SinterCast confirms now that its process control technology has been chosen for the production of compacted graphite iron blocks for Ford Motor Co.’s new Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine.
Ford announced the new engine series in late August.
Compacted graphite iron (CGI) is growing in demand as a material for automotive and truck powertrain components. According to SinterCast, CGI has “75% higher tensile strength, 45% higher stiffness, and approximately double the fatigue strength of conventional gray cast iron and aluminum.”
The company’s technology is used by metalcasters supplying numerous manufacturers, including Audi, Caterpillar, Chrysler, DAF Trucks, Ford, GE Transportation Systems, General Motors, Hyundai, Navistar, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, MAN Diesel, Porsche, PSA Peugeot-Citron, Renault, Rolls-Royce Power Engineering, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Waukesha Engine.
Ford’s 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickups will arrive early next year, representing North America's first high-volume application of CGI for engines in that vehicle class. Production has already begun at the Ford Engine Plant in Chihuahua, Mexico, and the blocks are being cast at the Tupy Funicoes casting plant in Joinville, Brazil.
Tupy has produced CGI V-6 engines for Ford, and other models for numerous car and truck manufacturers. It is one of the largest users of SInterCast’s control technology for CGI production.
"We are pleased that Ford's positive production experience with the 2.7, 3.0, and 3.6 liter CGI cylinder blocks at Tupy has secured our role as the engineering development partner and production source for the new 6.7-liter V8," stated Tupy president and CEO Luiz Tarqunio. "We look forward to expanding our collaboration with Ford and SinterCast as we continue to support the development, launch and series production of environmentally friendly CGI diesel engines."
SinterCast president and CEO Dr. Steve Dawson said: "Ford Motor Co. was the first OEM in the world to introduce a high-volume CGI engine, with the launch of the 2.7-liter turbo-diesel in Europe in 2002. Ford is currently the CGI industry leader with six CGI engines — all based on SinterCast-CGI cylinder blocks," said Dr. Steve Dawson, President & CEO of SinterCast. "As a replacement program for an existing engine, we look forward to supporting Ford's transition to the new 6.7-liter V8, providing the potential for more than 400,000 engine equivalents per year at full volume, effectively doubling our current series production volume."