Cast Component Surface Structuring for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cast components with planar surfaces in vehicles lead to detrimental acoustic effects due to sound wave conduction and are not cost-efficient or lightweight, while maintaining stiffness and acoustic properties is a challenge.
Innovation Solution
A cast component with surface structuring featuring evenly spaced depressions and interconnected webs, creating tapered sections that prevent oscillation membranes and reduce material usage, thereby enhancing stiffness and acoustic properties while minimizing weight and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a planar surface is used on cast components, then manufacturing is simple, but acoustic properties deteriorate due to oscillation membrane formation
Solution Approach 1:
The planar surface is segmented into multiple regions by creating depressions and interconnected webs, transforming the continuous oscillation membrane into isolated sections. This segmentation prevents the formation of large-scale oscillation patterns while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through mold design.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface is transformed from a flat planar geometry to a curved geometry with depressions and domes. The curved surfaces disrupt the oscillation membrane effect by eliminating flat areas, thereby improving acoustic properties while remaining compatible with casting processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform wall thickness is used, then manufacturing is simple, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall thickness is varied locally rather than uniformly. Thinner walls are positioned in non-critical areas where structural demands are lower, while thicker walls remain in high-stress regions. This local differentiation reduces overall weight while maintaining structural integrity and compatibility with casting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall thickness parameter is changed from a constant uniform value to a variable distribution across different regions of the component. This parameter variation enables weight reduction in areas where material can be removed without compromising structural requirements.
3Weight of moving object
If material quantity is reduced for weight savings, then weight decreases, but stiffness properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Domes and curved surface features are introduced to redistribute stresses more efficiently throughout the structure. These geometric forms provide enhanced stiffness per unit mass compared to flat surfaces, allowing weight reduction while maintaining or improving stiffness properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface is divided into multiple segments by depressions and webs, creating a structured pattern that enhances stiffness. The segmented structure provides multiple load paths and prevents stress concentration, maintaining stiffness despite reduced material quantity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If surface structuring with depressions is added, then acoustic properties improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surface is segmented into repeating patterns of depressions and webs that can be integrated into the mold design. While the surface geometry becomes more complex, the modular repeating nature of the pattern keeps manufacturing complexity manageable through standardized mold cavities.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface structuring serves multiple functions simultaneously: it improves acoustic properties by disrupting oscillation membranes, provides stiffness enhancement through geometric reinforcement, and enables weight reduction through optimized material distribution. This multi-functionality justifies the increased surface complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A cast component, in particular for a vehicle, has a surface structuring arranged on at least one wall portion of the cast component. The surface structuring forms a surface of the wall portion, and stiffens the wall portion. The surface structuring is formed by a plurality of evenly shaped depressions in the surface of the wall portion, which depressions are mutually spaced apart, leaving interconnected webs, and produce tapered sections on the wall portion.