IAV turns to metal Additive Manufacturing for engine test parts

News
April 17, 2018

April 17, 2018

IAV turns to metal 3D printing for engine test parts

An additively manufactured diesel engine piston is shown in a cutaway view. (Courtesy Kami Buchholz, Automotive Engineering)

 

Engineering services specialist IAV Automotive Engineering, headquartered in Berlin, Germany,  states that it is using metal additively manufactured parts to shorten its engine development timelines, according to an interview with Automotive Engineering during the WCX™18: SAE World Congress Experience.

In the interview, IAV stated that it has recently begun additively manufacturing pistons for engine research and development purposes, for customers involved with commercial vehicle diesel engines and passenger vehicle gasoline engines. The company has also produced cylinder heads for an advanced thermal management system.

“A 3D printed part is a very fast way to get a new piece to the test stand, so you can compare and analyse variations in part geometry,” stated Robert Dolan, Director of Commercial Vehicle and Government Programs for IAV. He explained that, “the 3D printed pistons enable us to achieve internal geometries that you can’t get through traditional manufacturing methods.”

One example is an AM piston designed for a gasoline engine, which features an internal honeycomb structure beneath the dome area of the part. “It provides the strength needed to tolerate the cylinder pressure, and it incorporates cooling features,” Dolan explained.

IAV stated that its metal additively manufactured pistons can weigh up to 25% less than pistons produced using conventional manufacturing methods. The company also noted that it is investigating production methods for AM parts. “It’s likely to happen much sooner with a lower-volume, high-content piston for a diesel engine commercial vehicle before it would happen for a passenger vehicle,” Dolan stated. “And that’s because the boundary conditions are so much more severe with a diesel engine piston.”

While production scale use of AM is still under investigation, Dolan stated that the technology has proven itself a valuable solution for testing applications. “Just put yourself in the middle of an internal combustion engine development programme,” he commented. “It’s expensive to operate an engine in a specific test cell, so when you decide that you want to change this or that based on the results, being able to get a 3D printed piston into the test cell in just a day or two days versus several weeks is very appealing.”

www.iav.com

News
April 17, 2018

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

Extensive AM industry news coverage, as well as the following exclusive deep-dive articles:

  • Metal powders in Additive Manufacturing: An exploration of sustainable production, usage and recycling
  • Inside Wayland Additive: How innovation in electron beam PBF is opening new markets for AM
  • An end-to-end production case study: Leveraging data-driven machine learning and autonomous process control in AM
  • Consolidation, competition, and the cost of certification: Insight from New York’s AM Strategies 2024
  • Scandium’s impact on the Additive Manufacturing of aluminium alloys
  • AM for medical implants: An analysis of the impact of powder reuse in Powder Bed Fusion

The world of metal AM to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of Metal AM magazine, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our twice weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Discover our magazine archive…

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading metal AM part manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

Browse the archive

Looking for AM machines, metal powders or part manufacturing services?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

  • AM machines
  • Process monitoring & calibration
  • Heat treatment & sintering
  • HIP systems & services
  • Pre- & post-processing technology
  • Powders, powder production and analysis
  • Part manufacturers
  • Consulting, training & market data
View online
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap