US 11,759,849 B1Granted

System and method of making an enhanced cast iron crankshaft

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsLiang Wang, Qigui Wang, Jianghuai Yang, Kiran Mistry, Oliver Patrick Jordan

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Abstract

A method and system for manufacturing a cast iron crankshaft for a vehicle are provided. The system comprises a molding unit arranged to form a negative sand cast mold of the cast iron crankshaft. The mold comprising at least one molded cavity having a pattern with dimensions of the cast iron crankshaft. The system further comprises a feeding mechanism comprising a riser having a connector through which molten metallic material flows to the cast mold. The feeding mechanism feeds the molten metallic material at a riser connection angle in the at least one mold cavity. The riser connection angle corresponds to a connector modulus. The connector modulus is 20% greater than a cast modulus. The riser geometry corresponds to a riser modulus. The riser modulus is 20% greater than the connector modulus. The system further comprises a furnace, a cooling area, a separation unit, a controller and a power source.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a cast iron crankshaft with high elasticity and high strength, the method comprising:

providing a negative sand cast mold of the crankshaft, the negative sand cast mold having cavities to form the crankshaft on a horizontal plane;
providing a feeding mechanism disposed adjacent to at least one of the mold cavities, the feeding mechanism comprising a riser defining a riser geometry, the riser having a connector in fluid communication with the riser and the at least one of the mold cavities, the connector having a neck in fluid communication with the at least one mold cavity, the connector having an open end arranged to flare from the neck to the at least one of the mold cavities defining a riser connection angle relative to the horizontal plane;
melting a first metallic material at a predetermined temperature to define a molten metallic material;
feeding the molten metallic material at the riser connection angle with the riser geometry in the cavities of the negative sand cast mold, the riser connection angle corresponding to a connector modulus of the connector, the connector modulus being at least 10% greater than a cast modulus of the cast mold, the riser geometry corresponding to a riser modulus of the riser, the riser modulus being at least 10% greater than the connector modulus;
cooling the molten metallic material at a predetermined solidification time in the negative sand cast mold to define a solidified metallic material having dimensions of the cast iron crankshaft;
and
separating the solidified metallic material from the negative sand cast mold to define the cast iron crankshaft.

4 more elements

A system for manufacturing a cast iron crankshaft for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a molding unit arranged to form a negative sand cast mold of the cast iron crankshaft on a horizontal plane, the mold comprising at least one molded cavity having a pattern with dimensions of the cast iron crankshaft;
a furnace arranged to melt a first metallic material at a predetermined temperature to define a molten metallic material;
a feeding mechanism comprising a riser defining a riser geometry, the riser arranged to have a connector through which the molten metallic material flows, the connector having a neck in fluid communication with the at least one mold cavity, the connector having an open end arranged to flare from the neck to the at least one mold cavity defining a riser connection angle relative to the horizontal plane, the feeding mechanism arranged to feed the molten metallic material at the riser connection angle with the riser geometry in the at least one mold cavity, the riser connection angle corresponding to a connector modulus of the connector, the connector modulus being 20% greater than a cast modulus of the cast mold, the riser geometry corresponding to a riser modulus of the riser, the riser modulus being 20% greater than the connector modulus;
a cooling area arranged to solidify the molten metallic material at a predetermined solidification time in the negative sand cast mold to define a solidified metallic material having dimensions of the cast iron crankshaft;
a separation unit arranged to separate the solidified metallic material from the negative sand cast mold to define the cast iron crankshaft;
a controller in communication with the molding unit, the furnace, the feeding mechanism, and the separation unit, wherein the controller is arranged to control the molding unit, the furnace, the feeding mechanism, and the separation unit;
and
a power source arranged to power the molding unit, the furnace, the feeding mechanism, the separation unit, and the controller.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.