Piston with thermally insulating insert and method of construction thereof

A piston for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an upper crown formed at least in part by a first metal material and a thermally insulating insert, said upper crown having an upper wall forming an upper combustion surface and having a ring belt region depending from said upper wall, said ring belt region having a plurality of ring grooves, said upper combustion surface being formed at least in part by said thermally insulating insert, said thermally insulating insert having a base surface with pores extending upwardly into said base surface toward said upper combustion surface, said first metal material being infused and solidified in said pores to bond said first metal material to said thermally insulating insert, said first metal material forming a first bonding surface;
• and
• a body portion formed from a second metal material separate from said first metal material, said body portion forming pin bosses having coaxially aligned pin bores and diametrically opposite skirt portions, said body portion having a second bonding surface bonded to said first bonding surface of said first metal material.