Technical Cost Reduction for 3.6L V6 Engine Piston & Rings: A Case Study

This paper reviews the feasibility in a technical cost-reduction program to make significant changes in engine piston components. These changes had proposed eliminating anodizing on top ring grooves of the pistons, changing the design of the second ring from micro-Napier to nano-Napier, and eliminating chrome plating. A full benchmarking process was run, and a Proof-of-Concept testing procedure was developed to verify if the changes encode the feasibilities. Reliability and performance from the proposed solutions are subject to rigorous dyno testing. It conducted a detailed DFMEA and DVPR assessment to ensure a proper foundation for the validation of proposed cost-saving measures in keeping the quality and integrity with respect to engine components.