The more recent evolution of these designs is the friction welded steel piston, which allows manufacturers to produce crown and skirt sections separately utilizing optimized specifications (design/construction and metallurgy). These two sections are then friction (or inertia) welded together to form a very strong piston with enhanced performance characteristics.
Airton Martins, IPD's Vice President of Operations, provided the following comments on some related questions that many customers are asking:
What combustion pressure increases resulted in the piston design evolution?
Aluminum pistons work within a 1.6-1.8k PSI combustion pressure range, and 2pc articulated designs from around 2.3-2.6k PSI. Newer 1pc steel pistons allowed for increases to around a 2.6-3.2k PSI range, and friction welded pistons to around 3.5k PSI.
What are some advantages of welded steel pistons?
Welded piston designs provide enhanced structural support under the ring lands, which can reduce wear and oil consumption due to flexing. This flexing can cause 2pc oil dam plates in 1pc pistons to snap out of place, resulting in catastrophic engine failure. This is why IPD designed an innovative 1pc oil dam plate. Lastly, 1pc pistons have overly thick top piston cross sections to compensate for the lack of support under the ring lands, resulting in less efficient heat exchange compared to welded pistons where thinner cross sections provide enhanced cooling characteristics.
Are there any engineering and manufacturing advantages for welded pistons?
Welded piston construction allows for an enhanced structural design that provides all of the benefits of a 1pc steel piston without the limitations (such as the requirement of an oil dam plate to create an oil gallery in a 1pc piston). Oil gallery shapes can be optimized in different applications for improved cooling and heat exchange. Different steel alloys can also be specified for the crown section depending upon the application in order to prevent oxidation and/or corrosion around the bowl rim.
How do you control manufacturing variations?
IPD designed a unique manufacturing process that reduces variations from part to part ensuring maximum concentricity among all critical features, while maintaining the weight variation to minimal levels. IPD also has a unique in process quality inspection system that checks the critical features of our steel pistons at 100% frequency during production.
IPDSteel friction welded pistons ensure that you have an alternative to dealers. IPDSteel pistons are manufactured by IPD in Torrance, California (USA), and are available for Caterpillar® C7, C13, C15, C18, C27 and C32 diesel engines. Buy IPD friction welded pistons with confidence, join the many customers worldwide that insist on IPDSteel pistons for quality & cost savings.
Links
IPD Engine Parts for C-Series
IPD Website
###
About IPD®
Since 1955, Industrial Parts Depot has focused on manufacturing high quality replacement parts, providing equipment owners an alternative to dealers. IPD is known for quality products, technical innovation, & superior customer service/support. IPD offers diesel & natural gas replacement engine parts for Caterpillar®, Cummins®, Detroit Diesel®, Waukesha® & Volvo® engine applications.
About IPDSteel®
Innovative/unique steel pistons designed, engineered, & manufactured by IPD in Torrance, CA (USA) for HD engines (exclusively offered by IPD).
*Manufacturer information provided for reference only. Caterpillar® & Cat® are trademarks of Caterpillar Inc.
Contact
Egan Hernandez
***@ipdparts.com
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)
Read Full Story - IPDSteel® Friction Welded Pistons for Select Caterpillar C-Series Engines | More news from this source
Press release distribution by PRLog
