Abstract: An engine block formed according to a method that includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material, placing the insert within a casting mold or die, purging the casting mold or die with an inert gas, filling the casting mold or die with molten metal to encapsulate the insert, diffusion bonding the molten metal to the insert to form a diffusion bonded insert, placing the diffusion bonded insert within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die, filling the secondary casting mold or die with molten metal to form an engine block composite casting assembly, and casting and heat treating the engine block composite casting assembly is provided. The insert can be free of serrations for mechanical coupling between the insert and the engine block.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for filling surface pores of a cylinder inner surface coating with one or more fill materials to provide desired material and performance properties. In one example, a cylinder for an engine includes an inner surface including a coating having a plurality of surface pores, at least a portion of the plurality of surface pores filled with one or more fill materials, the one or more fill materials configured to decrease friction, increase tribofilm formation, adjust heat transfer, decrease material deposit, and/or decrease run-in duration.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for filling surface pores of a cylinder inner surface coating with one or more fill materials to provide desired material and performance properties. In one example, a cylinder for an engine includes an inner surface including a coating having a plurality of surface pores, at least a portion of the plurality of surface pores filled with one or more fill materials, the one or more fill materials configured to decrease friction, increase tribofilm formation, adjust heat transfer, decrease material deposit, and/or decrease run-in duration.

Abstract: An engine block formed according to a method that includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material, placing the insert within a casting mold or die, purging the casting mold or die with an inert gas, filling the casting mold or die with molten metal to encapsulate the insert, diffusion bonding the molten metal to the insert to form a diffusion bonded insert, placing the diffusion bonded insert within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die, filling the secondary casting mold or die with molten metal to form an engine block composite casting assembly, and casting and heat treating the engine block composite casting assembly is provided. The insert can be free of serrations for mechanical coupling between the insert and the engine block.

Abstract: A method of forming an assembly is provided. The method includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material and placing the insert within a casting mold or die. The casting mold or die is purged with an inert gas and the casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to encapsulate the insert. The encapsulated insert is diffusion bonded to the molten metal to form a diffusion bonded insert, which is placed within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die. The secondary casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to form a composite casting assembly. After or during the casting, the composite casting assembly is heat treated. In another method of the present disclosure, the insert includes ferrous alloys, nickel-based alloys, super alloys, and nonferrous alloys.

Abstract: Engine blocks and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The engine block may comprise a body including at least one cylindrical engine bore wall having a longitudinal axis and including a coating extending along the longitudinal axis and having a coating thickness. The coating may have a middle region and first and second end regions, and a plurality of pores may be dispersed within the coating thickness. The middle region may have a different average porosity than one or both of the end regions. The method may include spraying a first porosity coating in a middle longitudinal region of the bore and spraying a second porosity coating in one or more end regions of the bore. The first porosity may be greater than the second porosity and the first and second porosities may be formed during the spraying steps. The pores may act as wells for lubricant.

Abstract: An engine has a cylinder block with a deck face and at least one cylinder liner with a cylinder axis. The block has a first fluid jacket about the liner, a second fluid jacket about the liner, and a third fluid jacket about the liner. The first, second, and third fluid jackets are fluidly independent from one another and spaced apart from one another along the cylinder axis. A method for forming the engine includes using an insert to provide each of the fluid jackets. The insert has a lost core material surrounded by a metal shell.

Abstract: Engine blocks and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The engine block may comprise a body including at least one cylindrical engine bore wall having a longitudinal axis and including a coating extending along the longitudinal axis and having a coating thickness. The coating may have a middle region and first and second end regions, and a plurality of pores may be dispersed within the coating thickness. The middle region may have a different average porosity than one or both of the end regions. The method may include spraying a first porosity coating in a middle longitudinal region of the bore and spraying a second porosity coating in one or more end regions of the bore. The first porosity may be greater than the second porosity and the first and second porosities may be formed during the spraying steps. The pores may act as wells for lubricant.

Abstract: A wire feed control system includes an anti-twist mechanism and a controller programmed to operate the anti-twist mechanism, responsive to a measured degree of twist of a wire on a trajectory between a feed for the wire and a plasma transfer wire arc (PTWA) torch, to maintain the degree of twist within a predetermined range defined by natural rotation introduced to the wire by the PTWA torch.

Abstract: Engine blocks and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The engine block may comprise a body including at least one cylindrical engine bore wall having a longitudinal axis and including a coating extending along the longitudinal axis and having a coating thickness. The coating may have a middle region and first and second end regions, and a plurality of pores may be dispersed within the coating thickness. The middle region may have a different average porosity than one or both of the end regions. The method may include spraying a first porosity coating in a middle longitudinal region of the bore and spraying a second porosity coating in one or more end regions of the bore. The first porosity may be greater than the second porosity and the first and second porosities may be formed during the spraying steps. The pores may act wells for lubricant.

Abstract: A method of forming an assembly is provided. The method includes forming an insert, coating the insert with a bond material and placing the insert within a casting mold or die. The casting mold or die is purged with an inert gas and the casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to encapsulate the insert. The encapsulated insert is diffusion bonded to the molten metal to form a diffusion bonded insert, which is placed within a cavity of a secondary casting mold or die. The secondary casting mold or die is filled with molten metal to form a composite casting assembly. After or during the casting, the composite casting assembly is heat treated. In another method of the present disclosure, the insert includes ferrous alloys, nickel-based alloys, super alloys, and nonferrous alloys.

Abstract: Oil pumps having wear-resistant coatings applied thereto and methods of applying the coatings are disclosed. The oil pump may include an aluminum housing that defines a cavity. A steel rotor may be disposed within the cavity and configured to rotate therein such that a portion of the steel rotor contacts the aluminum housing. A metal coating (e.g., steel) may cover at least a portion of the aluminum housing in a region that is configured to be contacted by the steel rotor. An integrated oil pump and engine cover is disclosed including an aluminum body having a peripheral wall defining a cavity. The peripheral wall may form a portion of the oil pump housing and the cavity may receive a steel rotor. A wear-resistant coating (e.g., steel) may cover at least a portion of the peripheral wall in a region that is configured to be contacted by the steel rotor.

Abstract: Methods of honing a surface are disclosed. The method may include spraying a coating having an initial average bulk porosity onto an engine bore wall and honing the coating to create an intermediate honed surface. The method may then include cleaning the intermediate honed surface and honing the intermediate honed surface with a cutting force of, for example, 110-130 kgf after the cleaning step. This may create a honed surface having an average porosity greater than the initial average bulk porosity. The methods may create a honed surface having a porosity that is more porous than the initially sprayed coating. The increased porosity of the honed surface may allow for increased oil retention in, for example, engine bores.

Abstract: A method includes spraying a coating on to an engine bore surface, honing the coated surface to create a honed surface region, and cleaning the honed surface region to remove material from the surface pores. The honed surface region includes a plurality of surface pores and upper, middle, and lower regions. Cleaning the honed surface region produces upper, middle, and lower region surface porosities, with the middle region porosity being greater than at least one of the upper and lower porosities.

Abstract: A wire feed control system includes an anti-twist mechanism and a controller programmed to operate the anti-twist mechanism, responsive to a measured degree of twist of a wire on a trajectory between a feed for the wire and a plasma transfer wire arch (PTWA) torch, to maintain the degree of twist within a predetermined range defined by natural rotation introduced to the wire by the PTWA torch.

Abstract: A method includes spraying a coating on to an engine bore surface, honing the coated surface to create a honed surface region, and cleaning the honed surface region to remove material from the surface pores. The honed surface region includes a plurality of surface pores and upper, middle, and lower regions. Cleaning the honed surface region produces upper, middle, and lower region surface porosities, with the middle region porosity being greater than at least one of the upper and lower porosities.

Abstract: A tool and a method of forming an engine using the tool are provided. The tool includes an insert and at least one die. The insert is formed by forming an interbore passage between first and second siamesed cylinder liners, casting a lost core, and then casting a metal shell. The insert is positioned into a die of the tool and the engine block is cast. The lost core material may then be removed to provide the cooling jacket. The engine includes a cylinder block with a cooling jacket circumferentially surrounding first and second siamesed cylinder liners intersecting a closed deck face. The cooling jacket has first and second widths in first and second axial sections, respectively. An interbore region of the first and second cylinder liners defines first and second interbore cooling passages spaced apart from the deck face and parallel to one another.

Abstract: An engine cooling system is provided with an internal combustion engine defining a head cooling jacket and a block cooling jacket in a split flow configuration. A first thermostat is positioned at an outlet of the block cooling jacket and configured to control coolant flow therethrough. A second thermostat is positioned to receive coolant flow from the first thermostat and the head cooling jacket. The first and second thermostats are in a thermostat assembly within a housing. In response to coolant temperature being below a first threshold, a first and a second thermostat downstream of the engine in a thermostat assembly are closed such that coolant flows through a head jacket and the thermostat assembly to a pump, and such that coolant in the head jacket entrains a trickle flow of coolant from a block jacket through an interbore cooling passage, thereby cooling an interbore region.

Abstract: A surface of a piston and/or a cylinder head and/or a cylinder bore of an internal combustion cylinder with selectively applied plasma transferred wire arc coating which acts as a thermal barrier improving fuel efficiency and reducing fuel emissions and a method of producing the plasma transferred wire arc coating on a surface of a piston and/or cylinder head and/or a cylinder bore of a compression ignition and/or spark ignition engine.

Abstract: Engine blocks and methods of forming engine blocks are disclosed. The engine block may include a cast aluminum body and a plurality of cast-in liners. Each cast-in liner may include (a) an outer layer of 2xxx-series aluminum molecularly bonded to the cast aluminum body and (b) an inner layer directly contacting the outer layer and forming at least a portion of an engine bore. The inner layer may be a wear-resistant coating, such as a steel coating. The method may include extruding an elongated 2xxx-series aluminum extrusion having an inner cavity bounded by an inner surface and applying a wear-resistant coating to the inner surface. The extrusion may be sectioned into a plurality of cylinder liners and the cylinder liners may be into an aluminum engine block such that each cast-in liner forms at least a portion of an inner surface of an engine bore in the engine block.