Technical Paper
Using DSPC to Create Production Permanent Mold For Casting In-line 4 Cylinder Head Launching Production in 120 Days - a Case Study
1999-03-01
1999-01-0417
This paper presents a case study using Direct Shell Production Casting (DSPC®) to manufacture a production steel permanent mold for a four cylinder water cooled DOHC cylinder head. The permanent mold was produced in close cooperation with our mass production foundry. This permanent mold consists of water cooled inserts which accelerate the solidification of the combustion chamber and reduce the grain size of the cylinder head at the combustion chamber and the ports. This program has demonstrated the use of cast tool steel inserts made in net shape directly from the cylinder head CAD file. The process followed an extensive dynamometer testing of prototype cylinder heads made directly from CAD by utilizing DSPC. The DSPC machine is like a three dimensional printer that uses the designer's CAD to create the actual ceramic casting molds, complete with integral cores. The result is a functional metal part, that can be tested practically, and then changed or approved.