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Bringing the Fire
Published in Patrick Hossay, Automotive Innovation, 2019
Holding all this together is the main structure of the engine, called the engine block. An engine block can be made of cast iron, aluminum, or more advanced materials, but it’s basic character is the same: a large solid structure that contains the cylinders and holds these key components in place. The bottom of the block is often called the crankcase because it holds the crankshaft. The cylinders are usually located in the upper portion of the block. The valves are contained in a separate component, called the cylinder head, which attaches to the top of the block and completes the combustion chamber.
Techniques, Trends, and Advances in Conventional Machining Practices for Metals and Composite Materials
Published in T. S. Srivatsan, T. S. Sudarshan, K. Manigandan, Manufacturing Techniques for Materials, 2018
Ramanathan Arunachalam, Sathish Kannan, Sayyad Zahid Qamar
In any automobile, the engine and the power train constitute heart of the system and contribute to vehicle weight. Most of the engine components, such as engine blocks, cylinder liners, connecting rods, crankshafts, camshafts, etc., are now increasingly made with engineering materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and their alloy counterparts. Engineered materials such as metal matrix composites as well as fiber-reinforced plastics, are also finding increasing use in the automobile industry. Currently, among the several engineering and engineered materials used in automobiles, the major components, especially engine and transmission systems, are made of high-strength aluminium alloys including aluminum-based metal–matrix composites (McCune and Weber 2001) and other lightweight materials, such as magnesium and titanium, to a lesser degree. Engine and transmission system parts involve finish machining and drilling subsequent to the primary manufacturing process. High-performance plastic materials, such as polypropylene, polyurethane, and polyvinyl chloride are also being increasingly chosen for applications in interiors, bodies, and exteriors systems, such as bumpers, dashboard, body panels, interior and exterior trims, and tanks for oil, fuel and others (Patil et al. 2017). Glass or carbon fiber reinforced plastics are also being increasingly chosen for use for purpose of light-weighting of high performance cars.
Engine systems
Published in Tom Denton, Automobile Mechanical and Electrical Systems, 2018
Engine cylinders, when cast in a single housing, are known as the engine block. Usually, the engine block is manufactured from cast iron (Fig. 2.52) or aluminium alloy. In the latter case, cast iron or steel liners form the cylinder bore. The engine block forms the major component of a ‘short’ motor.
Improved mechanical and wear characteristics of hypereutectic aluminium-Silicon alloy matrix composites and empirical modelling of the wear response
Published in Cogent Engineering, 2020
O Omodara, OO Daramola, JL Olajide, AA Adediran, OS Akintayo, BO Adewuyi, DA Desai, ER Sadiku
In automobile industries, aluminium alloys and composites have been used for the fabrication of almost 100% of pistons, about 75% of cylinder heads, 85% of intake manifolds and transmission (Bodunrin et al., 2015; Hirsch, 2014; Mavhungu et al., 2017; Singh & Chauhan, 2016). The suppliers of engine blocks are constantly endeavouring to manufacture better and lighter blocks in order to improve and enhance the efficiency of automobile internal combustion engines. The engine blocks are the largest and most intricate single piece of metal used in internal combustion (IC) engines on which other important engine parts are mounted. The engine block alone accounts for 3–4% of the total weight of the average vehicle (Hirsch, 2014). Aluminium casting alloys as a substitute or replacement for the traditional cast iron can mean a reduction in engine block weight of between 40% and 50%. In addition, the aluminium alloys and composites for a cylinder liner must have high wear resistance, anti-galling resistance and corrosion resistance among others (Mehta et al., 2004). The possession of these properties would make such material satisfy the functional requirements of a cylinder liner, thus serving as an alternative to the traditional cast-iron liners.