Complex Challenge, Rapid Response


Thanks to streamlined simulation, tooling, casting and machining capabilities, an intricate water passage went from purchase order to prototype in just 17 days. NICHOLAS LEIDER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR


A


4-lb. aluminum water passage prototype produced by Tooling & Equipment Inter-


national (TEI), Livonia, Mich., for Honda R&D Americas Inc., Ray- mond, Ohio, in 2013 was a complex project. Te component integrated several parts into a single casting that featured six intricate cores. Varying wall thicknesses challenged design engineers to produce a solid


casting that would pass demanding testing, while interior shapes needed to be simple enough for eventual high volume production. Despite initial challenges, the water passage to be used in the carmaker’s development department went from a purchase order to a finalized, ready-to-use casting in 17 days. Early collaboration between the two engineering teams mini- mized difficulties later in the process,


which allowed the component to quickly move through simulation, tooling, casting, machining and testing. Additionally, this casting also offers a glimpse at the relation- ship between supplier and customer. Working together on prototyping projects since 2010, TEI developed a relationship with Honda’s engineer- ing and purchasing teams that allows for unusually early collaboration between the two companies.


The water passage required a number of design modifications for the many areas that transitioned from thin walls to heavier sections. 38 | MODERN CASTING March 2015


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