Search Results

The Plastic Valve Cover System (PVCS) should provides a leak proof seal to the cylinder head under engine temperature, isolate the vibrations transmitted from the engine through the cover to the environment, control the crankcase pressure and house the device to separate oil from the blow-by gas. In order to increase the stiffness of PVCS, short glass fibers and minerals are added during the injection molding of the plastic valve cover. The presence of the fibers results in a component with highly anisotropic thermo-mechanical properties that was not accounted in the previously approach [1]. This paper describes the updated CAE approach with the incorporation of the short fiber anisotropy into the design of cylinder head valve covers.

Vehicular suspension ball joints can be categorized in the family of tribological systems which can reduce useful service or working capacity through malfunction or breakdown. Detailed metallurgical analysis of the friction and wear mechanisms on typical ball joint bearing surfaces point to a Teflon-based woven fabric, self-lubricating liner as the best bearing material for the joint. Laboratory functional testing was conducted on modern, 4-axis test equipment simulating the applicable loading and motion conditions typically encountered in use. The self-lubricated bearing liner woven with Teflon thread demonstrated higher sustained load capacity, less rotating friction, excellent torque retention qualities and extended life in comparison to existing components utilizing greased metal-on-metal and/or “plastic” bearing materials.