Method and system for manufacturing a family of intake manifolds for a family of internal combustion engines

A method for manufacturing a family of intake manifolds including at least a first air intake manifold and a second air intake manifold for a family of engines including at least a first engine and a second engine,

• the first engine including a first number of cylinders,
• the second engine including a second number of cylinders,
• the second number being smaller than the first number,
• the second number being at least one,
• the first intake manifold being configured for the first engine, the first intake manifold comprising a plenum chamber, a plenum chamber air inlet, the first number of intake runner passages, and the first number of outlets, each of the outlets being fluidly connected to a corresponding one of the first number of intake runner passages and being configured for fluid connection to a corresponding one of the first number of cylinders,
• the second intake manifold being configured for the second engine, the second intake manifold comprising the plenum chamber, the plenum chamber air inlet, the first number of intake runner passages, and the second number of outlets, each of the second number of outlets being fluidly connected to a corresponding one of the first number of intake runner passages and being configured for fluid connection to a corresponding one of the second number of cylinders, at least one of the first number of intake runner passages of the second intake manifold not being fluidly connected to any one of the second number of outlets of the second intake manifold,
• the method comprising:
• providing a first intake mold for forming a first portion of each one of the first and second intake manifolds including a first portion of the plenum chamber;
• providing a second intake mold for forming a second portion of each one of the first and second intake manifolds including a second portion of the plenum chamber,
• one of the first and second intake molds comprising an outlet insert for forming at least one of the first number of outlets of the first intake manifold;
• manufacturing the first intake manifold by:
• inserting the outlet insert into the corresponding one of the first and second intake molds;
• forming the first portion of the first intake manifold including the first portion of the plenum chamber using the first intake mold;
• forming the second portion of the first intake manifold including the second portion of the plenum chamber using the second intake mold;
• and
• connecting the first portion of the first intake manifold to the second portion of the first intake manifold to form the first intake manifold configured for the first engine;
• and
• manufacturing the second intake manifold by:
• forming the first portion of the second intake manifold including the first portion of the plenum chamber using the first intake mold;
• forming the second portion of the second intake manifold including the second portion of the plenum chamber using the second intake mold;
• and
• connecting the first portion of the second intake manifold to the second portion of the second intake manifold to form the second intake manifold configured for the second engine.