Abrasive flow machining uses flexible abrasive media to smooth internal passages, reduce restriction, and improve areas that may not be accessible through conventional porting methods.
Extrude Hone AFM has decades of experience applying AFM to automotive performance components and helped pioneer this use of the process.How Automotive AFM Works
A polymer media suspends abrasive particles and carries them through the engine component under hydraulic pressure.
The media conforms to the internal shape as it moves, allowing abrasive action to reach around curves, through runner transitions, and across other complicated geometry.
Rather than removing material from only the areas a tool can physically touch, AFM treats surfaces along the flow path.
Components for Automotive AFM
Potential candidates include:
- Intake manifolds
- Exhaust manifolds
- Turbo impellers
- Turbo housings
- Pumps
- Internal cylinder passages
- Fuel-flow components
- Airflow components
Intake Manifold Flow Improvement
The intake manifold is a particularly important automotive AFM application.
It is responsible for distributing incoming airflow toward the cylinders, and internal restrictions can affect how efficiently the engine fills.
Extrude Hone AFM identifies intake-manifold AFM as one of the most effective choices for customers focused on improving engine flow.Potential Performance Benefits
In suitable automotive applications, Extrude Hone AFM reports that AFM can increase fuel and air flow by up to 25 percent.
Improved flow may contribute to:
- Better volumetric efficiency
- Increased horsepower
- Improved torque
- More effective cylinder filling
- Better exhaust evacuation
- More efficient combustion
The actual result depends on the engine and should not be treated as a universal performance guarantee.
Phoenix Performance and Motorsports Market
Phoenix supports an active automotive performance community that includes racing, off-road vehicles, restoration, custom fabrication, diesel applications, motorcycles, and specialty engine builds.
AFM can complement other engine modifications by focusing specifically on difficult internal flow pathways.
Because the process works from within the passage, it can also be useful for parts whose geometry makes hand porting inconsistent.
Aluminum and Cast-Iron Components
Phoenix engine components may include lightweight aluminum parts as well as cast-iron manifolds and other heavier components.
Extrude Hone AFM can modify the abrasive media formulation according to the metal being processed.Repeatable Results
The media is designed to maintain an even distribution of abrasive particles as it travels, helping provide consistent material removal through twists and bends.
Once a process is established, similar parts can be treated using repeatable variables.
Request Phoenix Automotive AFM
Call (562) 531-2976 to discuss automotive AFM for Phoenix, AZ with Extrude Hone AFM. The team can evaluate your component and recommend whether abrasive flow machining is appropriate.
FAQs
Can AFM improve an intake manifold?
Yes. Intake manifolds are among the most common and beneficial automotive AFM applications.
Can AFM process both aluminum and cast iron?
Yes. Abrasive formulations can be adjusted according to the material.
Does Extrude Hone AFM serve Phoenix customers?
Yes. Extrude Hone AFM provides automotive AFM to customers nationwide from Paramount, California.
