Rottler HP6A - Honing of Alusil, Silitec, and Lokasil Materials

Operating Instructions 3-11 HP6A Manual
Honing of Alusil, Silitec, and Lokasil Materials
These instructions are for honing Alusil and Lokasil materials with Rottler HP6A honing machine
and water base coolant.
Equipment and parts needed
Machine: Rottler HP6A
Coolant: Rottler part# 514-4-71C
Hone Head: Rottler part# 514-9B
Stone Holders: Rottler parts determined by size of bore
Abrasives: Rottler 400 grit diamonds part# 514-9-14V (do not substitute different grit size)
KS finishing diamonds Rottler part# 514-9-18P
KS silicon exposing stones Rottler part# 514-8-18N.
Alternative to exposing stones is felt wipers and silicon compound. Rottler part# for felt
wipers 514-9-21E. Rottler part# for silicon compound 514-9-21F
Instructions for Honing Alusil and Lokasil Cylinders
Cylinders should be bored to within .002 with a PCD insert. This is very important to prevent
fracturing of silicon particles below the finish surface of bore. If PCD isn’t used the exposure of the silicon
will result in a defective sliding surface for piston and rings.
*NOTE: When using the diamond stones they should be trued in to diameter of cylinder by using them
in cast iron cylinder the same diameter of aluminum cylinder being honed. This includes the KS finish
diamonds also.
Cylinders should then be honed on HP6A using Rottler 400 grit diamond stones (no substitutes only
use 400 grit) to size with tolerance of +.0002 -.0000. Machine parameters should be set as follows: RPM
200 to 225, Honing loads should be set at 20% to 25% for roughing and 15% finish load.
Next install the KS finishing diamonds and run one cycle in the plateau mode. The plateau mode
parameters for the HP6A hone are normally 20% load and 7 strokes per cycle. You will need to change
these parameters (see operating instructions) to 10 strokes per cycle and a honing load of 15%. Cylinders
should already be to size from previous step. You are not trying to remove much material with this
operation. The need for this operation is to lower the surface finish for the next step.
*NOTE: Chamfer or break the edge of the exposing stones prior to using them in bore. This will help
prevent chipping on stone edges.
The last step in the process is to expose the silicon particles by eroding the surrounding metal away
from the silicon particles. This can be accomplished with different methods. The first method (easiest and
cleanest) is to use the exposing stones part# 514-918N. These stones will need to be installed in machine
and run for two plateau cycles. The plateau cycles should be same as prior step (10 strokes and 15%
honing load). The bores should be flushed with coolant after the first plateau cycle and then second cycle
run. It is extremely important that during this last stage that operator not force exposing stones into
cylinders. Operator should start stones slightly away from cylinder wall and let machine feed stones into
cylinder wall at the 15% honing load specified. These stones are extremely soft and any forcing of stones
into cylinder wall will shorten stone life.
The second method to exposing the silicon particles is to use Rottler part# 514-9-21E. These are a
felt wiper that is used with Rottler part# 514-9-21F which is a silicon compound paste. When using this
method the coolant will need to be shutoff. Take a small paint brush and apply paste to felt wipers and the
entire cylinder. Install hone head in bore, hone for approximately 45 to 60 seconds per cylinder. Machine
settings for this operation should be RPM 160 to 170, strokes per minute of 60, shut-off automatic stone
feed up. Start machine and feed stones up manually until load reaches 15%. Let machine run for 45 to 60
seconds per cylinder. Reapply silicon compound to each cylinder. There is no need to over stroke
cylinder during this process so shorten stroke length accordingly.
For honing the Lokasil and Alusil cylinders the preferred method is the use of exposing stones;
however the other method will work.
When Honing Silitec Cylinders
When honing Silitec cylinders use the above method of boring and honing cylinders. When removing
metal away from silicon particles the second method of silicon paste and felt wipers must be used for
Silitec cylinders only.