EFFECTS OF FORMING PROCESS ON SEALING PERFORMANCE OF FULL-BEAD OF MLS GASKET: FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPROACH

A full-bead of multi-layer-steel (MLS) engine head gasket is used to seal the combustion gas. Finite element analyses were conducted to assess the dependence of the sealing performance of full-bead on the forming process consisting of embossing and flatting operations. It is demonstrated that the sealing performance is enhanced with more severe deformation of the bead plate during the embossing, i.e., with the increase in the punching depth, the punch height, the punch width and the friction coefficient of the bead plate against the punch and die, and with the decrease in the width of die cavity. Meanwhile, the flatting process that is employed to adjust the height of the embossed full-bead has no influence on the sealing performance.