Finite Element Analysis of Modules made of Thermoplastic Materials and Elastomeric Gaskets for Powertrain Applications

The trends to reduce weight, integrate various functions into modules and reduce costs leads to an increasing use of thermoplastic materials (especially Polyamide 6.6 and Polyamide 6). These materials, combined with elastomeric gaskets (ACM, AEM, FKM, HNBR, VMQ) are increasingly used for cover modules (cam and valve cover modules, oil pan modules), for intake manifold modules and for various other parts in the engine compartment. The main difference of thermoplastic materials (Polyamides) compared to metals and even thermosets are softening effects over the temperature range where they are used in engine applications. This material characteristic makes the prediction of long term sealing behavior of these modules more demanding than with conventional materials. In this paper the results of a long term sealing performance analysis with FEA in a temperature range from room temperature up to 150°C will be presented. The results are correlated to tests conducted on a test rig under similar conditions.