Manufacturers can save money and improve the quality of their engine blocks by using modern methods of Vacuum Impregnation with porosity sealants, Hannes Mülbacher of Ultraseal International will tell visitors to Engine Expo 2014.
International Sales Manager Mr Mülbacher will set out the economic case for using vacuum impregnation as a routine quality enhancement on automotive parts, such as engine blocks, that have to remain leak-free under pressure.
The cost of impregnating an engine block is €6 whereas the cost of scrapping a fully machined engine block that is found to leak under pressure is €66, he will tell visitors to Engine Expo’s Open Technology Forum.
He will speak before an audience of powertrain engineers and other industry specialists on Thursday, June 26th at 11am at the forum which is being held during the exhibition at Messe Stuttgart, Stuttgart.
Entitled “The Power of Casting Impregnation”, the presentation will highlight how modern recycling sealants such as Ultraseal International’s Rexeal 100™ have many advantages over conventional porosity sealants.
They can be readily fitted into a modern just-in-time production line and save money by reducing logistics costs, chemical consumption, water consumption and they also produce far less waste water.
Mr Mülbacher said: “More and more manufacturers are turning to vacuum impregnation with porosity sealants as a routine quality enhancement for their cast metal parts because it is a reliable and permanent solution to porosity.
“Porosity is a phenomenon that occurs in all diecasting and it can cause serious problems in automotive parts such as engine blocks which need to remain pressure-tight in operation.
“No manufacturer wants to discover that an engine block is leaking at a late stage in production, after fitting liners and machining, because by then they have invested a lot of added value in the part.
“There is a compelling economic case for routine vacuum impregnation with a reliable, recycling sealant.”
Incorporating the vacuum impregnation process into a production line will lead to higher reliability and fewer warranty issues which in turn will enhance an automotive manufacturer’s or supplier’s reputation for quality with its customers.
Casting porosity is essentially microscopic holes that form during the casting process. These can lead to a host of problems, the most serious of which is forming leak parths through cast metal parts.
Formula One racing teams have used vacuum impregnation on a number of parts, including engine blocks, which is a testament to the effectiveness of the process and the high performance quality of the finished parts.
Apart from engine blocks, a number of automotive parts can benefit from vacuum impregnation, including cylinder heads, cam carriers, cam covers, fuel pumps, fuel rails, head, inlet and fuel system components, oil pans, oil sumps, thermostat housing, timing chain covers, torque converter case/bell housing, transmission cases, pump castings and valve body castings, turbo chargers and water pumps.
Ultraseal International is a renowned pioneer of the design of both vacuum impregnation equipment and porosity sealants. It was the first to introduce recycling sealants to the market, with Ultraseal MX2™ and then the global benchmark recycling sealant Rexeal 100™.
Based in Coventry, UK, it has joint ventures in China and India, an operation in America, a job-processing shop in Germany, an office in Japan and a network of 22 agents/distributors around the world.
ENDS