Ecoform

Preforms for Cast Metal Composites

Ecoform® F/X preforms are based on performance proven Saffil Alumina Fibre, and are used as reinforcement materials for cast aluminium and magnesium automotive components.

The preform is a rigid and porous shape containing discontinuous Saffil Alumina Fibre, and possibly one or more additional reinforcement materials. These additional materials include particles of aluminium oxide, silicon carbide, and titanium dioxide, or other fibre reinforcements such as graphite. Saffil produces a large selection of standard preform compositions, as well as custom compositions and shapes.

Ecoform® F/X preforms can be used in precision casting processes such as squeeze casting and high-pressure die casting. The preform is preheated and then placed in the casting die. When the molten metal is forced into the die cavity under pressure, it infiltrates the porous preform and thereby incorporates the reinforcement material as an integral part of the cast component’s microstructure. This type of material is known as a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) or Fibre Reinforced Metal (FRM).

The result is a high performance cast component with material properties which are tailored to a specific application. Using Ecoform® F/X preform technology, nearly any material property can be modified, including mechanical properties, vibration characteristics, thermal properties and wear resistance. Because the density of Saffil Alumina Fibre is only slightly higher than that of aluminium (3.3 g/cc vs. 2.7 g/cc), these material properties can be modified with adding little or no additional mass, and in many cases the superior mechanical properties of the composite material even allow for a weight reduction.

Engineered Microstructures Deliver Performance

Ecoform® F/X preform technology disconnects the intrinsic link between component geometry and engineering mechanics. This is accomplished by providing a product that enables the local modification of the components microstructure, and thereby freeing the automotive engineer from a predefined set of monolithic material properties. This new found freedom can result in a large variety of performance enhancements:

• Locally increase strength and stiffness
  
• Tune the component’s natural frequencies
  
• Decrease the natural frequency density
  
• Increase the alloy’s vibration damping capacity
  
• Improve mechanical properties at elevated temperatures
  
• Prevent creep and fatigue failure in thermally stressed components
  
• Control thermal expansion

These examples are just some of the creative and cost-effective ways in which automotive engineers have used Ecoform® F/X preforms to improve the performance of cast aluminium and magnesium parts.

Ultimately, increased performance must translate to an improvement in the bottom-line, and Ecoform® F/X preforms accomplish this in many ways:

• Improved power and handling for performance vehicles
  
• Reduction in vehicle noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH)
  
• Cross-platform commonization of components
  
• Lighter and more fuel efficient engines and vehicles
  
• Reduced warranty costs due to quieter and more durable parts

Over the last two decades, Saffil’s Ecoform® F/X preform technology has made an impact on a variety of the mechanical systems of production vehicles, and the list of applications continues to expand:

• Engine blocks (cylinder liners and bearing caps)
  
• Cylinder heads (valve seats and guides)
  
• Pistons (ring grooves and combustion bowls)
  
• Brakes (calipers and rotors)

Regardless of your particular area of expertise in vehicle technology, chances are Ecoform® F/X preforms can offer you the performance improvements that will help your business succeed.