Abstract: A method of near net shaping a rare earth permanent magnet and a permanent magnet. The method includes introducing a magnetic material powder into a die, closing the die and shock compacting the powder in the die and sintering the compacted magnet powder to form the rare earth permanent magnet part. In one form, the magnetic material being subjected to compaction is a mixture made up of two or more different magnetic material powder precursors. Additional materials may be added to the mixture. One such additional material may be a lubricant to reduce the likelihood of cracking, while another may be a coating to provide oxidation protection of the mixture. Evacuation or inert environments may also be used either prior to or in conjunction with the sintering or related high-temperature part of the process.

Abstract: A device and article of manufacture to predict material properties of a cast aluminum-based component. In one form, a computer-based system includes numerous computation modules programmably cooperative with one another such that upon receipt of data that corresponds to the cast aluminum-based component, the modules provide performance indicia of the material. The modules include a thermodynamic calculation module, a thermal-physical property module, a mechanical property module and a materials selection or alloy design module. The combination of the modules along with known material and geometric databases—in addition to microstructural and defect databases—promotes the generation of materials properties needed for casting design, casting process simulation, CAE nodal property mapping and durability analysis.

Abstract: Adhesion testing of coatings to the cylinder bore of an engine block. An adhesion testing fluid is dispensed from a nozzle that simultaneously rotates so that the fluid impinges about a substantial inner periphery defined by the coated cylinder bore. The performance of a referee coated engine block is used to provide parameters for one or more production-oriented engine blocks. This allows for rapid evaluation of a sizable sample of such production-oriented engine blocks. The fluid-dispensing nozzle is configured to simultaneously provide complete circumferential coverage of the cylinder bore with high-pressure/high-velocity fluid through rotational movement of the nozzle within the bore. By keeping the production-oriented engine blocks stationary during the test further improves testing efficiency.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method of rapidly predicting at least one of residual stress and distortion of a quenched aluminum casting. Input data corresponding to at least one of topological features, geometrical features and quenching process parameters associated with the casting is operated upon by the computer that is configured as a neural network to determine output data corresponding to at least one of the residual stress and distortion based on the input data. The neural network is trained to determine the validity of at least one of the input data and output data and to retrain the network when an error threshold is exceeded. Thereby, residual stresses and distortion in the quenched aluminum castings can be predicted using the embodiments in a tiny fraction of the time required by conventional finite-element based approaches.

Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a rotating assembly having a turbine wheel disposed inside a turbine housing and a compressor wheel disposed inside a compressor cover. The turbocharger also includes a waste-gate assembly configured to selectively redirect at least a portion of the engine's post-combustion gases away from the turbine wheel. The waste-gate assembly includes a valve, a rotatable shaft connected to the valve, and a bushing fixed relative to the turbine housing and disposed concentrically around the shaft such that the shaft rotates inside the bushing to thereby selectively open and close the valve. The shaft is defined by an outer surface in contact with the bushing and the outer surface includes a coating composed of a ceramic-based material. An internal combustion engine employing such a turbocharger is also disclosed.

Abstract: A rotor includes a shorting ring defining a plurality of cavities therein, and a plurality of conductor bars each integral with the shorting ring and having an end disposed within a respective one of the plurality of cavities. The shorting ring and each of the conductor bars are formed from an aluminum alloy including a lanthanoid present in an amount of from about 0.1 part by weight to about 0.5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the aluminum alloy. An aluminum alloy, and a method of forming a rotor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A number of variations may include a method including providing a first powder comprising iron; compacting the first powder into a compacted powder product having a non-planar surface, wherein the compacting includes dynamic magnetic compaction or combustion driven compaction; and increasing the magnetic coercivity of at least one of the first powder or compact powder product.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetic material for a permanent magnet using hot-pressing or die-upset methods, or both, by combining two powders and optimizing grain boundary diffusion of Dy or Tb. The method can include making magnetic material for a permanent magnet using hot pressing using a core powder containing Nd, Fe and B and a surface powder containing Dy or Tb in metallic alloy form, combining the materials, forming a solid material in a shaped mold under a magnetic field in vacuum, heating the solid material, hot pressing it to form a magnetic material in a die, heat treating it if necessary, and then cooling it.

Abstract: An electrically-insulative coating for minimizing an electrical conductivity of a metal substrate includes a polymer component formed from a monomer precursor, and a powder component substantially dispersed in the polymer component. The powder component is present in the electrically-insulative coating in an amount of from about 5 parts to about 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the electrically-insulative coating. The electrically-insulative coating does not substantially degrade when exposed to from about 100 V to about 330 V at a temperature of from about ?50 ° C. to about 500 ° C., and has a dielectric strength of at least about 2,000 VAC/mil. An electrically-insulative coating system and a method of forming an electrically-insulative coating on a metal substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Aluminum alloys having improved properties are provided. The alloy includes about 0 to 2 wt % rare earth elements, about 0.5 to about 14 wt % silicon, about 0.25 to about 2.0 wt % copper, about 0.1 to about 3.0 wt % nickel, approximately 0.1 to 1.0% iron, about 0.1 to about 2.0 wt % zinc, about 0.1 to about 1.0 wt % magnesium, 0 to about 1.0 wt % silver, about 0.01 to about 0.2 wt % strontium, 0 to about 1.0 wt % scandium, 0 to about 1.0 wt % manganese, 0 to about 0.5 wt % calcium, 0 to about 0.5 wt % germanium, 0 to about 0.5 wt % tin, 0 to about 0.5 wt % cobalt, 0 to about 0.2 wt % titanium, 0 to about 0.1 wt % boron, 0 to about 0.2 wt % zirconium, 0 to 0.5% yttrium, 0 to about 0.3 wt % cadmium, 0 to about 0.3 wt % chromium, 0 to about 0.5 wt % indium, and the balance aluminum. Methods of making cast aluminum parts are also described.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet includes a step of forming a coating on an alloy powder by physical vapor deposition. The alloy powder includes neodymium, iron, boron and other metals. The coating includes a component selected from the group consisting of dysprosium, terbium, iron, and the alloys thereof. The alloy powder is vibrated during formation of the coating. Finally, a permanent magnet is formed from the coated powder, the permanent magnet having a non-uniform distribution of dysprosium and/or terbium. A method of making a permanent magnet using a vibrating transport belt is also provided.

Abstract: A system for evaluating a manufacturability of a casting design. The system includes at least one of a geometry analyzer, a casting evaluation tool, a residual stress evaluation tool, and a machining evaluation tool. The geometry analyzer analyzes a geometric design of the casting design to determine its geometric design-ability, the casting evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine its cast-ability, the residual stress evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine its heat treat-ability, and the machining evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine a machine-ability of the casting design. If the casting design is determined as not geometrically design-able, not cast-able, not heat treat-able, or not machine-able by the geometry analyzer, the casting evaluation tool, the residual stress evaluation tool, or the machining evaluation tool, respectively, then modifications to the casting design are recommended to optimize the casting design for manufacturing.

Abstract: A plurality of conductor bars are positioned within slots of a laminated electric steel disc stack, and the ends of the conductor bars are brazed to end rings to manufacture a rotor. The method includes inserting the conductor bars into the slots of the disc stack, providing the end rings with slots for receiving the ends of the conductor bars; positioning spacers of braze material adjacent each end of each of the conductor bars to create a gap between the end rings and the steel disc stack; and applying heat to melt the braze material of the spacers whereby braze material is furnished by the spacers of braze material to braze the first and second ends of the conductor bars to the first and second end rings. Channels are provided in the face of the end rings facing the steel disc stack to drain away excess braze material.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing a simulated casting of a light weight alloy component. The simulation includes passing component design data through various computational modules relating to casting designs, process modeling and optimization, material microstructure and defects and product performance. Variations in microstructure and defects across various very small size scales are extended to increasingly larger scales to permit structural performance calculations of the cast component to take such non-uniformities into consideration. At least some of the modules employ an expert system-based approach to achieve the optimized results. The results can be compared to end user needs to determine if redesign of the part geometry or manufacturing process is needed.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet includes a step of contacting a powder with a metal-containing vapor to form a coating on the powder. The alloy powder includes neodymium, iron, and boron. The metal-containing vapor includes a component selected from the group consisting of dysprosium, terbium, iron and alloys thereof. A permanent magnet is formed from the coated powder by compaction, sintering and subsequent heat treatment.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet includes a step of providing an alloy powder comprising at least one rare earth element. The alloy powder is shaped and then exposed to microwave radiation or a pulsed electric current to form a sintered magnet.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet includes a step of forming a coating on an alloy powder by physical vapor deposition. The alloy powder includes neodymium, iron, boron and other metals. The coating includes a component selected from the group consisting of dysprosium, terbium, iron, and the alloys thereof. The alloy powder is vibrated during formation of the coating. Finally, a permanent magnet is formed from the coated powder, the permanent magnet having a non-uniform distribution of dysprosium and/or terbium. A method of making a permanent magnet using a vibrating transport belt is also provided.

Abstract: A system to predict a fatigue life of an aluminum alloy is disclosed herein. The system comprises a computer-readable medium cooperative with micromechanics-based fatigue life models for cyclic multiaxial loading. The fatigue life models predict the fatigue life by processing information received by the system relating to the aluminum alloy and the stress state present in the aluminum alloy. The received information comprises at least one of: a critical shear plane, a damage factor, a hardening factor defined by at least one of a plurality of uniaxial cyclic hardening factor parameters related to probabilistics of defects and microstructure characteristics in the aluminum alloy, an additional hardening factor related to non-proportionality, and thermophysical and mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a first alloy powder having a desired composition, the alloy powder containing neodymium, iron, and boron; coating the first alloy powder with dysprosium, dysprosium alloy, terbium, or terbium alloy so that the first alloy powder has a surface concentration of dysprosium, terbium, or both in excess of a bulk concentration of dysprosium, terbium, or both; and forming the permanent magnet from the coated alloy powder using a powder metallurgy process, the permanent magnet having a non-uniform distribution of dysprosium, terbium, or both therein. Permanent magnets are also described.

Abstract: A method of making a rotor is provided. The method includes mixing aluminum and carbon nanotubes; forming the mixture into an aluminum-carbon nanotube composite conductor bar; providing a laminated steel stack having a plurality of longitudinal slots; placing a plurality of the conductor bars in the longitudinal slots, first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extending out of the longitudinal slots; placing the laminated steel stack with the plurality of conductor bars in a casting mold having cavities for a pair of end rings wherein the first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extend into the cavities; and filling the cavities with aluminum, aluminum alloys, an aluminum composite, or combinations thereof. Rotors made from aluminum-carbon nanotube composite are also described.