TEI’s design team has learned how early collaboration can streamline an already time-driven process. When Honda first approached TEI with the potential water passage casting, the two firms had worked on a num- ber of projects together, allowing both engineering teams to build trust in one another. Design revisions and 3-D modeling took place in the pre- liminary stages of the project, while the purchasing department remained relatively hands-off. “We started our dialogue with the engineering group, while keeping the purchasing people informed so there were no surprises,” Johnson said. “When we have agreed on a design and they are ready to deliver a 3-D model, that’s when the purchasing order comes out, so a lot of what takes place up to this point depends on a solid working relationship and trust.” For the water passage, Kahaian
began working with a Honda engineer who was less experienced with cast- ings. Te two went back and forth on a half-dozen design revisions, dealing primarily with the transitions between bulkier sections and walls as thin as 0.118 in. (3 mm). Once TEI received the go-ahead to
produce prototypes, finished castings were ready for delivery just 17 days later. Te soft tooling was created via urethane board, and the cores were blown and assembled in a complex core package. While earlier simula- tions provided a great foundation for the water passage’s design, tweaks were necessary before final casting. “I would say simulation got us 80 to 85% of the way there, but we had to dial in a bit with a different in-gate,” Kahaian said. “We had to add a few chills here and there. It took a few iterations, maybe three or four, until we produced a great, void-free casting.” Te water passage was cast in a nobake mold using a low pressure casting process with the understand- ing an eventual production part would most likely be cast in a semi-perma- nent mold. Te aluminum casting then was machined with a five-axis CNC machine, before the addition of eight steel tubes and sealing caps. It then was leak checked to 30 psi. Te testing
March 2015 MODERN CASTING | 41
for such prototypes in particular can prove to be challenging. A casting that fails in an automotive development application can lead to considerable setbacks in both time and cost, mean- ing prototypes must be delivered with all the necessary certification. “Tese parts, because of where
they’re headed, get extra special attention in terms of testing and checks when compared to a produc- tion part,” Johnson said.
Continuing Support Once prototypes were delivered,
TEI remained in contact with its
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92