The use of lightweight components in automotive is one of the strategies that can be taken to support energy resiliencies. Vehicles using lightweight components use less energy comparedto those using the normal ones. Lightweight connecting rods have been successfully manufactured using thin wall casting technology. This piston rod is up to 26% lighter than the original component, which was made from forged steel. This thin-wall connecting rod possesses the capabilities of a normal connecting rod. A fatigue test is carried out to ensure the safety of the new design component during application. Connecting rods were produced using an established casting design. The design produces 4 connecting rods. This research used 3 pouring numbers, with 1 pouring for the I-beam thickness of 3 mm and 2 pourings for the I-beam thickness of 2 mm. All the casting products were subjected to fatigue testing, applyinga dynamic force to a connecting rod of onemillion cycles with a force of 17KN following the ISO 10833 minimum fatigue limit without notches.A dye penetrant test was applied to all the connecting rods to detect macro and micro-cracks that might be formed after the fatigue test. The Result shows that the fatigue resistance of thin wall ductile iron connecting rods fulfils the standard of ductile iron fatigue resistance.
Oleh :
Yoska Oktaviano
