OPTIMUM DESIGN OF A FOUR-CYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE CRANKSHAFT

Abstract

The scarcity and need for efficiency in today’s competitive world have forced engineers to show greater interest in economical and better designs. This project is based on the analysis for optimum design of a four-cylinder internal combustion engine crankshaft. It considers the stressing, bending and torsional fatigue analyses using a high-duty cast iron BY 40-10, which can be worked into optimal shapes. For the optimization procedure, the design parameters are identified as the main journal diameter and length, crankpin diameter and length, web width, and thickness. The objective function is the volume of the material for the shaft. Using an appropriate optimization technique and computer aided method, the optimal shape is developed for the set operating conditions. The values of the optimum design parameters are: Crankpin diameter= 0.042m, main journal diameter= 0.036m, Crankpin length =0.029m, main journal length = 0.027m, web width= 0.060m, and web thickness = 0.012m. The project is useful in solving practical engineering problems in crankshaft design and it has the potential of being extended to other automotive components. It furnishes local fabricators and crankshaft refurbishing firms with useful information for improved crankshaft performance