How to make engine blocks, cylinder heads and other automotive parts:

Casting is a process used to produce highly complex parts by filling a mold with molten metal. High performance engines are cast in aluminum.

Commonly used aluminum alloys for engine castings are A319 and A356.

http://www.delvest.com/aluminum.htm


A metal casting factory is called foundry.

 

Porsche/VW Foundry

Neckarsulm, Stuttgart, Germany. A growing trend is evident: whereas automakers are reducing the depth of production, automotive suppliers are doing just the opposite. The recent cooperation between Porsche AG (Stuttgart) and KS Aluminium-Technologie AG (ATAG) underlines exactly this.

KS ATAG is certainly no stranger to casting blocks. In fact, it provides them to a variety of European manufacturers, everything from blocks for the Mercedes A Class to the VW W12. It particularly specializes in premium products: for example, the V12 for the BMW 760i and the Rolls Royce is being produced by KS ATAG. According to Dr. Gerd Kleinert, CEO of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG, of which KS ATAG is a part, the firm casts some 500,000 aluminum engine blocks per year.

The Cayenne engine block is ATAG

 

Honda Foundry

 

BMW Foundry

 

BMW Foundry

 

U.S. Honda Foundry - Anna, Ohio

http://www.hondaohio.com/manufacturing/fac...lities/anna.asp

 

Foundries are an infinitely interesting manufacturing environment. I spent a day in Honda's Alabama plant and a good portion of that was in the on site foundry.

Honda does everything in house. Starting with raw ingots of Al alloy, they melt it down and cast it on site. The blocks are high pressure cast for strength and the heads are low pressure cast. When the alloy is injected for the high pressure process there is a loud "thump" that you can almost feel through the floor. The low pressure process, in comparison, is almost completely silent from operator station of the casting equipment.

The sand molds are also of an impressive quality, almost silky smooth to the touch. After the sand is vibrated out of the casting, it is recycled to make new molds.

Despite the air handling equipment, you can definitely feel the heat. And you can almost smell the molten metal - there is a certain tang in the air.

UL

 

UL,

Thanks for the Honda-Alabama review.

Have you visited any Honda-Ohio plant?

 

Interesting. Those are huge HFC plants in Celena, OH and Greenfield, IN.