This electronic flyer highlights our capabilities and activities in the area of Mechanical Evaluation of Engine and Emissions Components (Fatigue and Vibration). Please sign our guestbook. For additional information, e-mail Mark A. Tussing or Martin J. Heimrich, Southwest Research Institute.

Mechanical Evaluation of Engine and Emissions Components (Fatigue and Vibration) 

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) is known worldwide for its long history of service to the global automotive industry. For more than 50 years, SwRI has been a leader in automotive research and development. SwRI’s services to the automotive industries have included fuels and lubricants research, emissions research, and fleet testing.

SwRI is well known for its automotive fatigue and vibration analysis capabilities. Evaluation fixtures are available and can be configured to evaluate a variety of automotive components. Currently, multiple facilities and experienced engineering and technical staff are available to perform root cause analysis of failures as well as determination of various failure modes.

SwRI’s axial fatigue test rig can be used to quickly and inexpensively screen early connecting rod prototypes for axial fatigue strength before they are placed in a running engine.

Fatigue testing can be used to quickly identify potential component failure locations through the use of accelerated, overload test procedures. The results can be combined with advanced analysis techniques such as finite element analysis (FEA) to predict performance in production applications. Potential failure modes can be quantified and ranked, and consequences can be predicted using failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA).

When emergency testing is required to fulfill regulatory or in-field needs, SwRI can develop client programs that can be completed quickly, delivering results with well-documented, detailed information that can include metallurgical and stress analysis of various automotive components as requested.

Experienced staff conducted metallographic analysis on a crack initiation site generated in SwRI’s axial fatigue test for connecting rod evaluation.

 

CAPABILITIES

SwRI provides fatigue and vibration testing and analysis on a wide variety of automotive parts and components, including:

Exhaust Systems

  • Automotive catalytic converters
  • Diesel catalyst systems
  • Diesel particulate filters (DPFs)
  • Flow diverters and mixers
  • Turbochargers
  • Reductant delivery systems
  • EGR valves and coolers

Inset: Diesel particulate filter (DPF) assemblies are vibration tested at SwRI under ambient and hot test conditions. Physical durability tests can incorporate higher vibration test forces to account for higher DPF pressure drops when loaded with diesel soot.

 

Engine Hardware

  • Cylinder heads
  • Rocker arms
  • Crankshafts
  • Connecting rods
  • Engine blocks
  • Intake manifolds
  • Exhaust manifolds
  • Brackets

Vibration Testing

Extreme field environments can be simulated in the SwRI laboratories. Vibration and environmental test systems provide custom evaluations to meet specific client needs. Custom vibration fixturing enables even the most unique components to be evaluated under accelerated test conditions. Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) analysis is available on a variety of components.

Automotive catalytic converters undergo full-flow thermal cycle and hot vibration testing to ensure durability for the vehicle life. Catalyst substrates and support systems are evaluated under accelerated test conditions following OEM, component supplier, or SwRI test protocol.

Fatigue Testing

Load frames for mechanical fatigue testing are used to re-create extreme forces on various
components. Hydraulic fatigue testing is also available, with customized operating parameters specified according to client needs.

SwRI has several hydraulically-actuated test rigs to evaluate the fatigue strength of cylinder head and block components and assemblies.

This flyer was published in September 2006. For more information about Mechanical Evaluation of Engine and Emissions Components (Fatigue and Vibration), contact Mark A. Tussing, Phone (210) 522-2628, Fax (210) 522-4581, or Martin J. Heimrich Phone (210) 522-3022, Fax (210) 522-3950, Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

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