Ford Motor Company Limited

Gerald S Cole

Bela V Kovacs

Herschel B Smartt

Robert A Sensoli

Robert C McCune

Roman M Nowicki

Chia-Ming Yen

A method of making and the resulting product for a disk brake rotor with a self-lubricating, thermally conductive coating thereon that enhances the friction wear life of a disk brake assembly within which it is used, comprising: (a) controllably toughening at least the outside braking surfaces of a lightweight metal disk brake rotor, said roughening being carried out to promote mechanical adhesion of coatings applied thereover; (b) thermally spraying one or more coatings onto the roughened outside braking surface, the exposed coating being electric arc sprayed using a codeposit of iron-based material and powdered graphite to form an iron matrix composite coating; and (c) surface heat treating essentially the exposed coating to dissolve and precipitate graphite and form a simulated cast iron and also to densify the coating and remove residual stresses resulting from deposition. To inhibit heat transfer, the method may further comprise forming the lightweight metal rotor to have a pair of annular ring walls supported by a hub, the ring walls being separated by a plurality of vanes for inducing air cooling as the rotor rotates, and interposing a thermally sprayed metallic-based heat barrier coating between the rotor and exposed coating. The barrier coating may be comprised of a nickel-based material which preferably includes graphite codeposited therewith. The cooling vanes and intermediate coating cooperate to protect the rotor against extreme heated conditions.

Composite disk brake rotor and method of making

A method is disclosed for controlling the metallurgical structure of cast metals containing nonmetallic second phase structures. The method comprises (1) prior to making casting of the metal, determining a mathematical value associated with the rate of temperature change at liquidus recalescence and a value associated with the rate of temperature change at the eutectic arrest of a measured cooling curve for a sample of the metal melt; (2) comparing the determined values obtained with previously gathered values of the same type that have been correlated to known metallurgical structures; and (3) if the determined values are different than previously gathered values for a desired structure, add modifying and/or refining agents to promote a metallurgical structure change in the melt.

Method of controlling metallurgical structure of cast aluminum

A rapid method for dehydrating a water-sand mixture containing sodium or potassium silicate to produce a strongly bonded sand core is disclosed. The silicate is mixed in a water/silicate ratio of 1.45-3.22:1 and is limited to 0.25-3% of the weight of the mixture. The core box is semi-foraminous and partially transparent to micro-wave energy whereby generated vapor is reduced due to the heated inner surface of the core box (some degree of lossiness) and due to some escape through limited core-box openings. The controlled supersaturated environment about the core serves to prevent micro-porosity and surface defects when controlled micro-wave energy is used to heat cure the mixture. To promote resistance to humidity after curing, the mixture may contain 0.5% zinc oxide, chromic oxide, or aminoaldehyde.

Microwave core process

A method and apparatus for producing modified grey iron, and particularly nodular cast iron, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises refractory elements including an inclined flow course for continuous reception of molten grey iron, a V-shaped inclined receptacle interposed in said course into which a predetermined supply of modifying agent, such as magnesium, is injected to react with said iron, and means for controlling the egress of iron from the receptacle in order to sequentially stage the build-up and dissipation of a pool of iron in said receptacle facilitating chemical reactions and thorough mixing for attaining and improving the homogeneity of the modified iron elements. The product and composition uniquely is characterized by about 3.5 carbon, by weight, 2.5% silicon, 0.2-0.9Mn sulfur no greater than 0.015%, the remainder being essentially iron; the composition is devoid of carbide and dross or slag and has a graphite nodule count of at least 400 per square millimeter in a 1/2inch section.

Continuous stream treatment of ductile iron

A method and apparatus for producing modified grey iron, and particularly nodular cast iron, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises refractory elements including an inclined flow course for continuous reception of molten grey iron, a V-shaped inclined receptacle interposed in said course into which a predetermined supply of modifying agent, such as magnesium, is injected to react with said iron, and means for controlling the egress of iron from the receptacle in order to sequentially stage the build-up and dissipation of a pool of iron in said receptacle facilitating chemical reactions and thorough mixing for attaining and improving the homogeneity of the modified iron elements. The product and composition uniquely is characterized by about 3.5 carbon, by weight, 2.5% silicon, 0.2-0.9Mn sulfur no greater than 0.015%, the remainder being essentially iron; the composition is devoid of carbide and dross or slag and has a graphite nodule count of at least 400 per square millimeter in a 1/2 inch section.

A method and apparatus for producing modified grey iron, and particularly nodular cast iron, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises refractory elements including an inclined flow course for continuous reception of molten grey iron, a V-shaped inclined receptacle interposed in said course into which a predetermined supply of modifying agent, such as magnesium, is injected to react with said iron, and means for controlling the egress of iron from the receptacle in order to sequentially stage the build-up and dissipation of a pool of iron in said receptacle facilitating chemical reactions and thorough mixing for attaining and improving the homogeneity of the modified iron elements. The product and compositon uniquely is characterized by about 3.5 carbon, by weight, 2.5% silicon, 0.2-0.9% Mn sulfur no greater than 0.015%, the remainder being essentially iron; the composition is devoid of carbide and dross or slag and has a graphite nodule count of at least 400 per square millimeter in a 1/2 inch section.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Gerald S Cole