Plasma winners

The inventors of the Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA) technology used to apply coatings on engine cylinder blocks have been named as National Inventors of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.

The PTWA thermal spray coating process for aluminium engine blocks was jointly developed by Ford and Flame-Spray Industries.

An aluminium engine block offers substantial weight savings to a vehicle, making it an attractive option for automakers looking for ways to reduce curb weight and, in turn, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

However, most aluminium engines require heavy cast-iron liners because of aluminium’s low wear resistance, somewhat offsetting the block’s initial leaner weight.

The new thermal spray coating process for cylinder bores replaces these heavy liners with a low-friction, wear-resistant coating that makes the engine lighter and more efficient.

The plasma-sprayed coating can reduce the weight of a V-6 engine, for instance, by approximately 6lb (2.7kg). It also reduces friction between the piston rings and the cylinder bore and improves oil and fuel economy as well as engine performance.