Material Comparison for a Two-Wheeler Connecting Rod using Finite Element Analysis(FEA)

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e ISSN: 2395 0056

Volume: 09 Issue: 07 | July 2022 www.irjet.net p ISSN: 2395 0072

Material Comparison for a Two-Wheeler Connecting Rod using Finite Element Analysis(FEA)

Delhi Technological University, New Delhi, India ***

Abstract - An internal combustionenginehasaconnectingrod as a major component. It acts as a transmission mechanism to convert the reciprocating piston motion into rotary motion by transmitting the push and pull from the piston pin to the crank pin. A 4 stroke petrol engine of a specified model, with a market available connecting rod, is the object of the current study. This investigation uses solid modeling software called PRO/E(Creo Parametric). The modeled connecting rod is imported to an analysis program called ANSYS. Analysis software ANSYS is used to determine von mises stresses, equivalent and shear strains, shear stresses, and total deformation for given loading conditions. The analysis focuses on the analysis of three materials Aluminum Alloy(Al 6061), Structural Steel, and Gray Cast Iron. A 6061 aluminum alloy is part of the 6xxx aluminum alloy family, which consists primarily of magnesium and silicon alloys. Aluminum 6061 has a nominal composition of 97.9% Al, 0.6% Si, 1.0% Mg, 0.2% Cr, and 0.28% Cu. A connecting rod is designed based on the results of software that compares three materials.

Key Words: ConnectingRod,PRO/E(CreoParametric),ANSYS, FEA(FiniteElementAnalysis)

1. INTRODUCTION

The connecting rod in a combustion engine is a major component. By connecting the piston to the crankshaft, it transfers power from the piston to the crankshaft and the transmission.Aconnectingrodcanbemadeofvarioustypesof materialsandproducedindifferentways.Steelandaluminum arethetwomostcommonmaterialsusedinconnectingrods. Amongthemostcommonmanufacturingprocessesarecasting, forging, and powdered metallurgy. In internal combustion engines, connecting rods constitute a large portion of the production volume. Besides connecting the piston with the crankshaft, this component is responsible for transmitting powerfromthepistontothecrankshaft.Connecting rodsare madefromvarioustypesofmaterialsandaremanufacturedin differentways.

1.1 Stresses Experienced by Connecting Rod

Asaresultoftheoperation,theconnectingrodissubjectedto majoraxialandbendingstresses Asaresultofthecylindergas pressure(onlycompressive)andtheinertiaforcearisingfrom reciprocating action (both tensile and compressive), axial stressesareproduced,whilebendingstressesarecreateddue tocentrifugalforce.

1.2 Design and Manufacturing of Connecting Rod

Connecting rodhasalongshank,asmallend,andalargeend. Theshank'scross sectioncanberectangular,circular,tubular, I section, or H section. In general, circular sections are preferred for low speed engines, whereas I sections are preferred for high speed engines. Casting, forging, and powdered metallurgy are the most common types of manufacturingprocesses.Acomplexstateofloadingisapplied totheconnectingrod.Itissubjectedtohighcyclicloadsofthe orderof10^8to10^9cycles,rangingfromhighcompressive loads caused by combustion to high tensile loads caused by inertia.Asaresult,thedurabilityofthiscomponentiscritical. Because of these factors, the connecting rod has been the subject of research in a variety of areas, including manufacturingtechnology,materials,andperformance.

2. SPECIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM

This work aims at analyzing and comparing connecting rods made of aluminum alloy(Al 6061), structural steel, and gray castiron.TheconnectingrodmodelwascreatedinPro E(Creo parametric 8.0) and imported into ANSYS 2022 R1 for static analysis.Basedontheanalysis,anassessmentismadebetween an aluminum alloy and a steel connecting rod regarding Equivalent(Von Mises) stress, maximum shear stress, equivalentelasticstrain,andmaximumshearelasticstrain,as wellastotaldeformation.

PropertiesofMaterialsUsed

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e ISSN: 2395 0056

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Table 1:PropertiesofAluminumAlloy(Al 6061)

Table 3:PropertiesofStructuralSteel

3. MODELLING OF CONNECTING ROD

Figure1illustratesasolidmodelofaconnectingrod.Modelling theconnectingrodfollowsthestepsoutlinedbelow.

a.Referenceplaneselection.

b. Setting of the dimensions in mm(dimensions have been takenfromreferencepapers).

c.Sketchingcircularentitiesatthesketcher.

d.Makingtheconnectingrodendsbyextrudingtheseentities.

e. Redefining the reference plane for the shank of the connectingrod.

Table 2:PropertiesofGrayCastIron

f.Entitiesmadetobetangentialtobothends.

g.Symmetricalextrusionoftheentities.

h. Choosing the planes that will be used to make groove entities.

i.Theshankisgroovedandmirrored,resultingingrooveson bothsidesoftheshank.

Figure 1:ModelofConnectingRodinPTCCreoParametric

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e ISSN: 2395 0056

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4. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF CONNECTING ROD

Theanalysisisperformedona3Dmodelofaconnectingrod usingANSYS2022R1workbench.Itisassumedthattheloading conditionsarestatic.Pressureloadsareappliedtobothendsof the piston and the fixed crank during the analysis. Finite elementanalysisiscarriedoutonstructuralsteelconnecting, castironaswellasonaluminumalloyconnectingrods.From theanalysistheequivalentstress(Von misesstress),equivalent strain, Max Shear stress, Max. Shear Strain and total deformationweredetermined.Aconnectingrodwitha fixed big end is shown in fig. 2 whereas the connecting rod with pressureatthesmallendisshowninfig.3.

Pressure applied:3.15 MPa

Figure 2:ConnectingRodwiththefixedbigend

Figure 5:EquivalentStressofCastIronConnectingrod

Figure 3:ConnectingRodwithpressureatthesmallend

Fig.4,Fig.5,andFig.6showMinEquivalentstressas60.602Pa, 65.999Pa,and64.332andmaxequivalentstressas7.7714X 10^7 Pa, 7.18617 X 10^7 Pa, and 7.8256 X 10^7 Pa for a connecting rod made of Aluminum Alloy, Cast Iron and StructuralSteelrespectively.

Figure 6:EquivalentStressofStructuralSteelConnectingrod

Fig.7,Fig.8,andFig.9showMax.Equivalentelasticstrainas 0.0010958,0.00071547,and0.00039171andMin.equivalent elasticstrainas9.9265X10^ 10,6.4929X10^ 10 and3.5605 X10^ 10foraconnectingrodmadeofAluminumAlloy,Cast IronandStructuralSteelrespectively.

Figure 4:EquivalentStressofAluminumalloyConnectingrod

Figure 7:EquivalentElasticStrainofAluminumalloy Connectingrod

Figure 8:EquivalentElasticStrainofCastIronConnecting rod

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International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e ISSN: 2395 0056

Volume: 09 Issue: 07 | July 2022 www.irjet.net p ISSN: 2395 0072

Fig. 7, Fig. 8, and Fig.9 show Max. Shear elastic strain as 0.0016099,0.00099443,and0.00055662andMin.Shearelastic strainas1.2281X10^ 9,8.2358X10^ 10,and4.5248X10^ 10 foraconnectingrodmadeofAluminumAlloy,CastIron,and StructuralSteelrespectively.

Figure 9:EquivalentElasticStrainofStructuralSteel Connectingrod

Fig.10,Fig.11,andFig.12showMin.Shearstressas32.781Pa, 35.388Pa,and34.806andMax.Shearstressas4.2971X10^7 Pa,4.2725X10^7Pa,and4.2817X10^7Paforaconnecting rod made of Aluminum Alloy, Cast Iron, and Structural Steel respectively.

Figure 10:MaximumShearStressofAluminumalloy Connectingrod

Figure 13:MaximumShearElasticStrainofAluminumAlloy Connectingrod

Figure 11:MaximumShearStressofCastIronConnecting rod

Figure 14:MaximumShearElasticStrainofCastIron Connectingrod

Figure 12:MaximumShearStressofStructuralSteel Connectingrod

Figure 15:MaximumShearElasticStrainofStructuralSteel Connectingrod

Fig. 16, Fig. 17, and Fig.18 show Max. Total Deformation as 0.00113159 m, 0.00073888 m, and 0.00040522 m and Min. TotalDeformationas0m,0m,and0mforaconnectingrod made of Aluminum Alloy, Cast Iron, and Structural Steel respectively.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e ISSN: 2395 0056

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Asaresultoftheultimatestrengthoftheconnecting rod,allofthematerialsaresafetouse.

The equivalent(Von Mises) stress, equivalent elastic strain, shear elastic strain, shear stress, and total deformation induced in structural steel for the currentinvestigationarelessthanthatincastiron, based on the comparisons obtained from the analysis. 

Sincecastironisabrittlematerial,structuralsteelcan be used for manufacturing connecting rods with longdurability. 

Compared to structural steel connecting rods, aluminumislighter.Consequently,whentherodis lighter, the piston pressure will be lower, and the fuelwillbeburnedless.

Byusinglightweightconnectingrods,wecanincrease fuel economy directly or indirectly. Weight is anotherfactorthataffectsthecostoftheconnecting rod. In comparison to heavy connecting rod materials, lighter connecting rods will be less expensive.

6. SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

CONCLUSION

All connecting rods had the highest and lowest physical quantities at the piston and fixed ends, respectively. 

Connecting rods made of Aluminum Alloy(Al 6061) exhibitedthehighestequivalentelasticstrain,shear elastic strain, shear stress, and total deformation followed by the ones made of Gray Cast Iron and StructuralSteelrespectively. 

ConnectingRodmadeofGrayCastIronexhibitedthe highest Equivalent(Von Mises) Stress followed by the ones made of Structural steel and Aluminum Alloy(Al 6061)respectively.

Inthissector,muchhasbeendone,andmuchremainstobe done. Finite element analysis of static structural components is the only focus of this dissertation. It may therefore be necessary to conduct further research on dynamicloadingandoperatingconditionsoftheconnecting rod. Because of the oil holes provided on the connecting rods, CFD analysis can be used to improve the thermal behavioroftheconnectingrodsbyusingthermalanalysis. Inaddition,ExperimentalStressAnalysis(ESA)canbeused toevaluatetheperformanceofexistingmodelsbasedonthe behavior of connecting rods. Today, vibration analysis of mechanicalcomponentsiswidelydiscussedasitplaysan important role in the failure of these components. It is thereforepossibletoextendthestudytoincludeananalysis ofthevibrationoftheconnectingrods.

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