Analyser offers better resolution

Analyser offers better resolution

Sintermetal developing bearing caps for European m a r k e t SINTERMETAL of Barcelona, Spain, is developing powder metallurgy (PM) main bearing caps f...

140KB Sizes 2 Downloads 93 Views

Sintermetal developing bearing caps for European m a r k e t SINTERMETAL of Barcelona, Spain, is developing powder metallurgy (PM) main bearing caps for the E u r o p e a n car i n d u s t r y . The c o m p a n y is currently testing p r o t o t y p e s and is confident of commercial acceptance. Currently, crankshaft bearing c a p s are m a n u f a c tured by European car makers at their own foundries and m a c h i n e d to achieve the desired dimensional accuracy and surface quality. Sintermetal, however, believes t h a t the PM route offers a more economical route to the finished product. Although it doesn't e x p e c t to displace p r o d u c t s currently on the production line, Sinterm e t a l is e x p e c t i n g to win business from the n e x t gene r a t i o n of c o m b u s t i o n engines. The company says the PM p r o d u c t s will save manufacturers the investment costs of casting and machining lines, while the unit cost of the finished p r o d u c t will bc comparable to those of cast parts. The m a i n b e a r i n g c a p s u p p o r t s the soft metal crankshaft bearing and is oversized for the f u n c t i o n a l loads it

receives. However, it is pressure fitted on lateral alignm e n t slots in the m o t o r block and fixed by two nuts with a stress t h a t can be very high. If a p a r t has geometrical deviations, bolting it on the m o t o r block may result in high stresses which are a d d e d to the functional load and can produce c o m p o n e n t failures. This makes the dimensional tolerances affecting mounting stresses very strict. During its p r o d u c t feasibility study, Sintermetal used f i n i t e e l e m e n t a n a l y s i s to investigate the tolerances required for the part. Stresses, as well as deformations resulting from fixing the p a r t on the m o t o r block, were considered. The review allowed t h e principal stress distribution to be calculated from which acceptable tolerances, and the finishing operations needed to achieve them, to be defined. Main bearing caps are not a new idea for the E u r o p e a n PM industry. D e v e l o p m e n t s were p r e s e n t e d in Metal Powder Report in February 1989, but failed to reach the market. S i n t e r m e t a l has considered cost and quality aspects, as well as technical considera-

LEEDS a n d N o r t h r u p h a s improved t h e resolution particle size of its Microtrac X100 particle size analyser using m e a s u r e m e n t s from 0 to 160 ° angular scatter. The i m p r o v e m e n t m e a n s resolution is now possible for wide-angle light scattering m e a s u r e m e n t s from 0.1700 ~m. The full range of p a r t i c l e sizes can be capt u r e d in one m e a s u r e m e n t w i t h o u t reranging, refocusing

T.~i~ r-

4111"}"i-"T.4

Sintermeta/ has analysed the stresses on a main bearing cap.

tions, from the initial stages of its d e v e l o p m e n t project and believes its p r o d u c t will win commercial acceptance. L a s t y e a r in t h e USA, General Motors a n n o u n c e d it would be using PM bearing caps in its 3.1 and 3.8 litre V-6 engines. When the caps enters full production, each of which

weigh 0.9 kg, it is e x p e c t e d to be the biggest volume applicat i o n for m e t a l p o w d e r in North America. The p a r t is being produced by Zenith Sintered Products of Germantown, Wmconsin.

Sintered materials workshop set for Madrid in 1 9 9 4

Refractory metals conference issues call for papers

or re-testing. The Microtrac XlO0 has a PC-based interface t h a t allows t e s t d a t a to be stored in a d a t a b a s e for analysis. The c o m p u t e r c o n t r o l module can also be linked up with two o t h e r analysers in t h e Microtrac family, t h e ultra fine and standard range units, as p a r t of Leeds a n d Northrup's modular app r o a c h to particle sizing.

A WORKSHOP on a d v a n c e d s i n t e r e d m a t e r i a l s is to be held from 7-9 February, 1994, in Madrid, Spain. The M a d r i d School of Mines, t h r o u g h t h e GomezPardo Foundation, is organizing the event, which is spons o r e d by t h e B r i t e - E u R a m p r o g r a m m e of the E u r o p e a n Community. The w o r k s h o p will look at new developments in a range of m a t e r i a l s including high s p e e d steels, m e t a l m a t r i x composites (MMC), ceramics, h a r d materials, intermetallics, sintered stainless steels and rapid solidified materials. Other topics to be covered include t h e p r o t o t y p i n g a n d testing of powder metallurgy (PM) components.

A CALL for p a p e r s has been issued for the 1994 International Conference on Tungsten and Refractory Metals, to be held from 17-19 October in Washington DC, US)~ The conference, s p o n s o r e d by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF), will cover developments in t u n g s t e n and refractory metals, their alloys and composites. Applications. both defense and c o m m e r c i a l will be examined. The p r o g r a m m e aims to cover applications, powder production, modeling and analysis, m i c r o s t r u c t u r e p r o p e r ties,and systems of integrating metals. A b s t r a c t submissions are due by 14 J a n u a r y 1994.

Leeds and Northrup; tel: + 1-813-573-1155; fax: + 1813-573.5308.

Gomez-Pardo Foundation; tel: + 3 4 - 1 - 4 4 1 7 9 2 1 ; f a x : + 34-1-4429529.

The Microtrac XIO0 from Leeds and Northrup.

Analyser offers better resolution

:~ .-" .,.'~ ..4 "~.tF" L.¢ :..4

Sintermetal; tel: + 34-935804642; fax: +34-93 6926210.

Mark Tarby, Metal Powder Industries Federation; tel: + 1-609-452-7700; fax: + 1 609-987-8523.

MPR November 1993 3