MIT International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2015, pp.

54-57 54
ISSN 2230-7680 © MIT Publications

A Comparative Study of Different Materials

of Connecting Rod: A Review
Puneet Agarwal Ankit Gupta Dr. Vishal Saxena
Lecturer, Department of Astt. Professor, Department Professor & Head, Department of
Mechanical Engineering of Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, IFTM
(Uni. Polytechnic), Teerthanker Moradabad Institute of Technology, University, Moradabad, U.P., India
Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Moradabad, U.P., India
U.P., India

ABSTRACT

Connecting rod is one of the important components of the whole engine assembly as it acts as a mediator between piston
assembly and crankshaft. Also it faces a lot of tensile and compressive loads during its life time. The main objective of this paper
is to proposed different properties of different material used for the production of connecting rod. We are taking different types
of connecting rod made of cast steel, forged steel, aluminium-360, AlFASiC (Aluminium based composite material reinforced
with silicon carbide), magnesium alloy & Beryllium alloy, & compare their mechanical properties. In recent time it is very
necessary to reduce weight, Stress, Strain, Displacement while increasing or maintaining strength of Connecting rod. This
has entailed performing a detailed load, deformation,fatigue, stress and strain analysis. The connecting rod is a high volume
production from automobile side. Every vehicle that uses an internal combustion engine requires at least one connecting rod.
Connecting rod is subjected to more stress than other engine components. Failure and damage are also more in connecting
rod, so identification and comparison of different materials for connecting rod is very important.
Keywords: Connecting Rod, Aluminium based composite (AlFASiC), carbon steel, forged steel, Al-360, magnesium & beryllium
alloy.

Introduction FEA. Discovering new techniques and methods for weight and
Stress and strain reduction can definitely increase the engine
A connecting rod acts as a link between the piston assembly and performance and economy.
crankshaft thereby converting the reciprocating motion of piston
into the rotary motion of crankshaft. Around the globe connecting
rod is produced in large quantity and furthermore it works under
high tensile and compressive loads.
Connecting rod, automotives should be lighter and lighter, should
consume less fuel and at the same time they should provide
comfort and safety to passengers, that unfortunately leads to
increase in weight of the vehicle. This tendency in vehicle
construction led the invention and implementation of quite
new materials which are light and meet design requirements.
Lighter connecting rods help to decrease lead caused by forces
of inertia in engine as it does not require big balancing weight
on crankshaft. So a connecting rod should be designed in such
a way that it can withstand high stresses that are imposed
on it. So its analysis is necessary. It has mainly three parts
namely- a pin end, a shank region and a crank end. Pin end is
connected to the piston assembly and crank end is connected to
crankshaft. However the stress analysis can be performed easily
by modeling it in any CAD software and analyzing it by using Fig. 1: Connecting Rod nomenclature [1]
MIT International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2015, pp. 54-57 55
ISSN 2230-7680 © MIT Publications

Literature Review
The connecting rod has a tremendous field of research. In
addition to this, vehicle construction led the invention and
implementation of quite new materials which are light and meet
design requirements. And the optimization of connecting rod
had already started as early year 1983 by Webster and his team.
There are many materials which can be used in connecting rod
for optimization. In modern automotive internal combustion
engines, the connecting rods are most usually made of steel for
production engines, but can be made of aluminum (for reducing
the weight and the ability of absorbing high impact at the expense
of durability) or titanium (for a high performance engines) or of
cast iron for applications such as motor scooters. In this study Fig. 2: Density Comparison
materials compared are Carbon Steel, Forged Steel, Aluminium
360, AlFASiC, Magnesium Alloy, Beryllium Alloy.
K. Sudershankumar [2] et al, (2012) described modeling and
analysis of Connecting rod. In his project carbon steel connecting
rod is replaced by aluminium boron carbide connecting rod.
Aluminium boron carbide is found to have working factory of
safety is nearer to theoretical factory of safety, to increase the
stiffness by 48.55% and to reduce stress by 10.35%.
Leela Krishna Vegi, Venu Gopal Vegi [3], (2013), demonstrated
that the factor of safety (from Soderberg’s), stiffness of forged
steel is more than the existing carbon steel found and the weight
of the forged steel material is less than the existing carbon
steel and reported that by using fatigue analysis life time of the Fig. 3: Young Modulus Comparison
connecting rod can be determined.
Kuldeep B. et al [4], (2013) described in the study that Weight
can be reduced by changing the material of the current Al360
connecting rod to hybrid AlFASi Ccomposite. He described that
the aluminium composite connecting rod is 43.48% lighter than
the Al360 connecting rod and much stiffer.
A. Gupta et. al. [5], (2014) compared three materials used for
manufacturing of connecting rod these are Al360, magnesium alloy,
beryllium alloy using. The modeling and analysis of connecting
rod was done. FEM analysis was carried out by considering three
materials AL360, beryllium alloy and magnesium alloy. In his study
he found out that out of above three material beryllium alloys is the
best suitable material for connecting rod of two wheeler. Comparing
Fig. 4: Stiffness Comparison
the different results obtained from the analysis, it is concluded that
the stress induced in the beryllium alloy is less than the aluminium
and magnesium alloy.
Mr. H. B. Ramani, et. al. (2012) investigates the stress developed
at different parts of connecting rod using CAE software.It is
evident from the result shown by the authors that the maximum
stress developed was between pin end and rod linkages and
between bearing cup and connecting rod linkage. The maximum
tensile stress developed in lower half of pin end and between pin
end and rod linkage. It is suggested that the results obtained can
be useful to bring about modification in design of connecting rod .
The properties of different material are show in the below
mentioned chart through which the analysis of the material was
done. Fig. 4: Weight Comparison
MIT International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2015, pp. 54-57 56
ISSN 2230-7680 © MIT Publications

We are taking different types of connecting rod made of cast Conclusion

steel, forged steel, aluminium-360, AlFASiC ( Aluminium based A connecting rod forms a basic element of an internal combustion
composite material reinforced with silicon carbide), magnesium (IC) engine, which performs the function of converting the
alloy and Beryllium alloy, and compare their density, young reciprocating motion of the piston into angular effort of the
modulus, stiffness, weight. Know the review is focused on three crank. The prime concern of this study is to compare the different
materials which are light in weight & having stiffness. Stress, materials for connecting rod manufacturing. It is noted that the
strain and displacement comparison for Al360, berylliumalloy economic aspect is not considered in the study. For the above
and magnesium alloy is taking into consideration. discussion following conclusion can be made.
A. Carbon steel as a connecting rod material is less stiff and
having more weight than forged steel and other material
taking in consideration.
B. Forged steel connecting rod is having more weight than
Aluminium, magnesium and beryllium alloys connecting
rod.
C. Aluminium alloy connecting rod is having more weight
and displacement than magnesium and beryllium alloys.
So, aluminium connecting rod show more shaky behaviour.
D. Maximum von mises stress, Maximum von mises strain
and Maximum displacement are minimum in connecting
rod of Beryllium alloy.
Fig. 5: Max. Von Mises Stress Comparison E. Comparing the different data it is observed that stress,
strain and displacement is minimum in beryllium alloy
connecting rod. So, beryllium alloy can be used for
production of connecting rod for longer life.

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