SPARK PLUG MATERIAL

In order to manufacture spark plugs, manufacturers first extrude or cold-form

steel to the proper hollow shape. At this point, the steel forms are called "blanks." After
that, these blanks undergo further forming operations such as machining and knurling,
and then the side electrode with only a partial bend is attached. The ceramic insulator,
with a hollow bore through its centre, is moulded under pressure.

Figure 1. Spark plug manufactured parts

The electrodes in a spark plug typically consist of high-nickel alloys, while the
insulator is generally made of aluminium oxide ceramic and the shell is made of steel
wire. It is significant to take note when electrodes experience corrosion, the gap
between them widens. Thus, it takes more voltage than the ignition system can provide
to fire them. High-nickel alloys have been improved and thicker electrodes have been
used to reduce engine performance loss. In addition, precious and exotic metals are
increasingly being used by manufacturers. Many modern plugs feature silver, gold, and
platinum in the electrodes, not to mention centre electrodes with copper cores. Silver
has superior thermal conductivity over other electrode metals, while platinum has
excellent corrosion resistance.

Insulator material also can have a dramatic effect on spark plug performance.
Ongoing research are being done in order to find a material that further reduces
flashover, or electrical leakage, from the plug's terminal to the shell. A few sources
suggested that the usage of Sillimanite, a material that is found in a natural state and
also produced artificially, has been succeeded by the use of more heat-resistant
aluminium oxide ceramics, the composition of which are manufacturers' secrets. One
major manufacturer's process for making the insulator involves wet grinding batches of
ceramic pellets in ball mills, under carefully controlled conditions. Definite size and
shape of the pellets produce the free-flowing substance needed to make a quality
insulator. The pellets are obtained through a rigid spray-drying operation that removes
the water from the ceramic mixture, until it is ready for pouring into moulds.

Figure 2. Electrode and Insulator of Spark Plug

MATERIAL COMPARISON
A. ELECTRODES

There are various metal types used by manufacturers in producing ground

electrodes and centre electrodes. These materials are listed down below with brief
discussion regarding on the properties.

I. Copper
Copper is a great electrical conductor with low resistance. Almost all spark plugs
use a copper cored centre electrode to conduct the electricity, jump the gap, and
promote heat dissipation. Due to its soft nature and low melting point, using copper as
an outer electrode material would result in a plug that lasted only minutes. Copper spark
plugs is a term mistakenly used for a standard or traditional spark plug. A standard
spark plug typically uses a nickel-alloy outer material fused to a copper core. Some
plugs include a coating or pad of precious metals to extend plug life. But as a general
rule of thumb, all spark plugs utilize a copper core.

II. Gold
Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity, which makes it well suited for a
performance plug. However, gold is also a very soft metal, therefore the gold alloy is
mixed with harder metals, such as palladium, to form a premium fine wire performance
plug with increased ignitability and durability.

III. Iridium

Iridium is 6x harder and 8x stronger than platinum, has a melting point 1,200°(F)
higher, and conducts electricity better. For many years, spark plug manufacturers
favoured platinum for their long life and performance plugs due to its high melting
point.  However, increasingly strenuous engine conditions, and the creation of smaller
electrodes and longer life plugs required harder and stronger metals.  The strength,
hardness and high melting point of iridium makes it very well suited for a fine wire plug
and ultra-long-life spark plugs. Though better than platinum in these respects, it is very
expensive, and at higher temperatures it oxidizes, thus rendering pure iridium as an
expensively poor choice for spark plug construction. However, when properly blended
with other precious metals such as yttria, rhodium or platinum, you can enhance their
advantages with the superior strength and hardness of iridium. The price point of an
iridium plug is usually equitable to its iridium content. Some lower priced iridium plugs
have just enough iridium content to be marketed as iridium plugs. They likely will not
perform or last as long as the plugs with a higher iridium content.

IV. Nickel

Nickel is a hard, inexpensive metal used in most all spark plugs designs.  Nickel is
not a good conductor and has a high level of resistance, so most centre electrodes
feature a copper core, covered in a nickel-alloy.  This creates a balanced, team effort
where the copper core conducts electricity and promotes heat dissipation, and the
nickel-alloy outer material prolongs the life and durability of the centre electrode. While
nickel is a choice material used in the majority of spark plug designs, it has its
limitations.  Other materials are harder, stronger, have a lower electrical resistance and a
higher melting point, and are therefore used to enhance nickel electrodes and prolong a
plugs life in high performance designs.

V. Palladium

Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity, which makes it well suited for a

performance plug. However, gold is also a very soft metal, therefore the gold alloy is
mixed with harder metals, such as palladium, to form a premium fine wire performance
plug with increased ignitability and durability.
 VI. Platinum

Platinum’s high melting point prevents it from wearing as quickly as a traditional

plug. The price point of a platinum plug is usually equitable to its platinum content.
Some plugs have a higher platinum content than others, and may have both electrodes
platinum tipped, as opposed to one.

VII. Ruthenium

Ruthenium is a hard metal with a high melting point and superior oxidation
resistance uses Ruthenium on their HX plug series for optimal durability.

VIII. Tungsten

Tungsten is a hard-precious metal with high tensile strength and an extremely high
melting point.

B. SHELL

The metal shell of the spark plug withstands the torque of tightening the plug,
serves to remove heat from the insulator and pass it on to the cylinder head, and acts as
the ground for the sparks passing through the central electrode to the side electrode.
Generally made of shell is made of steel wire.

C. INSULATORS

As ceramics are used as insulators for high voltage applications, they do not
conduct electricity so cannot be used for the areas where electricity is passed through to
create a spark.

SELECTED MATERIALS
 Based on the brief discussion regarding on the alternative materials, a few of
specific materials are finalised to be used in the manufacturing process of spark plugs.

No
COMPONENTS MATERIAL
.
1. Centre Electrodes C70600 Copper-Nickel (90/10)
2. Side Electrodes C75200 Nickel Silver
2. Shell Steel wire SWCH17K
3. Insulators Aluminium 6061

The centre electrodes are made from C70600 Copper-Nickel (90/10). Copper
nickel alloys are alloys that have moderate strength and thermal stability in high
temperature levels. The high oxidation resistance of these alloys is visible in moist air
and steam, besides having stress corrosion cracking resistance. Other than that, Copper
nickel alloys have good fabricability and high inherent resistance to biofouling.
Furthermore, C75200 nickel silver alloy has high corrosion and tarnish-resistance, and
good formability. The machinability rating of UNS C75200 copper alloy is 20 and has
good cold working capacity. The shell material is Steel wire SWCH17K since it is
largely manufactured and easily obtained. Besides that, this material is common for
spark plug shell. Lastly, Aluminium alloy 6061 is a medium to high strength heat-
treatable alloy with a very good corrosion resistance, and also a very good weldability
although reduced strength in the weld zone. It has medium fatigue strength.

SPARK PLUG MANUFACTRING PROCESSES

 Figure 3. Major Parts of the Spark Plug

Each major element of the spark plug; the centre electrode, the side electrode,
the insulator, and the shell are manufactured in a continuous in-line assembly process.
Then, the side electrode is attached to the shell and the centre electrode is fitted inside
the insulator. Finally, the major parts are assembled into a single unit.
I. Shell
The steel can be extruded, a process in which the metal is heated and then
pushed through a shaped orifice to produce the proper hollow shape. After that, the
formed or extruded shells are called blanks until it is moulded into their final shapes,
which requires secondary operations to be performed on them. Machining includes
machine tools cut into the exterior of the shell blank, the generates shapes and contours
on the outside of the shell. The shells are now in their final shape and are complete
except for threads and side electrodes.
II. Side electrode
The side electrode is made of a nickel alloy wire, which is fed from rolls into an
electric welder, straightened, and welded to the shell. It is then cut to the proper length.
Finally, the side electrode is given a partial bend; it is given its final bend after the rest
of the plug assembly is in place. The threads are then rolled on the shells. Now
complete, the shells are usually given a permanent and protective silvery finish by an
electrolytic process. In this process, the shell is placed in a solution of acids, salts, or
alkalis, and an electrical current is passed through the solution. The result is a thin metal
coating applied evenly over the shell.

III. Insulator
Ceramic material for the insulator in liquid form is first poured into rubber
moulds. Special presses automatically apply hydraulic pressure to produce unfired
insulator blanks. The dimensions of the bore (the hollow part of the insulator) into
which the centre electrodes will be pressed are rigidly controlled. Special contour
grinding machines give the pressed insulator blanks their final exterior shape before the
insulators are fired in a tunnel kiln to temperatures in excess of 2,700 degrees
Fahrenheit. The computer-controlled process produces insulators that are uniformly
strong, dense, and resistive to moisture. The insulators may be fired again after
identifying marks and a glaze are applied.
IV. Centre electrode
The centre electrode is first electrically welded to the basic terminal stud, a narrow
metal wire that runs from the middle of the plug to the lower. The terminal stud is
attached to a nut, which in turn is attached to the ignition cable that supplies the electric
current to the plug. The centre electrode/terminal stud assembly is sealed into the
insulator and stamped under extreme pressure. Insulator assemblies are then sealed in
the metal shell under 6,000 pounds pressure. After reaming to correct depth and angle,
the rim or edge of the shell are bent or crimped to complete a gas-tight seal. To form the
proper gap between the two electrodes, the centre electrode of the now completely
assembled spark plug is machine-trimmed to specifications, and the ground electrode is
given a final bend.

DESCRIPTION OF EACH MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

No Process Description
.
 Extrusion is done by squeezing the metal in a die by
Extrusion using a mechanical or hydraulic press.
1.
(Shell)  The shell material is extruded to produce “blanks”.

 Machining is one of the secondary manufacturing

processes by which excess material is removed by
shearing from a pre-formed blank in the form of chips
Machining
2. using a wedge-shaped cutting tool.
(Shell)
 Blanks produced from extrusion are machined to obtain
desired shell specifications.

 Rolling is a metal forming process to reduce the

thickness and to make the thickness uniform.
Rolling (Side
3.  Nick alloy wire are rolled and then cut into required
electrode)
length.

Partial
Bending  Given its final bend after the rest of the plug assembly is
4.
(Side in place
electrode)
 The raw materials are pre-heated and then fed into the
Pressing
5. press mould.
(Insulator)
 Grinding is an abrasive machining process that uses a
Grinding grinding wheel or grinder as the cutting tool.
6.
(Insulator)  Gives the pressed insulator blanks their final exterior
shape
Tamping
 Centre electrode is dropped into the insulator then
7. (Centre
packed with Sillment powder by a tamping process.
Electrode)
Machining
(Centre and
8.  Form the proper gap between the two electrodes.
Side
electrodes)

OVERVIEW OF THE SPARK PLUG MANUFACTRUING PROCESS

 Rolling (Side
Extrusion (Shell) Machining (Shell)
electrode)

Grinding Pressing Partial Bending

(Insulator) (Insulator) (Side electrode)

Machining
Tamping (Centre
(Centre and Side
Electrode)
electrodes)