The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1942-08-14
Better Engines
Made New WAY
Method Developed for Mass
Production of Forged
Cylinder Heads.

NEW YORK.-A victory in the
battle of the factories" that may
be reflected on the field of action by
superior performance of American
planes was revealed here with the
announcement by the Wright Aero
Nautical corporation that it had per-
fected a manufacturing technique
for the high-speed mass output of
forged cylinder heads for aircraft
engines.
This new manufacturing technique
will give the planes of the United
Nations greater speed, load, range
and ceiling than combat planes now
possess, according to Myron B. Cor,
don, vice president and general
manager Of the company. It also
will mean, Mr.. Gordon said, faster
and cheaper rate Of production, and
will free "much-needed drop ham,
mers as well as foundry equipment"
for work on other parts.
He added that although the new
method had been developed exclu-
sively by the Wright company over
more than five years, it would be
available for "other aircraft engine
manufacturers"
Some Advantages Listed.
Advantages of the forged cylinder
heads over cast ones were listed by
Mr.. Gordon and Perry w. Brown.
who directed the experimental work,
as about 3l2 pounds less weight; 35
per cent more cooling area and 100
per cent more physical strength
Cooling is also improved by an in
crease in the conductivity of the
metal, they asserted.
The forged heads will permit pro-
longed operation of engines at rated
horsepower ratings at low attitudes,
it was said, thus making it valuable
for use in desert and tropical op-
erationS. The increase in cooling eff
ficiency also will give greater power
output at higher attitudes.
Decreased fuel consumption also
is achieved because of enlarged and
improved intake and exhaust ports
made possible by the new method,
thus adding to the range of planes.
Because finer and more uniform
grain structure in the metals is pos
Sible in forgings, the new heads
are said to make possible higher
compression ratios and increased
power output per cylinder without
additional weight.
"Details Are WifhhaId
Details~of the manufacturing proc
ess could not be released, but it was
understood that high-speed milling
and cutting machines, with speeds
approaching those in woodworking
operations, are used. These ma
chimes were designed in large part
by Wright company engineers and
built by about half a dozen machine
tool companies. Tooling machines
intended for cast cylinder heads can
still be used on the forged heads,
Mr.. Brown pointed out.
To obtain the forged cylinder
heads, aluminium bar stock is forced
through a die, emerging roughly in
the shape of the desired unit. It is
then pressed into another die, where
it takes its final shape. Nine drop
hammer operations are eliminated
by the process.
Four men, not skilled mechanics,
load the final forging on a conveyor
belt that passes through two rows
Of machine tools. A mechanic starts
the machines and in a relatively
short time the finished cylinder head
is taken from the belt by four other
unskilled men.
In all, there are ITO machining op-
erations on about eight different spe-
cial types of machine tools. The
longest operation takes about a min
ute and half.