"This engine is not all made of ceramic components," Xie Fei explained to Zhang Zongjun and Alice, the two big bosses, "Although the most important components of the engine: the cylinder block, cylinder head and internal gears are all made of our newly developed composite ceramic materials, but the crankshaft and connecting rod connecting the piston, because these high-speed moving parts have too great requirements for the mechanical strength of the components, and the ceramic materials cannot cope with this." Aluminum alloys are not up to the task, only high-strength alloy steels can. That's why we chose a high-strength alloy material made by hand-forging using a combination of traditional methods and modern technology. Well, only this forged alloy material can keep the engine at such a high speed.

"It's okay," Zhang Lan nodded, disapproving that this problem could not be regarded as a problem at all, for this kind of thing, he was also dealing with cars and engines all day long, and he was naturally very clear about the links, "This is nothing, those manufacturers who claim to use all-aluminum engines, in the selection of high-strength parts such as crankshafts and connecting rods, did not choose aluminum alloy materials, but chose high-strength alloy steel." ”

Well, that's what my own company does. The connecting rod and crankshaft mentioned by Xie Fei just now are forged, Zhang Lan didn't expect that there would be such talents in his company. Zhang Lan knows that none of the connecting rods and crankshafts of the pistons used in high-performance racing engines are mass-produced, and all of them are hand-forged by veteran technicians with decades of experience, even the most skilled veteran mechanics. It also takes several days to be able to forge a set by hand.

Forging high-strength connecting rods and crankshafts has very strict requirements for the level of the technician: the heat during forging, the hammering strength and the number of hammers of the forging parts by the technician during forging have a great relationship with the final product!

After this repeated hammering, the structure between the metal molecules is tighter, and the mechanical strength is stronger than that of ordinary cast crankshafts and connecting rods! Of course, the crankshaft and connecting rod are forged by this hand. The cost is also outrageously high.

"That's it," Zhang Zongjun took over, "Although we want an all-ceramic engine, we can't say that all ceramics must be all ceramic." ”

"By the way, how much does our engine cost?" Zhang Lan asked nervously. \\\

It was only at this time that this little confused guy suddenly remembered the second key factor that affects the commercial use value of ceramic engines: engine manufacturing cost!

Although theoretically. Because the working temperature of the ceramic engine is much higher than that of the traditional metal engine, the high temperature resistance is also better, all do not need a complex water cooling system, and do not need a variety of special alloys to improve its performance, theoretically the cost can be reduced to the most high-temperature, the most expensive metal materials: nickel-based, cobalt-based heat-resistant alloys cost one-thirtieth. Even compared with the current ordinary civilian all-aluminum engine, the cost can be reduced by more than 30%. But after all, theory is still just theory, and sometimes the gap between theory and reality is outrageous! The gap is as big as the distance from Mars to Earth.

Actual situation. Zhang Lan really didn't know. Now he desperately wants to know about this problem. Zhang Zongjun is also aware of the importance of this issue. also turned his gaze to Xie Fei.

"It's now being produced in a laboratory state, so the cost is relatively high. It's about twice the cost of a metal engine for an ordinary 250cc motorcycle," said Engineer Xie Fei. \///\\ looked excited, "But we calculated. If large-scale production is achieved, the production cost of ceramic engines is only 80% of that of ordinary metal engines! If the manufacturing process is further improved, there is room for further cost reduction! ”

Although he had guessed that the cost should be lower than that of a metal engine, when this fact was really confirmed, Zhang Lan still couldn't believe his ears: under the premise that the comprehensive performance of the engine has improved so much compared with the traditional metal engine, is the production cost really lower than that of the traditional engine? Theory, has it really become a show?

Not only Zhang Lan, but even Zhang Zongjun was stupid there, everyone didn't expect that the cost would be so low! In Zhang Zongjun's original concept, such an advanced and efficient engine, if it can maintain the production cost of about 2 times that of an ordinary 250 cc displacement engine, it would be good, who would have thought that the cost would only be 80% of the traditional engine? I didn't think about it, and I didn't dare to think about it at all!

"When it was announced to the outside world," at the critical moment, it was Alice's brain that turned fast, "after we introduced all the performance of this engine that was better than the existing engine, we announced that the cost of this all-ceramic engine was twice the cost of a traditional metal engine due to technical factors and the cost factor of special raw materials!" ”

Hearing Alice say this, Zhang Lan was stunned at first, and then immediately understood, Zhang Zongjun's reaction was the same as his son Zhang Lan: Obviously, such a good thing, at the beginning, must be shaped into the image of a high-end product, the price must be more expensive than the traditional engine, but not too expensive, and those who can afford this grade of car can accept it. So on the premise that the engine performance has improved so much, it is undoubtedly the best choice to declare that the cost is twice the cost of a traditional engine.

"That's it!" Regarding Alice's opinion, Zhang Zongjun and Zhang Lan nodded at the same time.

Xie Fei Xie Engineer has no opinion on this, for him, the company will sell this engine at what price has nothing to do with him, at this moment, he enjoys more is the joy that this success brings to himself. "Although the engine can still operate normally at 20,000 rpm during our test, considering the impact of high temperature in summer, and in order to prolong the service life of the engine, I think it is better to follow the original design, with a maximum safe speed of 17,000 rpm and an instantaneous maximum speed of 20,000 rpm." Xie Fei pushed his eyes that were a little slumped on the bridge of his nose and suggested to Alice, "On the tachometer that indicates the engine speed, like the traditional engine tachometer design, set the red area between 17,000 rpm and 20,000 rpm to indicate danger. ”,

"No problem," Alice nodded lightly, indicating that there was no problem with Xie Fei's suggestion, "You are experts in this area, and you have the final say." ”

"By the way, how much does this engine weigh?" Zhang Lan was curious about this. Although theoretically - and damn theory - the all-ceramic engine is much lighter than metal, and it eliminates the need for a heavy and complex active water cooling system, the weight of the all-ceramic engine is only about two-thirds of that of a traditional metal engine, but now Zhang Lan does not have much confidence in the theory.

"38.5 kilograms," Xie Fei is obviously equally proud of this, "only about 70 percent of the weight of a traditional 250 cc displacement motorcycle engine." ”

Zhang Lan nodded, well, although there is a gap between this number and the theory, the gap is not big. Well, it seems that when necessary, the theory still has to be believed.

"This is not the biggest advantage of this engine, the biggest advantage of this engine is," said this, Xie Fei paused, with a proud expression, Zhang Lan looked at Xie Fei's eyes looking at the broken engine, with a look of pride and satisfaction, as if he was looking at his son who made himself the most promising, "It can use almost any fuel!" Whether it is diesel, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, or even gas, these fuels do not even need to make any improvements to the engine's fuel supply equipment, as long as they are poured into its fuel tank, it can be used, just like a child who can be fed the best, not picky eaters at all! ”

"Well, of course, if you use gas, you still have to add a gas canister. Therefore, in the case of this engine, in the future, owners will not have to worry about what fuel to use, even if it is the use of No. 0 diesel with the worst domestic oil and the highest sulfur content and the lowest No. 90 gasoline, it can also cope with it! Xie Fei's face was already flushed with excitement at this moment, "Before this, no internal combustion engine could do this!" ”

Zhang Lan had already been shocked by this news, and looked at our great Xie Fei and Engineer Xie there like a psychopath, excitedly opening his teeth and claws, foaming at the mouth, talking about the advantages of his engine in terms of fuel selection.

Zhang Zongjun's performance is not much better than that of his son.

"Burn gasoline and diesel for him, even if it is the most inferior gasoline and diesel in China, after we test its exhaust emission standards, and even without adding a three-way catalytic converter, it can exceed the automobile exhaust emission standards just proposed by Europe last year: the European standards are more than doubled, and even exceed the European automobile exhaust emission standards that they have just proposed and are not ready to be implemented!" Xie Fei said with confidence and pride.

This news is indeed a bit sensational, hearing Engineer Xie say this, Zhang Lan even couldn't believe it, such a powerful engine was really made by his own company? A level that even the most environmentally conscious Europeans could not reach, and now they have reached it themselves?

For ordinary gasoline engines can use high alcohol and gas, Zhang Lan still knows, especially in taxis ten years later, most of them have installed a gas tank in their trunk, but this needs to be properly modified to be able to use, otherwise there is no way to use it, and forced use may even cause the engine to be scrapped - if you don't believe it, you don't have to modify the gasoline engine to add alcohol to try, it's strange if the engine is not scrapped!

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