Analysis of the Function and Machining Process of Ship Rudder Pintles

The ship rudder pintle is a core and critical component in the rudder system, connecting the rudder blade to the rudder stock or rudder carrier. Its core function is to accurately and reliably transmit rudder angle torque and withstand the enormous impact force of water flow, directly determining the ships maneuverability and navigation safety. The machining process typically begins with rough turning of forged steel blanks to shape, followed by quenching and tempering heat treatment to ensure the workpiece obtains comprehensive mechanical properties of high strength and high toughness. The finishing stage requires precision turning and cylindrical grinding on precision CNC equipment to ensure that the dimensional accuracy of the mating surfaces reaches IT6-IT7 grade and has an extremely high surface finish. Finally, surface treatment processes such as chrome plating or nitriding are often used to significantly improve its surface hardness, wear resistance, and seawater corrosion resistance, ultimately ensuring the rudder pintle has a long and reliable service life.