Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Antony Schepak

Clifford E Maki

Mathew Hintzen

James Maurice Boileau

Justin Craft

Phil Cierpial

Paul Shoemaker

Mark W Thibault

Daryl Self

Baran Celikten

Christopher Donald Wicks

Theodore Beyer

Mohammad Ali Moetakef

Jody Michael Slike

James Matthew Kindree

Venkat Nara

An engine block formed according to a method that includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material, placing the insert within a casting mold or die, purging the casting mold or die with an inert gas, filling the casting mold or die with molten metal to encapsulate the insert, diffusion bonding the molten metal to the insert to form a diffusion bonded insert, placing the diffusion bonded insert within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die, filling the secondary casting mold or die with molten metal to form an engine block composite casting assembly, and casting and heat treating the engine block composite casting assembly is provided. The insert can be free of serrations for mechanical coupling between the insert and the engine block.

Aluminum casting design with alloy set cores for improved intermetallic bond strength

Systems are provided for cooling a cylinder block via bore bridge cooling passages. In one example, a cylinder block with a bore bridge positioned between a first cylinder and a second cylinder, the cylinder block also including a coolant jacket at least partially surrounding the first cylinder and the second cylinder, has at least one cooling passage positioned within the bore bridge. An inlet of the at least one cooling passage has a larger area than an outlet of the at least one cooling passage and at least a portion of the at least one cooling passage has a non-cylindrical geometry formed by a lost core.

Bore bridge cooling channels

Methods and systems are provided for a water jacket diverter. In one example, the water jacket diverter has a continuous upper rail with a profile including curved and linear portions where the profile of the upper rail is optimized to moderate coolant flow through the water jacket. The water jacket diverter further includes at least one protrusion extending outwards from an outer face of the diverter, the at least one protrusion positioned in front of a coolant inlet.

Water jacket diverter with low flow restriction

Systems are provided for cooling a cylinder block via bore bridge cooling passages. In one example, a system may include a cylinder block with a first cylinder and a second cylinder adjacent to the first cylinder and a bore bridge positioned between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, the cylinder block further including a coolant jacket at least partially surrounding the first cylinder and the second cylinder. The system may further include a cooling passage positioned within the bore bridge, the cooling passage including an inlet fluidly coupled to the coolant jacket and an outlet positioned at a deck face of the cylinder block, the cooling passage curving from the inlet to the outlet with a curvature greater than zero.

A method of forming an assembly is provided. The method includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material and placing the insert within a casting mold or die. The casting mold or die is purged with an inert gas and the casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to encapsulate the insert. The encapsulated insert is diffusion bonded to the molten metal to form a diffusion bonded insert, which is placed within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die. The secondary casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to form a composite casting assembly. After or during the casting, the composite casting assembly is heat treated. In another method of the present disclosure, the insert includes ferrous alloys, nickel-based alloys, super alloys, and nonferrous alloys.

An engine has a cylinder block with a deck face and at least one cylinder liner with a cylinder axis. The block has a first fluid jacket about the liner, a second fluid jacket about the liner, and a third fluid jacket about the liner. The first, second, and third fluid jackets are fluidly independent from one another and spaced apart from one another along the cylinder axis. A method for forming the engine includes using an insert to provide each of the fluid jackets. The insert has a lost core material surrounded by a metal shell.

Method of forming an internal combustion engine with a fluid jacket

A wire feed control system includes an anti-twist mechanism and a controller programmed to operate the anti-twist mechanism, responsive to a measured degree of twist of a wire on a trajectory between a feed for the wire and a plasma transfer wire arc (PTWA) torch, to maintain the degree of twist within a predetermined range defined by natural rotation introduced to the wire by the PTWA torch.

Plasma transfer wire arc wire feed control system

Oil pumps having wear-resistant coatings applied thereto and methods of applying the coatings are disclosed. The oil pump may include an aluminum housing that defines a cavity. A steel rotor may be disposed within the cavity and configured to rotate therein such that a portion of the steel rotor contacts the aluminum housing. A metal coating (e.g., steel) may cover at least a portion of the aluminum housing in a region that is configured to be contacted by the steel rotor. An integrated oil pump and engine cover is disclosed including an aluminum body having a peripheral wall defining a cavity. The peripheral wall may form a portion of the oil pump housing and the cavity may receive a steel rotor. A wear-resistant coating (e.g., steel) may cover at least a portion of the peripheral wall in a region that is configured to be contacted by the steel rotor.

Wear-resistant coating for oil pump cavity

A tool and a method of forming an engine using the tool are provided. The tool includes an insert and at least one die. The insert is formed by forming an interbore passage between first and second siamesed cylinder liners, casting a lost core, and then casting a metal shell. The insert is positioned into a die of the tool and the engine block is cast. The lost core material may then be removed to provide the cooling jacket. The engine includes a cylinder block with a cooling jacket circumferentially surrounding first and second siamesed cylinder liners intersecting a closed deck face. The cooling jacket has first and second widths in first and second axial sections, respectively. An interbore region of the first and second cylinder liners defines first and second interbore cooling passages spaced apart from the deck face and parallel to one another.

Internal combustion engine and method of forming

Engine blocks and methods of forming engine blocks are disclosed. The engine block may include a cast aluminum body and a plurality of cast-in liners. Each cast-in liner may include (a) an outer layer of 2xxx-series aluminum molecularly bonded to the cast aluminum body and (b) an inner layer directly contacting the outer layer and forming at least a portion of an engine bore. The inner layer may be a wear-resistant coating, such as a steel coating. The method may include extruding an elongated 2xxx-series aluminum extrusion having an inner cavity bounded by an inner surface and applying a wear-resistant coating to the inner surface. The extrusion may be sectioned into a plurality of cylinder liners and the cylinder liners may be into an aluminum engine block such that each cast-in liner forms at least a portion of an inner surface of an engine bore in the engine block.

Coated bore aluminum cylinder liner for aluminum cast blocks

A cylinder head includes an inner structural member having a plate forming a deck face of the cylinder head and forming at least one dished cylinder roof, and a plurality of cylinder head bolt columns extending from the plate. An outer member is supported by the inner structural member and forms a cooling jacket, intake ports, and exhaust ports. Passages of the cooling jacket are lined with metal walls in contact with the composite structure of the outer member. A method of forming a cylinder head includes positioning a structural insert and a lost core insert in a tool, and injecting material into the tool to form a body surrounding the structural insert and the lost core insert thereby forming a head preform. The lost core insert is shaped to form a cooling jacket and has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a metal shell.

Cylinder head for an internal combustion engine

Extruded cylinder liners and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The extruded engine cylinder liner may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and defining an inner surface and an outer surface. A plurality of spaced apart features may protrude from the outer surface and may extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The method may include extruding a metal material through a die to form a cylindrical body defining an inner surface and an outer surface and a plurality of spaced apart features protruding from the outer surface. The die may be rotated about a longitudinal axis during at least a portion of the extruding step such that the features extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The oblique features may allow parent casting material to enter channels therebetween and prevent the liner from moving in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Extruded cylinder liner

An engine has a cylinder block formed by a block material and defining at least one cylinder. The block defines a lubrication circuit with fluid passages including an inlet passage, a main oil gallery, a crankshaft bearing lubrication passage, and a piston ring lubrication passage. The fluid passages are formed by continuous metal walls in contact with and surrounded by the block material. At least one of the fluid passages is curved. A method of forming a component with an internal pressurized lubrication circuit includes positioning a lost core insert in a tool, with the insert shaped to form a lubrication circuit. The lost core insert has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a continuous metal shell, and at least one curved section. Material is provided into the tool to form a body surrounding the lost core insert thereby forming a component preform.

Lubrication circuit and method of forming

A tool and a process for forming a vehicle component is provided. An insert has a lost core generally encapsulated by a cast metal shell. The insert has an anchor surface and a first locating member spaced apart therefrom, and is shaped to form a fluid passage in the vehicle component. A first die is configured to mate with the anchor surface and constrain the insert. A second die defines a first locator recess sized to receive the first locating member and constrain the insert. The first and second dies mate with one another to form the tool. The first and second dies constrain the insert in multiple degrees of freedom.

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Howell, MI, United States of America

Antony Schepak