Abstract
Although Graphite Compacted Vermicular (GCV) was first observed in 1948, the narrow range for stable foundry production precluded the high volume application of GCV to complex components such as cylinder blocks and heads until advanced process control technologies became available. This, in turn, had to await the advent of modern measurement electronics and computer processors. Following the development of foundry techniques and manufacturing solutions, primarily initiated in Europe during the 1990s, the first series production of GCV cylinder blocks began during 1999. Today, more than 40,000 GCV cylinder blocks are produced each month for OEMs, including Audi, DAF, Ford, Hundai, MAN, Mercedes, PSA, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Given that new engine programs are typically intended to support three to four vehicle generations, the chosen engine materials must satisfy current design criteria and also provide the potential for future performance upgrades without changing the overall block architecture. With at least a 75% increase in the ultimate tensile strength, a 40% increase in the elastic modulus, and approximately double the fatigue strength of either iron or aluminum, GCV is ideally suited to meet current and future of engine design and performance requirements.