Chemical and Microstructural Evaluation of 16MnCr5 Steel for Enhanced Crankpin Performance in Automotive Applications

Crankpin is a critical component in internal combustion engines, often fail due to low hardness, high operational temperatures, and inadequate lubrication.Conventional low -carbon steel crankpins are prone to such issues.This study aims to improve crankpin performance by replacing existing materials with 16MnCr5 steel, a low-carbon alloy hardened through case hardening in a sealed quench furnace.The methodology includes material prepara tion, case hardening, and subsequent evaluation via hardness testing and microstructure analysis.The hardened 16MnCr5 exhibited a surface hardness of 62-63 HRC, core hardness of 40-41 HRC, and an effective case depth of 1.34 mm.Microstructural analysis revealed fine tempered martensite with 2% retained austenite.These findings establish 16MnCr5 as a viable crankpin material and provide a reference for future comparisons with SCM420H and EN1A.Future work will further validate this selection through similar treatment and analysis of the additional materials.