The Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and one of its members, GM Global Powertrain Engineering, have been awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a method for predicting heat-transfer coefficients for metal castings during quenching and cooling operations, an innovation that will help make cast parts more durable. The research that formed the basis for the patent was funded by GM Powertrain and conducted in CHTE laboratories on the WPI campus and at GM Global Powertrain Engineering in Pontiac, Mich. It was part of GM's initiative to model and analyze engines for better durability.