Development and Validation of an Integrated Virtual Engineering Methodology for Evaluating Casting and Quenching Effect on Cylinder Block Cracking Issue

Engine cylinder block cracking is a costly component failure often discovered late in the automotive industry, either during the product verification phase through dynamometer testing or after product launch during vehicle operations. It is widely acknowledged that crack issues are related to manufacturing residual stress induced in the casting and quenching processes. To identify quality risks within a short turnaround time and in a cost-effective manner, there is a growing trend in the automotive industry to utilize computer simulations for evaluating stress states during casting and quenching processes. In recent years, computer-aided engineering (CAE) methodologies have significantly advanced in both computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis to model the casting process, quenching process, and post-heat treatment manufacturing processes individually. However, calculating the final residual stress in the cylinder block requires these CAE software tools to function together as an integrated, streamlined virtual engineering methodology. Challenges persist because these CAE tools can differ significantly in meshing topologies, numerical methods, data structures, and post-processing capabilities. These challenges are particularly critical for components like cylinder blocks, which are cast using the high-pressure die casting (HPDC) process. The temperature and stress transformation in these parts is a continuous process extending from casting through quenching to post-heat treatment manufacturing and engine operations. This research aims to develop an integrated virtual engineering methodology that combines casting simulation, computational fluid dynamics, and finite element methods to simulate the continuous manufacturing process from casting, through water quenching, to machining, assembly, and engine dynamometer testing. The scope of this research consists of three developmental phases. The first phase involves the evaluation of commercial CAE software tools, which are used to simulate each manufacturing process, including casting, quenching, and post-heat treatment manufacturing processes. The second phase focuses on the validation and calibration of casting and quenching simulations, including collecting experimental data and building the material database. The third phase centers around establishing an engineering workflow, including data exchange, mesh generation, and optimizing computational efficiency among all the software tools. Th