Design and Structural Analysis of a Connecting Rod Using Different Materials

A connecting rod or connective rod is a very important part of internal combustion engines that connect the piston to crankshaft, which enables conversion of the reciprocating motion to another rotary motion. Connecting rods have traditionally been constructed out of forged steel because of its fatigue strength, although its density adds weight and decreases efficiency to engines. As the requirements for lightweight and fuel-efficient engines increase, so too do the negative influences of the mass of forged steel connecting rods leading to easier induction of inertial forces and loss of performance. The purpose of the research is to design and analyze connecting rod materials alternative to reduce weight, increase stiffness and fatigue life compared to conventional forged steel connecting rods. A connecting-rod was modeled parametrically in SolidWorks and assessed using SolidWorks Workbench finite element analysis (FEA). The paper compared Forged Steel to Titanium Alloy, Beryllium Alloy-25, Magnesium Alloy and Aluminum 360 such in stress strain, deformation, safety factor and fatigue life. Out of the tested material, Aluminum 360 had the lowest deformation (1.950e-05 mm), least stress (2.992e+04 N/m 2), greatest margin of safety and substantial weight reduction compared to forged steel. The results encourage the use of Aluminum 360 in place of forged steel used in two-wheeler engines since it provides better performance, efficiency, and a longer life.