This study analyzes the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy substrates, in particular, changes in flexural behavior of laser-textured surfaces. Bending tests are conducted on samples treated by laser texturing and by conventional methods such as chemical degreasing and sandblasting. A comparison of flexural strengths caused by the different surface pre-treatments method is presented.

Since 2000, cast iron-liners have been replaced in several engine projects by Fe-based thermally sprayed coatings in the bores of a light metal crankcase. In contrast to cast in liners the linerless versions of these Al-crankcases are very demanding with regard to the porosity and tensile strength in the areas around the bores. The casting porosity has to be diminished to maximum pores smaller than 1mm² due to the roughening procedure, either mechanical roughening (MR) or high power water jet roughening (WR), in order to prevent either tool failure (MR) or widened pores (WR). At Nemak Dillingen these challenges are met by the Core Package Process (CPS), offering the advantages of a highly flexible casting design and a nearly unlimited choice of the cast alloy. These boundaries enable the production of lightweight crankcases made of the strong and creep resistant Al-Si-Cu based secondary alloy A319. The high quality of the cylinder bore surface is achieved by a carefully designed thermal household of the solidifying casting. The cylinder chill form a stable and sound shell in the very beginning of solidification, whereas feeding takes place from the sidewall structure of the crankcase. At the same time, specially designed chills for the bearing seat enable a very short solidification time, the resulting properties are crucial for highly loaded diesel engines. After casting and machining, the crankcases have been mechanically roughened and coated with 0.8 % C-Steel. The coatings and the interface between the coating and the casted Al-substrate have been investigated by means of light microscopy regarding the interlock between coating and substrate and the near-surface porosity of the cast metal.

The application of thermal coatings in cylinder bores is depending on above all functionality, process reliability and economy of pre treatment of the substrate surfaces. Different removing processes like water jetting or sand blasting are increasingly substituted by mechanical machining. Thereby great importance is attached to functionality and degree of automation. For an assured engine function, high bond strength is required. The roughening process as a modified cutting machining meets the requirements of modern production lines. Removing overspray after thermal coating by a water jetting process, is a further contribution for a higher automation degree. The final machining of sprayed surfaces is effected by a multi stage honing process. The composite structures of thermal coated layers call for high performance diamond abrasives. The finished functional cylinder surface comprehends cavities of thermal coated layer and smooth honing pattern. The technological description of roughening and honing, the process components as well as the machining results will be presented. Pre and post treatment are essential processes, which enable the application of high performance thermal coating materials in friction optimized combustion engines.

Transferred-arc cleaning and roughening as discussed in the patent by Muhlberger is often used as a surface preparation method prior to low pressure plasma spray (LPPS) deposition of coatings. In this article, electrically transmitted arc cleaning is investigated as a precision cleaning method for thin films lubricating substrates as well as traditional cleaning and roughening for LPPS. A Box-Behnken reaction surface construction test is carried out with variation of the chamber pressure, the substrate distance and the torch current taking into account the transferred arc voltage, the voltage fluctuation, the current, the emitted light, and the surface cleanliness. The results of the analysis show the effect of the various independent quantities on the measured responses. Different stages in the cleaning process are determined by their sample cleanliness, their voltage level, their voltage fluctuation, their emitted light and their rate of erosion. Paper includes a German-language abstract.