Abstract: A hybrid threading tap includes a reamer portion and a thread cutting portion having a plurality of cutting teeth. The thread cutting portion is arranged with the reamer portion along the longitudinal axis. The reamer portion is configured to be advanced within a hole of a workpiece to plastically deform and expand the hole to an expanded hole and provide the expanded hole with a zone of residual compressive stress. The plurality of cutting teeth is configured to cut a threading into the expanded hole within the zone.

Abstract: A system for making a hybrid cam bore sand core with metal chills for an engine block includes an engine block cast of an aluminum material. A camshaft bore extends through the engine block. A cam bore sand core with at least one metal chill is positioned within the camshaft bore. A body portion of the at least one metal chill is positioned in direct contact with a cam bearing surface of at least one cam bearing member during casting of the engine block to increase a cooling rate of the at least one cam bearing member and create a crystalline material depth of the cam bearing member having enhanced mechanical properties.

Abstract: A mold package for forming a cast device such as an engine block is described. The mold package includes a profiled chill and a mold core assembly that is disposed on the profiled chill. The mold core assembly defines a plurality of bulkheads of the engine block. The profiled chill includes a first chill portion having a second chill portion and a plurality of third chill portions arranged thereon, wherein the second chill portion is a semicylindrical element. The third chill portions are arranged to be adjacent to the plurality of bulkheads of the engine block.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for continuously producing cast metal components. An exemplary method includes feeding molten metal into a first mold at a fill station; maintaining a pressurized chamber at an elevated pressure; moving the first mold into the pressurized chamber, wherein the molten metal solidifies in the first mold under the elevated pressure; and removing the first mold from the pressurized chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a threaded hole in a workpiece includes providing the workpiece having a region with a hole. The method also includes cutting a threading for the hole. Furthermore, the method includes, independent of cutting the threading, densifying the region proximate the hole to reduce material porosity in the region.

Abstract: A hybrid threading tool defines a longitudinal axis and includes a cutting portion with a plurality of cutting teeth. The plurality of cutting teeth are configured to cut a first threading into a workpiece. The hybrid threading tool also defines a forming portion that is attached to the cutting portion and that is arranged therewith along the longitudinal axis. The forming portion includes a plurality of forming teeth configured to plastically deform the first threading into a second threading for the workpiece.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy is disclosed that is suitable for casting and additive manufacturing processes. The aluminum alloy may be used in the casting and additive manufacturing of engine blocks and/or cylinder heads of modern internal combustion engines. The aluminum alloy exhibits improved ductility and fatigue properties suitable for elevated operating temperatures from about 250° C. to 350° C. The alloy includes about, by weight, 4-10% Copper (Cu), 0.1-1.0% Manganese (Mn), 0.2 to 5% Magnesium (Mg), 0.01-1.0% Cerium (Ce), 0.01-2% Nickel (Ni), 0.01-0.8% Chromium (Cr), 0.01-1.0% Zirconium (Zr); 0.01-1.0% Vanadium (V), 0.01-0.3% Cobalt (Co), 0.01-1.0% Titanium (Ti), 1-200 ppm Boron (B), 1-200 ppm Strontium (Sr), 0.5% max Iron (Fe), 0.1% max other trace elements, and balance of aluminum (Al).

Abstract: A cylinder head having a cast-in-place valve seat for an automobile vehicle includes a valve seat having an inner wall. At least one retaining feature integrally and homogeneously extends from the inner wall. The valve seat when positioned into a casting mold has the at least one retaining feature assisting in retaining the valve seat in the casting mold. A metal in a molten form is received in the casting mold. A cast component formed after cooling of the metal has the valve seat cast-in-place.

Abstract: Aluminum alloys having improved properties are provided. The alloy includes about 13 to about 17 weight percent silicon, about 0.3 to about 0.6 weight percent magnesium, and at least 75 weight percent aluminum. The alloy may include copper up to about 2.0 weight percent; iron up to about 0.8 weight percent; manganese up to about 1.0 weight percent; nickel up to about 1.0 weight percent; zinc up to about 0.8 weight percent; titanium up to about 0.5 weight percent; zirconium up to about 0.5 weight percent; vanadium up to about 0.5 weight percent; and other trace elements up to about 0.1 weight percent. In addition, the alloy may contain about 50 to about 1000 ppm of strontium and about 10 about 100 ppm phosphorus. Also disclosed is a die cast article, such as transmission clutch housing.

Abstract: A hybrid core for manufacturing a cast component, the hybrid core including a sand core portion having an exterior shape configured to define an interior feature of the cast component. The hybrid core also includes a metal chill element embedded within the sand core portion. The metal chill element is configured to locally absorb heat energy from the cast component during cooling of the cast component and solidification thereof. The metal chill element is constructed and arranged within the sand core portion to be removed during shake out from the cast component subsequent to the solidification thereof. A system and a method for manufacturing a cast component using such a hybrid core are also envisioned.

Abstract: A flow conditioning device includes a body portion having first and second ends and an interior surface defining a channel extending from the first end to the second end, and one or more flow conditioning elements disposed within the channel. Each of the one or more flow conditioning elements is integrally formed with the interior surface of the body portion, and may be a respective flow straightening tube, a flow straightening vane, a hole array plate, a turning vane, a swirling vane, a helical ridge formed along a respective longitudinal segment of the interior surface, or another configuration. The body portion and the one or more flow conditioning elements may be formed by an additive manufacturing process, and may optionally be made of the same material.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling additive manufacturing material deposition using a magnetic field. A system may include a build surface; a material depositor through which a magnetically responsive material is deposited on the build surface; an energy source; and a magnet set. The magnet set applies the magnetic field to the build surface and/or to the material depositor. The magnetic field is configured to attract the magnetically responsive material while the energy source melts the magnetically responsive material.

Abstract: A ladle, process, and system for casting an aluminum-based alloy includes a casting ladle. The casting ladle includes a cup and the cup defines an opening. The ladle also includes an ultrasonic transducer including an end immersed in the cup, wherein the cup exhibits a first depth and the ultrasonic transducer is immersed in the cup at a second depth in a range of 5 percent to 100 percent of the first depth. An aluminum-based alloy melt is introduced into an opening of a casting ladle, an ultrasonic transducer immersed in the aluminum-based alloy melt is activated, and the aluminum-based alloy melt is transferred onto a casting surface.

Abstract: A high heat-absorption casting core for manufacturing a cast component includes a core body. The core body has at least a portion thereof defined by metal powder. The metal powder is configured to absorb heat energy from the cast component during cooling of the component and solidification thereof. The core body may be additionally defined by a sand fraction in contact with the metal powder fraction. A system and a method for manufacturing a cast component using the high heat-absorption casting core are also envisioned.

Abstract: A cylinder head valve seat of an automobile vehicle includes a valve seat having a valve seat surface integrally joined to an engagement end. The engagement end includes multiple materials extending through a cross section of the engagement end. The multiple materials include: a first material having a first thermal conductivity; and a second material having a second thermal conductivity higher than the thermal conductivity of the first material, wherein the first material transitions into the second material.

Abstract: A cylinder head having a cast-in-place valve seat for an automobile vehicle includes a valve seat having an inner wall. At least one retaining feature integrally and homogeneously extends from the inner wall. The valve seat when positioned into a casting mold has the at least one retaining feature assisting in retaining the valve seat in the casting mold. A metal in a molten form is received in the casting mold. A cast component formed after cooling of the metal has the valve seat cast-in-place.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method includes providing a first composite material and forming a composite part matrix using the first composite material and defining a first layer, applying a first fiber reinforcing material to the composite part matrix atop and in contact with the first layer of the composite part matrix such that fibers of the first fiber reinforcing material are oriented in a first direction and form a second layer on the composite part matrix, applying a second fiber reinforcing material to the composite part matrix atop and in contact with the first fiber reinforcing material such that fibers of the second fiber reinforcing material are oriented in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and form a third layer on the composite part matrix, applying the first composite material to the composite part matrix, and curing the composite part matrix to create a composite product.

Abstract: A method of joining first and second parts formed of dissimilar materials is provided. The first part defines a first part contacting surface having a frustoconical shape. The first and second parts are brought into contact with one another, with one of the first and second parts being rotated while the other remains stationary, so as to generate frictional heat between the contacting surfaces of the parts, the generated frictional heat producing softened adjacent regions in the first and second parts. A force is applied to the first and second parts to plastically deform the softened adjacent regions and to forge together the first and second parts to form a solid-state joint. A composite torsional damper hub assembly includes a steel stem and a damper hub welded to the stem at an interface. The damper hub is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the interface is generally frustoconical.

Abstract: A composite metal flexplate is disclosed that includes an aluminum center plate and a steel ring gear joined to the aluminum center plate by a solid-state joint. The solid-state joint that joins together the aluminum center plate and the steel ring gear may be formed by friction welding. During the friction welding process, a surface of an annular body of the steel ring gear is preheated, followed by bringing the preheated surface of the annular body into contact with a surface of a periphery of a circular body of the aluminum center plate. The two contacting surfaces are then caused to experience relative rotational contacting movement, which generates frictional heat therebetween and softens adjacent regions of the steel ring gear and the aluminum center plate. Once this occurs, an applied force is administered to compress and forge the contacting surfaces together, thereby establishing the solid-state joint.

Abstract: A damping cover for an integrated power electronics module (IPEM), the damping cover generally defined by a top side and a bottom side, wherein the bottom side is configured to mate adjacent with or contiguous to a power inverter module (PIM) of the IPEM. The damping cover can include an aluminum foam core including a top surface generally corresponding to the top side of the damping cover and a bottom surface generally corresponding to the bottom side of the damping cover and a polymeric over-molding or non-porous aluminum outer layer covering the top surface and/or a polymeric over-molding or non-porous aluminum outer layer covering the bottom surface. The bottom side of the damping cover can mate adjacent with or contiguous to the PIM. The polymeric material over-molding can completely impregnate the aluminum foam core. The aluminum foam core can have a density of about 0.15 g/cm3 to about 1.0 g/cm3.