A Design Study in Aluminum Castings
- GM Cylinder Block
Aluminum
Castings for the Engine
One of the key weight
saving features in the engine design is the use of a cast aluminum
cylinder block with cast iron cylinder liners.
The cast
iron liners (with ground outside-diameter) are press-fit into the
precision bored aluminum cylinder block. This provides optimal heat
transfer into the cylinder block.
The
iron liners provide the wear resistance needed for improved
durability.
The
installation process for the liners includes chilling the liner prior
to placement and sophisticated precision force monitoring to ensure
proper installation.
After
installation, the ID of the iron liner is bored to a mass-saving 1.5
millimeter wall thickness.
