Cylinder Block and Head Materials and Manufacturing

Abstract

Before addressing cylinder block and head layout design it is important to understand the restrictions imposed by material and casting process selection. This chapter begins with a brief look at the aluminum and gray iron alloys typically used for cylinder blocks and heads. Magnesium alloys, and composite blocks with magnesium portions are receiving increased attention for weight reduction, and will also be briefly covered. Many of the design constraints are imposed by the capabilities of the chosen casting process, so the commonly used casting processes will next be introduced. The chapter concludes with an overview of the machining lines used for block and head production.