a9) ‘US 2008) United States 13733) 733A cz) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2008/0173733 Al oy 76) en @y Raab et al. REMANL AND FUEL INJECTOR TIP ANUFACTURING PROCESS Inveators: Karen Raab, Peoria IL (US): James D. Sparks, Edelstein, IL (US); Seott A. Johnston, Fest Peoria, I. (US); Sami BLSayed, Peoria, I. (US) Comespondenee Address CATERPILLAR c/o LIL, MCNE HARPER P.O, BOX 2417, 511 SOUTH MADISON STRE BLOOMINGTON, IN 47402-2417 Appl.No: 11/686,193 File: Jan, 22, 2007 a2 ACTURED FUEL INJECTOR TIP (43) Pub, Date Jul. 24, 2008 ication Classification G1) Intec FIRM 61/16 US.CL (2006.01), 239983: ABSTRACT high-low thod of manufieturing fuel injector hvin es ins tip inches {ip having at least one spray orifice with a fist diame Iretion welding a slog to the fuel injector tip, inclnding Forming a fused ilerface of material ofthe slug ad material of the fuel injetor tip. The method further includes modily~ ing the sg subsequent to friction welding the shig tothe fel injector tip, including forming @-new bulb from the slug hhavingat least one spray orifice therein witha dierent diam- cer than that of the removes bulb, A remanuaetired fel Injector, and foc! injector tp, includes an injector tp body having @ lst Gp portion ofa fist material anda second ip portion of material compatible for fietion welding withthe first material The injector ip body further inches thi tin portion attaching the frst tip portion t the sseond tip portion, {he third Gp portion including a fiction weld formed ding emanficuring of the Tel ijector tip 0US 2008/0173733 Al Jul. 24, 2008 Sheet 1 of 6 Patent Application Publication Lomsrypoams3ryUS 2008/0173733 Al Jul. 24, 2008 Sheet 5 of 6 Patent Application Publication gamary ou — Th zePatent Application Publication _ Jul. 24, 2008 Sheet 6 of 6 US 2008/0173733 Al a A 8 i. a ~ 8 g \ z a > a L 2 8 g Figure 6 @US 2008/0173733 Al REMANUFACTURED FUEL INJECTOR TIP ‘AND PUEL INJECTOR TIP. REMANUEFACTURING PROCESS ‘TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] |The present disclosure relates generally wo remam- facturing and salvaging. and relates more pateularly to an inertia weld remanufacturing process for fuel injector tips having outof-specification spray offices BACKGROUND [0002] Fuel injectors are integral components of many ‘modem engine systems, and range in application from use in relatively small portable diese and gasoline engines to very lange poser generation and marine propulsion systems, The sie fiction of conventional fue injector is to deliver @ relatively precise amount of pressurized fuel into a combus- tion chamber of anengine at desired timing. The service life iy fuel injectors isrelaively long, oa the order of at east ands of hours. This relatively long duty eyele coupled with the relatively severe operating eavironment and high ‘uid pressures associated with fuel injection tend to result in wear on various parts of the injector. Over time, the wear ‘experienced by an injector ean affect its performance, and under certain circumstances ean even render the injector and its associated engine combustion chamber inopersbe. 10003} Iti common for certain injoctors to become inter- nally clogged via relatively viscous petoleuai-derived sub- stances. Fuel injector spray orifices may also become at least parially clogged due to carbonized deposits from high tem- Perature combustion products. When an engine system is ‘dismantled for maintenance oF rebuild the injectors are typ cally removed, their performance evalated, and the injectors subsequently cleaned and prepared for further service, or at least partially scrapped. Economic losses associated with scrapping fuel injectors and fuel injector parts have long plagued the engine industry: {0004} Another typeof fuel injector performance problem Which results in serapping oF large ntmber of fuel injector parts aeross the industry relates not to clogging and flow Festrcton, but to the tendency for injector spray orifices 10 ‘enlarge. Under certain conditions, spray orifices may'become ‘enlarged due to fluid erosion of the inner walls ofthe olces, ‘This tendency has been shown to be particulary acute with injectors uilizing atively higher pressures and flow rates, such as are commonly sed in certain larger diesel compres” sion ignition engines. In other words, over the curse of many hours of operation, fac! sprayed out of the injector spray ‘orifices under high pressure an erode the inner walls ofthe spray orifices, increasing orifice size and resulting in excess Jel sprayed into the engine eylinder associated with a par- ticular injector [0005] Certain injectors having a tendency to eventually develop a high flow condition can weigh well over twenty pounds, and be quite expensive, duet theextensiveand fairly precise machining used in their manufacture. Thus, there is & substantial need inthe industry fora means to salvage eom- ponents ofthese relatively large, heavy duty and expensive Injector, in panicular the uel injetor tips. Certain earlier attempts at remanufacturing fue injectors involved serapping ‘many of the injectors andor pars where only the injector tips ‘were ont of specification, and attaching new tips ta reman ‘actured injector bodies. Jul. 24, 2008 [0006] ‘The present disclosure is directed to one or the problems or shortcomings st forth above. ‘SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE [0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides ‘method of manulseturing a fuel injetor, including removing ‘an end portion ofa el injector tip having atleast one spray orifice therein, the at least one spray orifice having a frst ‘imter. The method further incldes friction welding a shig to te el injector tp, nelodng forming a fused interface of ‘material of theslugand the material ofthe fuel injector tip and ‘modifying the slug subsequent o friction welding the slug 10 the fuel injector Gp. Modifying the slug includes forming @ ‘new end portion from the slug having atleast one spray orifice therein wih «diameter differen fom the fist diameter, [0008] Inanother aspect, the present disclosure provides ‘method of remanufieturing and salvaging a fuel injector tp ‘including receiving fuel injector tp emovex! fom anengine after a service life, the fuel injector tip including an end portion having a plurality of spray orifices witha first average orifice size. The method furler includes removing the end portion from the fuel injector tip and replacing the removed fend portion with anew end portion that includes a plurality of Spray orifices having a second average orice size diferent rom the first average orifice size. Replacing the removed end portion includes fietion welding the slug tothe injector tip ‘nd forming the new end portion from the slug. {0009} In sil another aspect, the present disclosure pro- Vides a remanufetured fue! injector tip including an injector ‘ip body comprising a fis tp portion of frst material and a second tip portion ofa material compatible for Irction weld- ‘ng with the fist material the first tip portion having @ fuel passage and the second tip portion including a plurality of pray orifices in fid eommtnication with the fuel passage The injector tip body further includes a third tip portion, including # fiction weld formed during remanulactaring of the fuel injector dp, attaching the frst ip portion tothe second ‘ippprtion and comprising a {used interface ofthe frst mate- ‘Kal and material ofthe son tip portion, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, [0010] FIG. 1 is partially sectioned side diagrammatic View of a remanufactured fuel injector acco embodiment [0011] FIG, 2s. sectioned side view ofa fuel shown at one stage ofa remanufacturing process: [0012] FIG. 3 isu parol sectioned side view of a fuel injector tip shown st another stage ofa remanufactring pro- [0013] FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned side view of a fuel cto tip modified fr strength validation, aevording vo one ‘embodiment [0014] FIG. 5 is @ partially sectioned side diaprammat view of a remanufactured fuel injector according to another embodiment: and [0015] FIG. 6 is @ paral sectioned side diagrammatic view of a remanufactured fuel injector accoring to still nother embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] Referring o FIG. 1, there is shown a remanuse- tured fie] injector 10, having an injector body 12 and an ctor tip 13 coupled therewith Injector tip 13 includes aUS 2008/0173733 Al ‘uel passage 40 extending therein between a ist end 22 and 1 second end 24..A needle valve member 28 is reciproceble within injector ip 13 and a portion of injector body 12, enerlly Within and coaxial with fel passoge 30 und a cen terlineC of fel injector 10, Needle valve member 28 may be movable away from and against a seat 36 to contol fuel injction ina conventional manner. Injector tip 13 may’ be understood as having three separate body portions, including 8 first body portion 14, 2 secand body portion o end portion 16 which may include a bull 32 having a sae M therein and & third body portion 18 attaching fist body portion 14 with second body portion 16. Atleast one, typically a plurality, of spray orifices 20 are disposed in second body portion 16 and ‘uy Tuidly connect with Ine passage 30, for example via sac 34, to pent spraying of fel from fuel injector 10 in a ‘conventional mane. [0017] Thitel body portion 18 may consist of a friction weld, for example, formed via inertia welding, and compris- ing a fused interface of material of fist tip portion 14 and second tip portion 16. Third body portion 18 may be formed during a manufecturing or remanulacuring process for injoo ‘or tip 13 sueh that an original end portion having, for ‘example, a defective bull 32 may be replaced with a new bulb, us described herein. To this end, frst body portion 14 ‘may comprisea firs material and second body portion 16may ‘comprise another material suitable for friction welding with the first material. The fused interface of material of the respective tip portions 14 and! 16 may consist of material ‘which reaches molte or highly malleable stateduring ine tia welding the respective tip portions 14 and 16 together. 10018] Third body portion 18 thus includes someofeach of the materials of ist and second bod portions M4 and 16, the ‘extent of mixing ofthe materials depending upon the partici Jar fition welding process parameters, bt will typically not ‘include a filler material between body portions 14 and 16. Nevertheless, itshould betnderstond that inal embodiments ‘of the presen disclosure a thid body portion consisting of & fietion weld having the fused interface of materials ofeach of body portions 14 and 16 will be present. [0019] In many embodiments, it will be desiable to use ‘dentical materials for each o fist and second body portions 14 and 16 to render a remanufactured fuel injector having properties and operating specifications as close as practicable to an originally manulactured fuel injector, as well as t0 facilitate joining portions 14 and 16 together, The present disclosure i aot ited to identical materials forthe respec tive body portions, however. Those skilled in the art will “appreciate that Irition Welding processes may be capable of Joining dissimilar materials, and feetors such as cost and ‘vailaility may make the use of different materials for body portions 14 and 16 desirable in some instances. In one ‘embodiment, fst body portion 14 and second body portion 6 will each consist of $2100 steel. Other well-known andor proprietary metallic materials may be used for either or both ‘of body portions M4 and 16, so long as the materials are ‘amenable to joining via fiction welding, [0020] will farther be recognized that a wide variety of injctortypesare Known in the ar, some having bulbs andor sacs, and some not aving bulbs andlor sacs, for instance. Funher variation in design is well known in repard to the number, size, angle, distribution, ee. ofspray orifices 20. The present disclosure contemplates remanufacturing any fel Injector an fuel injector tip wherein one hody portion having atleast one spray orifice may be removed from another body Jul. 24, 2008 portion, then replaced with yet another body portion already having or amenable to forming at least one spray orifice therein via the presently deseribed process [0021] Third tp portion 18 further includes 2 first side 37 and a second side 38. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it ‘may be noted that seat 36s disposed in fist body portion 14 ‘on the frst side 37 of third tip portion 18, whereas bulb 32 is ‘isposed predominantly in second body portion 16, om the second side 38 of third tip portion 18, Thus in the FIG, T embodiment bull 32 may consist at leat partially of material ‘hich does not inelude welded material, and may consist solely of unwelded material of body portion 16, whereas seat ‘36may be formed atleast panially fom unwelded material of portion 14, and may consist solely of unwelded material. [0022] Incertain embodiments, it may be desirable to form the third tip portion 18 at locaton that does not require further machining to recreate seat 36, hence the location of seat 36 in the FIG. 1 embodiment may be on the frst se 37 of third tip portion 18, and entirely within first body portion 14, Likewise, it may be undesirable to machine tiction welded material or material affected by the heat of friction welding, a8 such material may have different properties than its parent material. Nevertheless, a sufficiently large eonncc- ‘ion zone between first and second tip portions 14 and 16 ‘having suficent strength is also a consideration. Thus, twill be recognized that plurality of lactors bear on the selection ‘ofa location for positioning thed tip portion 18 to provide a weld having the desired properties. In the embodiment of IG. 1, thitd tip porioa 18 comprises « generally annular ‘Weld that is located between centerline C of fel injector 10 and an outer periphery 26 fan end surface 24 of fel injector 10, spaced inwardly from outer periphery 26. In other embodiments, described herein, the relative location of third ‘ip portion 18 may fer. [023] It may further he desirable to provide a thd tip portion 18 that includes a relative tensile strength greater han ‘tensile strength of ether of first tip potion Mandl second ip portion 16. Friction welding tends to result in relatively harder welded material than the parent materials joined together, and can in some instances result in eatvely stron- ger welded material than either ofthe parent materials joined together, depending upon variation in known welding pram fers, The specifi welding parameters which may be varied ‘daring fiction welding fis tip portion 14 to second tip por- tion 16 include relative rotational speed between the parts to be welded, durstion of rotating the pars relative to one ‘another when in contact ith one another, and axial force between the punts Preheating of oe ar more ofthe parts tobe ‘welded, as well as post-eating techniques may also be use [024] Turing 10 FIG. 5 there is shown a remanufactured fuel injector 110 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein similarnumeralsareusedtoiden- fify features similar to those depicted in FIG. I. Injector 10 ilfers from injector 10 primarily in the relative loeation of ‘ied tp portion 118. Ratheethan Welding asecondtip portion 116 ta firsttip portion 114 ata location between its Seat 136 and orifices 120, inthe FIG. § embodiment, thitd tip portion 118 is positioned to include at least a portion of seat 136, nd ‘in eertain embodiments may include al of seat 136. Thid ip portion 118 includes a weld having a generally annular con- figuration, disposed between « centerline C of injector 110 and an outer periphery 126 of an end surface 124 of injector 110 and spaced inwardly from outer periphery 126, The rla- tive size of third tip portion 118, and hence the size oftheUS 2008/0173733 Al fietion weld, as well as the inclusion of atleast portions of seat 136 within third Gp portion 118 distinguishes injector {10 from injector 10, Tt may also be noted that bulb 132 is located ona second side 138 of third ip portion 118 and seat 136is located atleast paially on the sevond side 138 of tht Lip portion 118, 10025] Turning wo FIG. 6 there is showna fuel injector 240 having atip 213 according to still another embodiment ofthe present dseiosure, wherein similar aumerasare used iden- tify features similar to those depicted in FIGS. Land 8 njec- ‘of 210 differs from the previously described embodiments primarily in tht third tip portion 218 is atached across sub- Santally the entirety of an end of the injector tip 213. In particular, an end surlice 224 of @ first Gp portion 214 is Joined to thie tip portion 218, in tur joined to second tip Portion 216. In injector 210, al ofa seat 226 will typically be Jocated in second tip portion 216, but might also include portions within thi body portion 218, INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY, 10026] _As alluded to above, one specific remanufscturing application ofthe present disclosure relates to remaaulactur- ing fuel injectors known as “high-flow” fuel injectors, oF having “high-flow tips. Spray orifice ina fel injector tp ‘commonly located in'a bulb, ean experience fd erosion of their inner walls. enlarging a diameter ofthe orifices between their inner walls from a desired diameter and thus inereasing the relative size and low rate of the orifices. Where one oF more spray orifices ofan injector has eroded thusly, the over- allaverage orifice diameter und, hence, How rate of the injec tor may be increased, even if cents orifices are not ata high flow state. Fxcess fuel ow through one or more orifices in a {ve injector tip can result in poor vel economy in an associ ‘ated engine, inereased unburned hydrocarbons inthe engine ‘exhaust and potentially other problems. Many engine operat= ing strategies rely for theie suocess upon relatively precise ‘control aver fuel injection quantities and, thus, even small, ‘deviations from operating specifications ina fuel injector ean ‘compromise engine performance. 10027] Although the following description emphasizes & specie remanufacturing process for injctor 10 and injector tip 13, it should be understood that the priniples and proce: ‘dress forts herein are generally applicable to all exxbodh rents ofthe present disclosure, eoept where otherwise indi ‘cated, Remanufacturinga fuel injector suchas fuel injector 10 may take place after receiving @ fuel injetor andlor fuel injoctortip 13 removed from an engine allera sevice. As tsed herein, "service life” isnot intended to mean a specific length of time, as certain engines and ther associated cor ponents such 3s fuel injectors may be dismantled for rebuild ‘or remanufacturing after varying periods of service, depend Jing upon te operating conditions, the type of engine, perfor ‘mance status, ee, In asaay instances, a particule engine may be removed from service and its components sent out for remanufieturing for reasons unrelated 10 fuel injector perfor ‘ance. However, manufacturing of fl injectors end be ‘most convenient at the tive that the engine is removed from service, even if injector operation has not degraded to the point of noticeably compromising engine performanee. In ‘ther instances, degraded performance could indicate that removing the injectors for remanufacturing is appropriate 10028] When a particular fuel injector is received for Femanificturing from an end user or other entity, its oper- tion will ypically be evaluated, including assessing the rela- Jul. 24, 2008 tive flow rate andlor orifice sizeldiameter in the injector'stip. ‘otall spray orifices will necessarily experienced erosion atthe same ate nd its thus common to receive fel injector tips for remanufacturing having some spray orifices which Ihave @ diameter and ow rate that is within specifications, hile certain of the other spray otfices have fluid eroded 10 ‘out-of specification conditions. In ay event, where heaver- age spray orifice diameterflow rate ofa given fel injector ip js greater than a desired diameter rate, the fel injector tip may he in a high-flow state and thos appropriate for remanficturing. ln sill further versions ofthe present dis- closure, injoctors having a low-flow sat, for example where spray orifices are blocked by muterial not practicably removed, such ss extremely hard carbonized deposits, might be remanufactured as described herein, Sill other embodi- ‘ments ate contemplated wherein a fuel injector tip has some defect made apparent before heing placed in service which makes it amenable to the present remanufacturing process. Thus, the present disclosure isnot strictly limited to remaant- facturing uel injector tips having high-low state or evento injectors and tips whieh have ever been used apart from testing. A primary application of the present strategy, how ever, is contemplated to be remanufacturing high-low fuel injectors and fac injector tps, as further described herein. [0029] ‘Ths, fuel injector tip 13 will typically be amenable {o remanufacturing where ot least one ofits existing spray orifices isout-of-pecification, forexamplesuch that theaver- age orifice size in injector tip 13 prior to remanufacturing is ‘desired orifice size fora particular line of fuel odiments, however, the average ori= fice size or flow rate of the existing orifices could be small! lower than a desired size andor flow rate. Flow rate esis oF some other diagnostics may be used to determine that atleast ‘ne existing spray orifice is ata high-flow state, fr example “Taming 1 FIG. 2, there is shown fet inject original bulb 332 removed. The original bu spray orifices 320, atleast one of which is out-of-specific: ‘ons. Bulb 332 may be eu from injoctor ip 13, removed via arinding, or removed by any other suitable process. In the embodintent shown in FIG. 2, only bulb 332 is removed, rather than additional material of injector p13, lewing an Annular region 101 upon injector tp 13 [0030] Following removal of bulb 332, 2 new bulb may be {ormed in its place, approximately in the same region 101 of injector tip 13 feom Which bulb 332 is removed. Turning t0 FIG. 3, there is shown injector tip 13 at another stage of remanoficturing, wherein a slug 16 is shown attached t0 injector tp body portion 1d via a friction weld 18. Friction ‘welding slg 16 0 injector ip 13 will generally tke place by providing relative rotation berwoen slug 16 and injector 13, then contacting the components while subjected to axial ‘ore. Inertia welding isa variation of friction welding. and relies upon the use ofan addtional mass coupled with atleast ‘one of the rotating components whose rotational inertia pro- vides energy for rotating the components while in contact ‘with one another, and wll prvidea preetcal implementation strategy. Slug 16 consists of material attached © injector tip 13 which may subsequently be reduced in lengtl and diam- cer and machined to form a new bulb 32, or otherwise fash- ined to provide spray orifices 20 for eventual retwrning of injector 10 t0 an operational state. Third tip portion 18 is shown generally in the configuration which its constituent ‘material may have prine to machining to form the new bulb 32, Weld lash 21 will kely intrude into fuel passage 30, andUS 2008/0173733 Al ‘curl outwardly from the region st which lug 16issattached to first body portion 14. During typical friction welding. the materials of lug 16and first body portion 14 will forma fused interface, 10031) Following the fietion welding process, weld flash 21 is subsequently removed, by any suitable machining pro- ‘ess, and slug 16 machined down to provide a desired shape Tor bulb 32. Depending upon the location at which slug 16 is tached, @ new seat 36 may be formed, by any suitable machining process New spray orifices 20 may als be formed in injector tip 13 via any suitable process. The one or more new spray orifices 20 may be understood as “normal flow” ‘oniies, having a diameter corresponding toa desired flow rate for injector 10, as determined by the average diameter of the new orifies. In one embodiment, a longitudinal ole 19 may be formed in lug 16 priorto friction welding to injector tip 13, as shown in FIG. 3, although its se is not eit Welding fash 21 may intrude into bole 19 during friction ‘eld, wtimately afecting the characteristics of thied ip portion 18 in certain embodiments. [0032] | Thesizcofthe sug slectd for fiction welding will be selected based on a variety of fators, The desired size of third ip portion 18 will enemy ditate a minimum diameter forthe slug In general, a relatively larger fused interface of ‘material attaching first and second ip portions 1 and 16 will provide greater strength, however, removing relatively larger ‘amounts of material frm first tp portion 14 to provide fora larger weld may be relatively mote labor intensive. In ad tion, elatively larger slugs willtend to require more extensive osi-welding machining to form a new bulb, and also result in reater material waste. Referring to FIG. 4 ina fist example, slughaving a diameter D, of shout 10.5 millimeters may be Welded to injector tip 13 ata Weld interface having a similar diameter. A portion of the slug may then be mschined to 3 second diameter Dy, reducing ils diameter bya factor of upto bout one-half, for example to §.36 millimeters, a dimension ‘corresponding to the diameter of a fuel injector bull to be ormed. Tensile strength ofthe sig and injector tip combi nations may be validated, for example, by forming threads 49 jn slug 16 attached to injector tip 13, thea applying load thereon, as indicated by aerow F in FIG. 4. desired tensile strenath fora remanufactured fuel injector tip may be doter- rmined based on the theoretical stesses the injector tip is Jikely to eneounter in an operating environment 10033] The geaeral fetion welding process for injectors 110 and 210 wil be similar to that describes with regard to injector 10, but wih cersain differences, Injectors 110 and 210, for example, may be remanufactured using relatively Jarger diameter shag to account forthe relatively larger diam ‘ter ofthe welded third body portions 118 and 218, respec ively. In addition, rather than removing only the old bul in anticipation of forming the new bulb, relatively larger quan- tities of material willbe removed from injectors 110 and 210. Machining ofthe slugs used in emanufacturing injectors 10 and 210 will generally require the removal of a relatively larger amount of material to ervate bulbs 132,232, having @ desired diameter. Additional processing steps will be neces- sary if and when seats 126 and 226 are either removed or modified in preparation for or during the ition welding process, Inall cases, nish grinding may be used to produce the desired bulb configuration, [0034] | Retuming to the specifi example of injector 10 ‘once machining of fuel injector ip 13 is complete, with new ‘orifices formed therein, and a desired bulb shape aud surface Jul. 24, 2008 finish exeated, tip 13 may be reattached to injector body 12, tested for operation within desiredspecifications and retuned {o service. Certain fuel injectors commonly have individual paris matched with olher parts prior o assembly to uchieve esired or optimal performance. Tolerances in mannfactured Tue injector components can affect operation, and iti thus often desirable to math incvidual components having oer tain characteristics with other components having similar oF compensatory characteristics. In other words, a deviation {rom ideal specifications ina rst component such as injector body 12 due to manufacturing tolerances may be compen- sated for by deviations from specifications ina second com- ponent suchas injector tp 13. By remanufacturing fel injec- {or components as described here, the need for ientiying ‘components having compensatory specifications may be reduced, the injector tip initially emoved from an injector body may be retuened to sevice with the same injector body. [0035] The present disclosure is applicable without linita- ‘ion {0 materials, injector style, et, for reasons set forth herein. Is contemplated, however, that economic justifica- sion for salvaging fel injector parts may tend to be greatest {orrelatively large, expensive fuel injectors. The priorstaeof the art remanufacturing of certain fuel injectors involved scrapping large numbers of injector pars. in particular tps resulting in substantial economic ineficieney. The present disclosure promises to provide a 80% or preter cost redue- tion per tip over replacing high-flow injector tips with new ‘ips in a remanufactured fel injector. Rather than serapping ‘up toon third of the injector tips received for remanufactar ing because of high-flow failure, and replacing the serapped ‘ips with new ones, many more ofthe tips may’be reamed 40 service than was previously attainable, or at least practicable [0036] The present description is for illustrative purposes ‘only, and should nt be construed to marrow the Breath ofthe present disclosure in any way. Thus, hose skilled inthe art ‘will appreciate that various moslcatons might be mae to the presently disclosed embodiments without deparing from the intended spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For instance, while its contemplated that fel injector tips will often be retumesl to serviee in an application identical that in which they previously operated. the present disclosure is ‘ot thereby limited. Thus, while a new bull will typically be {formed with sructral and fanctional characteristics smn- Jaras practicable those of the criginal bulb, differen spray orifice configurations, umber, ete. might be used inthe nee bull. Moreover, rather than coupling remanufactured fuel injector tips with remanufactured injector bodies, in some embodiments new injector bodies might be attached 10 remanuféetured injector tips. Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims. We lai: 1A method of manofacturing a fel injector comprising removing anend portion of fel injector tip having atleast ‘one spray orifee, the at least one spray orifice having & first diameter fiction welding a slug to the fuel injector tip, including forming a fused interface of material of the slug and meri of the fuel injetor tp: and ‘modifying the slug subsequent 1o friction welding the slug to the fuel injector tp, including forming a new end portion for the fel injector tip from the slug having at least one spray orifice therein witha diameter different from the first diameterUS 2008/0173733 Al 2, The method of elaim 1 wherein removing an end portion comprises removing bulb fom the fuel injector tp having a least one high-flow spray orifice therein fiction welding the sug tothe fel injector tp includes inertia welding the slug to the fe injector Gp approxi- imately in a region of the tip from which the bulb is removed: and forming a new end porion comprises forming a new bulb for the fuel injector tp having a plurality of normal low spray orifices therein 3. The method of claim 2 whervia modifying the slug subsequent to friction welding the shig to the fel injector tip Tre comprises reducing a diameter of the slug pre t forming the plurality of normal-low spray orifices therein, 44. The method of claim 3 wherein forming a new bulb ‘comprises forming the ormal-low spray eifces in the shu, when the diameter of the slug has been reduced by a fictor of up w about wo, 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising validating aa injostortip tensile strength at least in part by cutting threads in thesiug, and applying load to the sg via te threads. ‘6. Themethod of claim 2 whersin fiction weldingaslagto the injector tip comprises inertia welding a slug having a Jongittadinal hole therein tothe injector tp 7.A method of remanufacturing and salvaging a fuel injee ‘or tip comprising ‘receiving fel injector ip removed from an engine aller 3 ‘service life the fuel injector tip inchuding an end portion hnaving plurality of spray orities therein wit fist average orifice size: removing the end portion from the fel injector tp: and replacing the removed end portion with a new end portion ‘hatineludesa plurality of spray orficeshaving asecond average orifice size different from the first average ori- tice size, ineluding fietion welding aslug tthe injector tip and forming te new ead portion from the slug 8, The method of elaim 7 wherein removing the end portion comprises removing a bull fom the fel injector tip {fiction welding a sig to the injector tip comprises form= ing an ineria weld that attaches the shig to the fuel injector tip nd includes Fused interlace of material of the fuel injector tip and material of the slug; and replacing the removed end portion includes replacing the ‘new end portion with anew end portion having plural- ity of spay orifices having a second average orifice size smaller than the first average orifice size, and forming the new end portion comprises forming a new bal from the sg, including reducing a diameter and reducing length ofthe slug, Jul. 24, 2008 9. The method of claim 8 wherein forming an inertia weld ‘comprises positioning the inertia weld ata location spaced rally inward Irom an outer periphery of an end of the injector tip 10, The method of lain 8 wherein fortning an inertia weld comprises forming the inertia weld at an outer periphery ofan end of the injector dp. 11, remanufactured fel injector tip comprising an injector ip body comprising a fis tip portion of first ‘nterial anda second tip portion of a material eompat- ible for fiietion welding withthe frst material, sid rst tip portion having a fuel passage and said second tip portion inclading a plurality of spray orifices in Bic ‘communication with said Tuel passage; aid sad injector tp body further comprising third tip portion, including a friction Weld formed during remaattuctur- ingof sid fue injector tip, ataching sai irs tp portion to said second tip portion and comprising a fused inter: face of sid fist material and material of said second tip. portion 12, The remanufactured fuel injector tip of claim 11 wherein said first tip portion includes an end with an outer periphery, said second tip portion includes a bulb and said {hind tip portion comprises an inertia weld disposed between sid end and said bu, 13, The remanufactured fuel injector tip of elaim 12 ‘wherein said injeetor tip body comprises an injetion valve seat located at least predominantly in sad fist tip portion, 14. The remanufactured fuel injector tip of claim 42 ‘wherein said injetor tip body comprises an injetion valve seat located atleast predominantly outside of said first Gp portion, 18. The remanufactured fuel injector tip of claim 42 wherein each of said first ip portion and said second tip portion has tensile strength, said thid Gp portion having ‘ensile strength greater than tensile strength of either of said first ip portion and said second tp portion 16, The remanufactured fuel injector tip of elsim 18 ‘wherein sid first tip portion comprises a longitudinal center Tine coaxial with said fuel passage, said thid tip portion having an annular configuration and being attached to said first tip portion on ssid end at a position between said longi- todinal centerline and said outer periphery 17. The remanufactured fuel injector tip of claim 18 ‘wherein said third tip portion being attached at the outer periphery ofthe end of said first injector tip portion. 18. fuel injector including the remanufactured fuelinjee- tor tip of elaina 18,