Manufacturing Report: Engine

Block Casting
Name: Louis Fernandez

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

Table of content

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................1
1.

INTRODUCTION, ANALYSIS AND DIAGRAM......................................2

1.1. DESCRIPTION OF ENGINE BLOCK AND ANALYSIS OF COMPONENTS............................2
1.2. DIAGRAM.................................................................................................... 3

2.

MATERIAL SELECTION AND JUSTIFICATION......................................4

3.

MANUFACTURING..........................................................................5
3.1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS (INCLUDES FLOWCHART).........5
3.2. REQUIRED MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT............................................................6
3.3. ALTERNATIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.........................................................6

4.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND INSPECTION..........................................7

5.

ESTIMATION OF MANUFACTURING COST.........................................7

5.1. TIME.......................................................................................................... 7
5.2. LABOUR...................................................................................................... 8
5.3. EQUIPMENT................................................................................................. 8

LIST OF FIGURE

Table 1: Different components of the engine block and their functions....................................2

Table 2: Possible materials that can be used in the manufacture of the engine block...............4
Figure 1: A flowchart of how an engine block can be sand casted............................................5
Table 3: Shows possible defects that can occur during the casting process...............................7

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

1. Introduction, Analysis and Diagram

This report is concerned with identifying the manufacturing processes required to create an
engine block. This section will introduce the general functions of an engine block through the
analysis of its components and description of what it is used for.

1.1.

Description of engine block and analysis of components

An engine block, more commonly known as cylinder block, is the largest part of the engine
that houses the cylinders, making up approximately a quarter of the engines overall weight.
Its primary purpose is to generate power to enable motion (converting one type of energy into
mechanical energy). This is done by housing different parts such as the piston, crankshaft and
camshaft. It also gives way to a variety of fluids (such as the fuel, coolant, oil or air) to enable
the process within the engine block to become more efficient and effective.
As mentioned, the main purpose of the engine block is to house the cylinder and convert one
type of energy into mechanical energy. In most product, such as an automotive, this is done
through the changes of temperature and pressure within the cylinder to cause combustion.
The main parts within the engine block and their function is included in table one. Each
component must be made of high quality materials due to the extremely harsh working
condition. For example, in an automobile, the engine is used almost every day where
thousands of combustion occurs and the pistons move at high speeds to cause changes in
pressure and temperature.
Component
Crankcase

Function
Houses the crankshaft that turns
the crank to power the engine
Cylinder head
Location of the combustion
chamber where combustion occurs
Also holds the piston that moves
up and down due to changes in
pressure
Intake/exhaust valves
Enables air to enter and leave the
engine block
Table 1: Different components of the engine block and their functions

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block
1.2.

Louis Fernandez
12555850
Diagram

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

2. Material selection and justification

The main purpose of the engine block is to house different components that will enable for
the production mechanical energy through combustion. This means temperature and pressure
to will reach extremely high levels. Therefore, the material that the engine block is made out
of must be durable enough to withstand the high levels of heat and pressure generated when
combustion takes place. It must also be strong enough to absorb the vibrational energy when
the internal parts, such as the crankshaft, connecting rod and piston, is in motion. Failure to
do so will result in fracture of the product due to the high rate of movement of the internal
parts. In order to fully satisfy these requirements, the material must have the following
physical and mechanical properties:
High and modulus of elasticity to accommodate with the high levels of pressure
generated within the cylinder
Low thermal expansion as a high thermal expansion can result in fracture of the
engine as a whole if the material cannot resist expanding at high temperatures
High thermal conductivity to prevent overheating the engine by giving out heat as fast
as possible
High specific strength to maximize the amount of strength the product can have while
being low weight
Corrosion resistant as parts of the engine block will have fluids passing through it
Furthermore, when looking at it from a manufacturing viewpoint, the material must be easily
casted and have good machinability to reduce cost as well as manufacturing time. Table two
shows possible materials that can be used that contains the properties discussed.
Material
Grey cast
iron alloys

Description
Contains
majority 2.54% carbon
and 1-3%
silicon

Advantage
Low cost (as it can be easily machined and highly
available)
Good mechanical properties (eg excellent damping
capacity and abrasion resistance)
Good physical properties (high thermal resistance)

Aluminum
alloys

319 has 3.5%

copper and
6% silicon

A356 has 7%
silicon and
0.3%
magnesium
(max 0.2%
iron)

Compacted
graphite
iron (CGI)

Similar properties as grey cast iron alloys but more

lightweight
Low pouring temperature can be achieved compared to
cast iron (due to low melting point of pure aluminum)
319 aluminum alloy has good casting features, corrosion
resistance and good thermal conductivity
A356 alloy has similar properties as 319 but can obtain
higher strength when it undergoes heat treatment

Higher tensile strength and modulus of elasticity

attained with lower weight when compared with grey
cast iron
Good damping absorption and thermal conduction
(similar to grey cast iron)

Disadvantage
Heavier when
compared to
aluminum
Higher pouring
temperature
relative to
aluminum
Higher costs
when compared
with grey cast
iron
A356 alloy is
more brittle due
to the lower
modulus of
elasticity

Limited
machinability
making it hard
to process
relative to grey
cast iron

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

Table 2: Possible materials that can be used in the manufacture of the

engine block

48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

3. Manufacturing
The manufacturing of an engine block is done using the casting process. The casting
technique used is usually sand casting but die casting can also be used. However, due to the
high temperature of the molten metal, it is highly likely that the die will wear out quickly
resulting in higher costs in replacing the damaged equipment. Therefore, the proposed casting
method to be used in the manufacture of the engine block is sand casting.
After the engine block has been casted, it is necessary to perform certain machining
operations to satisfy the requirements of the engine block. These operations may include
undergoing heat treatment, cleaning, cutting any unnecessary parts, drilling and broaching.

3.1.
Detailed description of manufacturing process (includes
flowchart)
Sand casting is a type of expendable mold casting where a molten metal is poured into the
mold where it can solidify. Once the metal has been solidified, the sand mold is broken
(usually by vibrating the mold/cast) so that the casted metal can be taken. The type of mold
casting that is used for the manufacturing of the engine block is known as green sand mold
casting, green implying that the moisture is left on the sand rather than putting it in an over
to dry it (known as dry sand mold).
A generalized flowchart of how this occurs is shown below
Pattern and core
making

Preparation
of sand

Mold
making

Melting of
metal

Pouring

Inspection
and cleaning

Finished
casting

Solidification
and cooling

Removal of
sand mold

Machined to get correct dimension

and smooth surface finish

Figure 1: A flowchart of how an engine block can be sand casted

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48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

The manufacturing of the engine block starts with the pattern and core making. The pattern
can be made out of a variety of materials such as sand, metal or plastic. The overall type of
pattern material used will depend on how much the material will be used to create a pattern
(eg metal patterns, although expensive to make, lasts longer than wood and plastic).
Furthermore, the core is also created to define the internal surface of the metal. The core is
often made out of the same material the mold is made out of.
Once the pattern has been created, mold making is the next step. The mold is generally made
out of sand with clay and water used as a binding agents to hold the whole mold together.
When the sand mixture is ready, it is poured onto the pattern and vibrations are applied to it
(or hand rammed by a foundry worker) to compact and free the air bubbles in the mixture.
During these stages, the cope and drag have their own independent patterns so that they can
be fabricated independently. When both the cope and the drag have been made, the core is
positioned and the two halves are clamped together, ready for casting.
Casting the engine block simply consists of the pouring of the metal, solidifying and cooling.
A few factors must to be considered during the pouring process to ensure the engine block is
successfully casted. This includes, but are not limited to:
Temperature of molten metal: the higher the temperature past the melting point the
better as it is more fluid and it is more likely to stay liquid during the pouring process
Rate of pouring: the molten metal must be poured at a rate fast enough so that it does
not solidify during the pouring stage but not so fast that it will prevent a laminar flow
Once the metal has been poured, it solidifies and cools inside the mold. After this, the casted
metal is removed from the mold by applying vibrations onto it. It is then cleaned and
machined to get accurate dimensions and smooth surface finish. A series of manufacturing
operations are used on the engine block to ensure that it meets the quality standards/policies
of the manufacturer. These operations may include undergoing heat treatment, boring, drilling
and cutting of any extra and unnecessary parts.

3.2.

Required manufacturing equipment

Sand casting is a simple manufacturing process. For the manufacture of the engine block, the
main equipment required are:
Sand and binding agents (eg water, glue or clay) required to create the mold
Material for pattern making (eg wood, metal or plastic)
Metal (CGI, aluminum alloys or grey cast iron alloy) that is to be casted to create the
engine block
Furnace (or something similar) that has the ability to melt the metal
Machineries (eg lathe/finlay) that has the ability to operate on the casted metal to get
required dimensions and surface finish

3.3.

Alternative manufacturing processes

The most appropriate manufacturing process to create an engine block is the casting process.
However, there are different types of casting techniques that can be used. As mentioned
before, sand casting is the most appropriate method as it is economically viable whilst also
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48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block

Louis Fernandez
12555850

being able to produce complex shapes and geometries required for the manufacture of the
engine block.
An alternative casting method, as mentioned before, includes die casting. Die casting
involves the injection of the molten metal into the mold cavity. Although this will produce an
engine block with better mechanical properties and better surface finish, it can be costlier as
the temperature of the molten metal can decrease the lifespan of the metal mold. This will
result in greater costs in creating new molds.

4. Quality Assurance and Inspection

Defect
Misruns
Cold shots

Description
Molten metal solidifies before filling the mold cavity
Formation of small solid metals that is mixed with the molten
metal due to splattering
Penetration
A surface defect where the surface of the casted metal will
have a mixture of sand grains and metal
Mold crack
Occurs when the mold cracks (possibly due to low thermal
stability of the sand or poor sand compression)
Table 3: Shows possible defects that can occur during the casting process
Table 3 shows some defects that may occur during the casting process of the engine block.
Certain inspection methods and standards for the sand mold must be met to ensure that these
defects will be prevented. These includes:
Visual inspections to detect misruns and penetration (or other surface defects of both
the mold and casted metal)
Dimensional measurements to ensure that tolerances requirement have been satisfied
Radiographic or supersonic methods of testing for external/internal defects of the
engine block
Pressure testing to locate leaks in mold
Strength of mold must be high enough to maintain its rigid shape during the casting
process
The sand mold should be compacted properly and have high thermal stability so it
does not crack under high temperatures

5. Estimation of Manufacturing Cost

5.1.

Time

The total time of the manufacture of the engine block will depend on three main factors:
1. How long it takes to create pattern/mold
2. How long it takes for the metal to melt, be poured on the mold and solidify
3. How long it takes to machine the casted metal
Depending on these factors and how easily it is to machine the metal in use, the time will
vary for each manufacture of the engine block. For the minimum amount of time, it is best to
use aluminum alloys due to its low melting point and ease of machining. However, aluminum
alloys cost more relative to grey cast iron.
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48621: Manufacturing Engineering

Project Report: Engine Block
5.2.

Louis Fernandez
12555850

Labour

The human labour required to carry out the manufacturing operations is limited due to the
advancements in technology. Many operations can now be carried out through the use of
different machines. For example, in the mass production of engine blocks, machinery such as
lathe (used to help in operations such as drilling and boring) and robots (used to shake out
sands) are used to carry out certain operations more effectively and efficiently. However,
some operations can be carried out by hands, like the compacting of sand can be carried out
by a foundry worker.

5.3.

Equipment

For the manufactures of most engine blocks, sand casting is used. The main equipment for
sand casting include sand and binding agents such as glue, water and clay. For minimum cost
of equipment, the material that should be used to create the pattern is wood to ensure that it is
easily machined to form the pattern required.

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