CAE Approach for Multi-Layer-Steel Cylinder Head Gaskets

Today, Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is a feature that is essential in gasket development. The reasons are that we need to reduce the development cycle, and that we need simultaneously to reduce our costs. This paper and presentation will describe our general CAE approach, which is based on the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and their modifications. We will describe our approach and how we use the results in the development of new MLS gaskets.

Because this approach is based on the knowledge of parameters that exist and how they influence a gasket's function, we first of all will discuss the most important of these. Further we will explain the FEA utilization. We will also describe some special features of different software and subroutines (like “Proteus^®”). Then, we will further describe how we obtain information about the beading process, the durability, the sealing gap oscillation, etc. Finally, we will give a short overview about some modifications compared to the classical FEA. To explain how we verified the calculated results we will look at experimental methods.