PRODUCTS
Exhaust Manifold Measurement
Automotive Component Testing via 3D DIC
Component testing is essential across all industries as it allows the companies to validate parts of a system before all the components are combined into a full assembly. Understanding the behaviour of individual components allows the product design to be optimized – effectively saving in costs. Each component must meet quality and performance standards before a vehicle is assembled as safety is the primary concern in automotive industry.
Objective
This case study aims to evaluate multiple values during operational cycles of the engine.
❖ Screwhead displacement at critical spots
❖ Surface temperature at full load
❖ Elongation of selected cylinders
Description of the Case Study
Description of the Case Study
The engine, starting at idle state, was slowly brought to full load, remained at full load for a short period and then remained in drag until next cycle.
Due to significant out-of-plane motion and size of the sample, the following 3D DIC setup was proposed:❖ 3D system 1 – capturing images of the last cylinder of the exhaust manifold, two 9 MP cameras with low-distortion 35 mm lenses.
❖ 3D system 2 – capturing images of the first two cylinders of the exhaust manifold, two 9 MP cameras with low-distortion 35 mm lenses.
❖ 2D system – thermal camera focused on transition between the turbocharger and the exhaust manifold.
❖ Hardware Synchronization – All optical cameras were synchronized using an industrial switch and Basler’s PTP technology.
❖ Surface Preparation – A speckle pattern was prepared on the exhaust manifold’s surface by applying a heat-resistant white spray as the background colour and a heat-resistant black spray for the speckles.
Results
All the values were evaluated in real-time with post-processing available.
The thermal camera showed a peak temperature of about 735 °C at cylinder 4, the closest one to the turbocharger.
❖ Full-Field Strain Mapping: Provided clear graphical visualizations along with precise quantitative data mapping the material’s structural response to rapid, dynamic loading.
❖ Multi-Point Tracking: Handled virtual extensometers to track elongation between two points at multiple critical locations across the sample surface.
❖ Simulation Material Cards: The computed high-fidelity strain data was imported into Valimat (4A engineering’s proprietary software) to generate fully validated material cards for finite element analysis (FEA).
❖ The elongation was evaluated for the critical cylinders.
Advantages of Using 3D DIC in Engine Component Testing
❖ Multi-System Integration: Synchronizes optical structural data with thermal imaging cameras to track mechanical deformation and temperature simultaneously.
❖ High-Temperature Resilience: Utilizes heat-resistant surface preparation and non-contact sensors to deliver precise measurements under severe thermal stress up to 735 °C.
❖ Non-Contact Measurement: Eliminates the risk of knife-edge slippage or physical sensor damage during violent high-speed material failures.
❖ Real-Time Evaluation: Computes displacement, strain, and thermal variations live during engine cycles, enabling immediate validation.
For more information about 3D DIC, please Contact us through email info@mercury-dic.com.
By Purchasing Our Products, Customer Care Is Not Over.
We’ll install your measurement system and help you solve your measurement problems. Our software and application engineers are here to help!