A steel piston with an engineered coating is provided. A high thermal conductivity material, for example copper, is disposed on first regions of a combustion bowl to reduce hot spots in the piston. A low thermal conductivity material, for example a ceramic, is disposed on second regions of the combustion bowl to reduce loss of heat through the piston. The high thermal conductivity material disposed on the combustion bowl has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of less than 5 μm to help reflect IR radiation and promote fuel flow. The low thermal conductivity material disposed on the combustion bowl has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of less than 3 μm to promote fuel flow. The low thermal conductivity material is also disposed on the bowl rim and top ring land, and has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of greater than 8 μm on the bowl rim and top ring land to retard gas flow.

A piston for a heavy duty diesel engine including a composite layer forming at least a portion of a combustion surface is provided. The composite layer has a thickness greater than 500 microns and includes a mixture of components typically used to form brake pads, such as a thermoset resin, an insulating component, strengthening fibers, and an impact toughening additive. According to one example, the thermoset resin is a phenolic resin, the insulating component is a ceramic, the strengthening fibers are graphite, and the impact toughening additive is an aramid pulp of fibrillated chopped synthetic fibers. The composite layer also has a thermal conductivity of 0.8 to 5 W/m.Math.K. The body portion of the piston can include an undercut scroll thread to improve mechanical locking of the composite layer. The piston can also include a ceramic insert between the body portion and the composite layer.

The disclosure relates to a method for producing a component, in particular a vehicle component or an engine component, such as a piston of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises forming a first body region, in particular by means of casting or forging. The method includes forming a second body region, which is connected to the first body region, from an aluminium alloy or an iron-based alloy or a copper-based alloy by means of an additive manufacturing method. The second body region is alloyed in such a manner that it has higher thermal stability, higher mechanical strength or higher wear resistance upon tribological stressing than the first body region.

The disclosure relates to a method for producing a component, in particular a vehicle component or an engine component, such as a piston of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises forming a first body region, in particular by means of casting or forging. The method includes forming a second body region, which is connected to the first body region, from an aluminium alloy or an iron-based alloy or a copper-based alloy by means of an additive manufacturing method. The second body region is alloyed in such a manner that it has higher thermal stability, higher mechanical strength or higher wear resistance upon tribological stressing than the first body region.

A piston for a heavy duty diesel engine including a composite layer forming at least a portion of a combustion surface is provided. The composite layer has a thickness greater than 500 microns and includes a mixture of components typically used to form brake pads, such as a thermoset resin, an insulating component, strengthening fibers, and an impact toughening additive. According to one example, the thermoset resin is a phenolic resin, the insulating component is a ceramic, the strengthening fibers are graphite, and the impact toughening additive is an aramid pulp of fibrillated chopped synthetic fibers. The composite layer also has a thermal conductivity of 0.8 to 5 W/m.Math.K. The body portion of the piston can include an undercut scroll thread to improve mechanical locking of the composite layer. The piston can also include a ceramic insert between the body portion and the composite layer.

A method of applying to a crown surface of a piston, a heat shield material for forming a heat shield layer, is provided. The method includes masking the piston with a masking member, the masking member including a first part that covers at least part of a side surface of the piston with a first clearance between the side surface and the first part, and a second part that covers an outer circumferential part of the crown surface with a second clearance between the outer circumferential part and the second part, and applying the heat shield material, while the piston is masked.

A method of applying to a crown surface of a piston, a heat shield material for forming a heat shield layer, is provided. The method includes masking the piston with a masking member, the masking member including a first part that covers at least part of a side surface of the piston with a first clearance between the side surface and the first part, and a second part that covers an outer circumferential part of the crown surface with a second clearance between the outer circumferential part and the second part, and applying the heat shield material, while the piston is masked.

An object of the present invention is to, while forming a heat insulating layer on a squish area surface of a top surface of a piston main body, prevent generation of large cracks on the heat insulating layer and suppress damages and peeling of the heat insulating layer. To achieve this object, in the present invention, pressure is applied to a heat insulating layer provided on a top surface of a piston main body, that is, a pressing stress is applied to the heat insulating layer in advance.

An object of the present invention is to, while forming a heat insulating layer on a squish area surface of a top surface of a piston main body, prevent generation of large cracks on the heat insulating layer and suppress damages and peeling of the heat insulating layer. To achieve this object, in the present invention, pressure is applied to a heat insulating layer provided on a top surface of a piston main body, that is, a pressing stress is applied to the heat insulating layer in advance.

An object of the present invention is to, while forming a heat insulating layer on a squish area surface of a top surface of a piston main body, prevent generation of large cracks on the heat insulating layer and suppress damages and peeling of the heat insulating layer. To achieve this object, in the present invention, a heat insulating layer on a squish area surface of a top surface of a piston main body is made thinner than a heat insulating layer on a cavity surface of the top surface of the piston main body.