PISTON MADE USING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES

• US 20140299091A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Tenneco Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ribeiro, Carmo, Egerer, Thomas, Lu, Owen
• Application Number:
  US14/245,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20140299091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/193.6
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/008 of engine cylinder parts or of piston parts other than piston rings of piston rings B22F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/08 with one or more parts not made from powder B22F7/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 2003/0007 Monolithic pistons; One piece constructions; Casting of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 2200/04 Forging of engine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 2200/06 Casting casting of pistons F02F2003/0007
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 3/0084 the pistons being constructed from specific materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49252 Multi-element piston making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49254 Utilizing a high energy beam, e.g., laser, electron beam

Abstract

A monobloc piston body for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston body includes a first piece which includes a pair of skirt portions and a pair of pin bosses and a second piece which includes a crown portion with an upper combustion surface and an at least partially enclosed oil gallery. The first and second pieces are joined together at a joint that is located on a side of the oil gallery opposite of the upper combustion surface. The firs piece is made through casting or forging, and the second piece is made through an additive manufacturing process, such as direct metal laser sintering.

Claims

1. A method of making a piston body for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

casting or forging a portion of a piston body; and

melting a metallic powder through an additive manufacturing process to build the remainder of the piston body onto the cast or forged portion of the piston body.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the additive process is direct metal laser sintering.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cast or forged portion of the piston body includes a pair of skirt portions and a pair of pin bosses and wherein the portion of the piston built through the additive manufacturing process includes an upper combustion surface and an at least partially enclosed oil gallery.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the metallic powder is of a different material than the cast or forged portion of the piston body.

5. A method of making a monobloc piston body for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

casting or forging a first piece of the piston body;

making a second piece of the piston body through an additive manufacturing process; and

joining the first and second pieces together.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the cast or forged first piece includes a pair of skirt portions and a pair of pin bosses and wherein the second piece made through the additive manufacturing process includes an upper combustion surface and an at least partially enclosed oil gallery.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the additive manufacturing process used to make the second piece of the piston body is direct metal laser sintering.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the steps of making the second piece of the piston body through direct metal laser sintering and joining the first and second pieces together simultaneous to one another with the material of the second piece being formed directly onto the first piece.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step of making the second piece of the piston body through direct metal laser sintering includes melting a metallic powder onto a surface of the first piece.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first and second pieces of the piston body are joined together through welding.

11. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of joining the first and second pieces together is further defined as welding the first and second pieces together.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the welding to join the first and second pieces together is friction welding.

13. A monobloc piston body for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a first piece including a pair of skirt portions and a pair of pin bosses and a second piece including a crown portion with an upper combustion surface and an at least partially enclosed oil gallery; and

said first and second pieces being joined together at a joint with the joint that is on a side of said oil gallery opposite of said upper combustion surface.

14. The monobloc piston body as set forth in claim 13 wherein the first and second pieces are made of different materials.

15. The monobloc piston body as set forth in claim 14 wherein the material of the second piece has an increased oxidation resistance as compared to the material of the first piece.