Light metal casting industry

CASE STUDY: LIGHT METAL CASTING 

PORE ANALYSIS WITH MOBILE INDUSTRIAL CT OF A CYLINDER HEAD 

Challenge:

In order to achieve the high­est pos­si­ble ranges as well as low emis­sions, light­weight con­struc­tion con­tin­ues to be a pri­ma­ry goal in vehi­cle con­struc­tion, regard­less of the type of dri­ve. Light met­al cast­ing is char­ac­terised by its abil­i­ty to pro­duce com­plex parts with a high degree of automa­tion and recy­cla­bil­i­ty. How­ev­er, high tech­no­log­i­cal demands are placed on the com­po­nents, includ­ing mechan­i­cal load-bear­ing capac­i­ty under more com­plex stress­es and simul­ta­ne­ous mass reduction. 

Potential consequences:

A cylin­der with poor qual­i­ty can have severe reper­cus­sions, par­tic­u­lar­ly when it comes to the cool­ing sys­tem and over­all engine per­for­mance. The cool­ing sys­tem plays a cru­cial role in main­tain­ing opti­mal oper­at­ing tem­per­a­tures for the engine. How­ev­er, if a cylin­der exhibits sub­par qual­i­ty, it can lead to detri­men­tal effects on the cool­ing sys­tem. One of the pri­ma­ry issues is inad­e­quate heat dis­si­pa­tion. A poor­ly con­struct­ed cylin­der may not effi­cient­ly trans­fer heat away from the com­bus­tion cham­ber, result­ing in exces­sive heat buildup. This can lead to over­heat­ing of the engine, caus­ing com­po­nents with­in the cool­ing sys­tem, such as the radi­a­tor or coolant pas­sages, to become over­whelmed and poten­tial­ly fail. More­over, a cylin­der with sub­stan­dard qual­i­ty can com­pro­mise the integri­ty of the engine block. Weak spots, cracks, or faulty seals can devel­op, lead­ing to coolant leaks. If left unno­ticed or unad­dressed, these leaks can lead to a loss of coolant, result­ing in insuf­fi­cient cool­ing and increased engine temperatures. 

Advantages of a CT inspection:

  • Visu­al­i­sa­tion of pores in the cylin­der head and colour clas­si­fi­ca­tion of the pores accord­ing to their vol­ume is possible.
  • The exact posi­tion of each pore and thus the poten­tial risk it pos­es can be determined.
  • Indus­tri­al com­put­ed tomog­ra­phy (CT), can help iden­ti­fy any cylin­der defects or weak­ness­es before they cause sig­nif­i­cant damage
Pore analysis of a cylinder head (light metal casting) with CT
Pore analy­sis cylin­der head
Cases

The industries we work with: 

Heavy met­al casting 
Light met­al casting 
Automotive 
Addi­tive manufacturing 
Aerospace 
Bat­tery systems 
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    Automated inspection of hairpins

    Challenge:

    The stability of the hairpin joint is crucial for the reliability of electrically powered vehicles. Laser welding can be carried out according to different principles. However, this can affect the quality of the joint by process fluctuations resulting in undesired deviations.

    Possible consequences:
    Due to ambiguity in the quality of joints, high
    failure rates can occur.

    Advantages of a CT inspection:

    • Quality feedback within minutes
    • Statistically evaluable results thanks to Microvista's automatic analysis: 40 stators/day inspected
    • Only 165 €/part including an informative report.
    CT Scan exposing a burnt out battery
    Pore analysis of a cylinder head

    Challenge:

    In order to achieve the highest possible ranges as well as low emissions, lightweight construction continues to be a primary goal in vehicle construction, regardless of the type of drive. Light metal casting is characterised by its ability to produce complex parts with a high degree of automation and recyclability. However, high technological demands are placed on the components, including mechanical load-bearing capacity under more complex stresses and simultaneous mass reduction.

    Potential consequences:

    A cylinder with poor quality leads to damage to the cooling system and ultimately to engine failure.

     

    Advantages of a CT inspection:

    • Visualisation of pores in the cylinder head and colour classification of the pores according to their volume is possible.
    •  The exact position of each pore and thus the potential risk it poses can be determined.
    Testing of wall thicknesses of an exhaust manifold.

    Challenge:

    The exhaust manifold is one of the most heavily loaded components of an engine. For this reason, the actual and desired condition of the wall thickness should be compared. Only with a sufficient wall thickness can the manifold withstand the shock-like inflow of exhaust gases and the resulting pressure front, as well as the many heating and cooling cycles in the long term.  

    Possible consequences of undetected deviations:

    The notch effect of blowholes can cause a crack in the manifold. Partial breakthroughs can also occur if the wall thickness is too small. This leads to a change in the pressure conditions in the manifold, which reduces engine performance and, at the same time, increases fuel consumption. In addition, there is a high noise level from the direction of the engine and a clearly perceptible exhaust smell in the interior.

    Advantages of a CT inspection:

    • Fast and automatic detection of relevant quality defects 
    • Avoidance of scrap refinement 
    • Detection of defect focal points through statistical evaluation of the results.
    CT Scan exposing a burnt pores in aluminium wheel
    Assembly inspection of lithium-ion batteries.

    Challenge:

    Due to production or assembly errors, the contact, insulation and electrolyte foil is damaged in some batteries.

    Possible consequences:

    A short circuit can be the result. This can lead to a high thermal reaction of the electrolyte. The resulting outgassing causes the battery to swell externally. Inflated, deformed, outgassed lithium-containing batteries can lead to explosions and fires.

    Advantages of CT testing:

    • Dismantling of batteries in small devices is not necessary for the test. The devices can therefore be used immediately after the test
    • By sorting out defective batteries, higher quality can be guaranteed, and prevention against legal disputes and negative press in case of a fire can be operated
    CT Scan exposing a burnt out battery
    Comprehensive inspection of an aluminium wheel carrier with complex bionic structure.

    Challenge:

    Additive manufacturing requires carefully set process parameters that are optimised in iterative steps during the product development process. Fast and comprehensive feedback on product quality is of paramount importance for shortening the development phase.

    Possible consequences of undetected defects:

    Missing and insufficiently validated process quality can result in high reject rates. Especially with regard to safety-relevant parts of the chassis, additional risks arise that can lead to component failure and create the risk of an accident.

    Advantages of CT inspection:

    • Shortened development cycles
    • Addressing risks identified by FMEA
    • Reduction of required expensive prototypes through non-destructive testing for a variety of features.
    Comprehensive inspection of an aluminium wheel carrier with complex bionic structure.

    Challenge:

    Additive manufacturing requires carefully set process parameters that are optimised in iterative steps during the product development process. Fast and comprehensive feedback on product quality is of paramount importance for shortening the development phase.

    Possible consequences of undetected defects:

    Missing and insufficiently validated process quality can result in high reject rates. Especially with regard to safety-relevant parts of the chassis, additional risks arise that can lead to component failure and create the risk of an accident.

    Advantages of CT inspection:

    • Shortened development cycles
    • Addressing risks identified by FMEA
    • Reduction of required expensive prototypes through non-destructive testing for a variety of features.
    A CT scan of insulation foam
    Assembly inspection of medical devices

    Challenge:

    To detect malfunctions, damage or collisions that cannot be traced after disassembly of the medical device. 

    Possible consequences:

    Blockages can cause some devices to malfunction during use.

    Advantages of a CT scan:
    Complete digitisation takes place without the application of force during the measurement, which makes it possible to measure, analyse as well as subsequently process filigree and soft components. The inspection takes place quickly and reliably in the assembled state. During the evaluation, the movements in the component can be recorded, whereby the blockage can be found.

    A CT scan of XXX XXX