

40.28rpm; The total transmission ratio of the gear chainⅡis 576, and the working revolving speed of
the spinning pressure head is 2.517rpm.

Fig. 3 The main drive system of the assembly machine

2.2.2 Determination of the power of the electromotor of the main drive system
As to the assemble of the double eccentric semi-ball valve(DN300), in the first assembly stage, the
torque is needed to overcome the fricition torque caused by the self weight of the main reducer. The
calculated torque T1=465.7N.m, the actual power P1=2.36KW. If the working pressure of the double
eccentric semi-ball valve(DN300) is P=2.5Mpa, screw barrel will create pretightening force F2
=344970N. At the second stage, if only depending on the the decelerator, the final screw torque
T2=20490N.m, and the needed power P=13.80KW. For meeting the requirement of final spinning
torque, the power of the assembly machine costed by the switch between high and low gear chain and
costed by the flywheel is only P2 =2.30KW. Comprehensive consideration of the requirement of the
input powers, the electromotor with P0 =3KW can satisfy the need of spinning assembly[6].

2.3 Design of the lifting system of the assembly machine

As Fig.2 shows, the lifting system of the cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine is
composed of a electromotor, a second cylindrical gear reducer and a screw Mechanism. Before
assembly, screw device contacts workpiece and moves down a little, which leads to the little upward
monvement, since the main driving gear box is mounted on the vertical dovetail sliding slot. At the
beginning of assembly, it’s necessary to activate the locking equipment device and then the linear
movement of the cantilever and the rotation with the columniation are locked, which prepares for the
spinning assemble of the spinning pressure head. In the assembly process, the spinning pressure head
and screw barrel always keep contacting and the little axial displacement is compensated by the
downward sliding displacement of the main drive box.

2.4 Design of the transeverse movement and the rotation with the columniation of the assembly
machine
Screw driving mechanism is employed in the valve seat assembly machine, and the position of the
main transmission case can be well tuned by adjusting the handle wheel manually. The structure of the
columniation of the valve seat assembly machine is composed of interior fixed hollow shaft and
 Key Engineering Materials Vols. 467-469 1735

exterior sleeve. Both of them can rotate relatively. The cantilever of the assembly machine connects
with the exterior sleeve, and its little rotation with vertical axis also depends on manual work.

2.5 Design of the overload protection of the assembly machineoverload protectionoverload

protection
As Fig.4 shows, in order to prevent the assembly machine from spinning pressure overload, the
spinning pressure head is mounted on the jaw clutch. At the beginning of the second assembly stage,
the bottom slab of the main driving box is locked in the vertical dovetail sliding slot. When the srew
torque surpasses the set torque, the jaw clutch will separate and then the spinning pressure head and
workpiece also be seperated by lifting the driving system under the control of the controlling
circuit[7].

Fig. 4 the structure of the spinning pressure head and overload protection

3 Summary
So as to get rapid spinning feeds at the early stage and the instant large torque at the last stage, the
cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine switches between the two speed of electromotor and
the two driving chain, which satisfie the need of the mechanical assembly of the semi-ball valve seat
well. By the release of stroing energies of the flywheel, the conversion from the input little power to
large instant power is realized. The cantilever semi-ball valve seat assembly machine realizes the
mechanical assembly of the valve seat, decreases the labor intensity and improves the production
efficiency. Through controlling the spinning pretightening force, the stability of the assembly is
increased greatly. In the practical applications, this assembly machine helps to enhance the
manufacturing level of the semi-ball valve seat, and boost enterprise competitiveness.Therefore, it
has an promising applied value in practice.

References
[1] Wenping He, Zongcai Wang, Tiecheng Li:Coal Mine Machinery, Vol.9(2008), p.107
[2] Shuren Zheng，Junhua Cheng: Machinery Design & Manufacture. Vol.4(2003), p.98
[3] Yihua Shen, Luhai Tong: Light Industry Machinery, Vol.4(2007), p.106
[4] Zhifu Yang, Hui Yang, Yingang Yang, etc: Modular Machine Tool & Automatic Manufacturing
Technique, Vol.9(2005), p.90
[5] Min Zhao, Yingmin Pan, Yaping Lu, etc: Mining and Metallurgy, Vol.4(2003), p.71
[6] Daxian Cheng: Handbook of mechanical design (3th).(Chemical Industry Press, Beijing, China
2002)
[7] Zhihui Liu, Ziqiang Zhang: Machinery&Electronics, Vol.6(2009), p.31
Materials, Mechatronics and Automation
10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.467-469

Design of Cantilever Semi-Ball Valve Seat Assembly Machine

10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.467-469.1731