Integration of a Thermal Spray Process into the GROB Production Line for Passenger Car Aluminum Engine Blocks of Combustion Engines into Mass Production

摘要

The passenger car manufacturers are using new technologies for improving the efficiency of combustion engines, reducing their emissions, fuel consumption and weight. A technology that can fulfil these requirements is the thermal spraying process of Aluminum cylinder bores. Therefore, GROB Werke have integrated their new GROB Thermal Spray process (GTS) into their engine block production lines. A thermal spray production cell was developed and built by GROB Werke. In order to offer a turnkey solution to the customer GROB Werke are actively supporting automotive companies with their GROB-Knowhow in the thermal spray technology. With GROB as partner in development a thermally sprayed steel deposit layer can be developed and applied to the customer's needs for any passenger car engine architecture and cylinder bore geometry. The creation of highly specialized cylinder bore surfaces allows a topography design which heavily reduces wear and friction and is very resistive to chemical reactions induced by the fuel. A thermally sprayed steel deposit layer produced with GTS will thereby help the passenger car manufacturers reaching their goals regarding efficiency, emissions, fuel consumption and weight.