- Thread starter
- #1
Okay, so its learning time here at SupraMKV forums! I wanted to touch on CGI Engine Blocks, a materials technology that many people might not be too familiar with. Why, you may ask? Well, there have been leaks and rumors of the MKV Supra adopting an "Iron" engine block, but I've heard whispers that it's not the "Iron" of yesteryear, but rather, a type of Compacted Graphite Iron, a material that has made significant advances over the old days of heavy cast Iron. I'll try to simplify things as much as I can, as I know materials science can get confusing.
What is CGI?
CGI is a type of cast iron developed in the 1950s-60s to be a middle ground between Gray Iron and Ductile/Nodular Iron. Any Cast Iron is made of both Iron and Graphite, and the difference in the makeup and structure of those two elements are what determine the material properties of a given cast iron type. CGI has tightly interconnected graphite molecules that are short and thick in shape. This results in a variety of material qualities that are hugely beneficial in an automotive application:
-Roughly 400-500% greater fatigue resistance than Aluminum, and ~200% more than Gray Iron.
-Higher thermal conductivity than other cast irons
-Great internal damping properties
-Roughly 50-75% stronger in shear strength than Gray Iron, and can be machined down to match Gray Iron shear strength at significant weight savings.
-Far more fatigue resistant than Aluminum in higher temperatures.
-Due to CGI's high strength, it can technically be machined to be lighter than aluminum while maintaining the same strength levels (although generally, CGI blocks are not machined this far in order to keep strength levels high).
Who uses CGI?
CGI is used by a number of OEMs, namely Ford and, of course, BMW. Their exact material compositions are generally different, but they are generally comparable in strength. Toyota also uses CGI in their Nascar program, with their V8s being cast from CGI.
The disadvantages of CGI are generally in machining and manufacturing, which is where having access to OEM levels of tooling is hugely important, and can both streamline the manufacturing process and reduce costs.
So, is the MKV Supra using CGI in its motor?
Idk, ask Tada-San.
From what I know, we're not getting a plain jane B58. What exactly is this new motor? I don't know, but as more information trickles in, the BMW-Toyota partnership starts to make more sense. CGI is one of those factors that could really shed some light on the nature of the Toyota-BMW relationship, and also shows that there's a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to orchestrating the millions of moving parts in a collaboration as big as this.
What is CGI?
CGI is a type of cast iron developed in the 1950s-60s to be a middle ground between Gray Iron and Ductile/Nodular Iron. Any Cast Iron is made of both Iron and Graphite, and the difference in the makeup and structure of those two elements are what determine the material properties of a given cast iron type. CGI has tightly interconnected graphite molecules that are short and thick in shape. This results in a variety of material qualities that are hugely beneficial in an automotive application:
-Roughly 400-500% greater fatigue resistance than Aluminum, and ~200% more than Gray Iron.
-Higher thermal conductivity than other cast irons
-Great internal damping properties
-Roughly 50-75% stronger in shear strength than Gray Iron, and can be machined down to match Gray Iron shear strength at significant weight savings.
-Far more fatigue resistant than Aluminum in higher temperatures.
-Due to CGI's high strength, it can technically be machined to be lighter than aluminum while maintaining the same strength levels (although generally, CGI blocks are not machined this far in order to keep strength levels high).
Who uses CGI?
CGI is used by a number of OEMs, namely Ford and, of course, BMW. Their exact material compositions are generally different, but they are generally comparable in strength. Toyota also uses CGI in their Nascar program, with their V8s being cast from CGI.
The disadvantages of CGI are generally in machining and manufacturing, which is where having access to OEM levels of tooling is hugely important, and can both streamline the manufacturing process and reduce costs.
So, is the MKV Supra using CGI in its motor?
Idk, ask Tada-San.
From what I know, we're not getting a plain jane B58. What exactly is this new motor? I don't know, but as more information trickles in, the BMW-Toyota partnership starts to make more sense. CGI is one of those factors that could really shed some light on the nature of the Toyota-BMW relationship, and also shows that there's a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to orchestrating the millions of moving parts in a collaboration as big as this.
Sponsored