Failure Analysis of a Truck Diesel Engine Crankshaft Made from Spheroidal Cast Iron

摘要

A diesel engine crankshaft fractured in service after 13,656 km of operation. The fracture took place on the sixth, the fifth, and the fourth crankpins and the fracture surfaces have a 45° inclination with respect to the axial of crankshaft. The cracks of the sixth and the fifth crankpin are across the oil hole and a complete fracture took place at the sixth crankpin which bore the maximum torque load. On the fourth crankpin, crack is only through the thin wall side of oil hole. The results indicate that fatigue fracture is the dominant failure mechanism of the crankshaft. It was observed that the fatigue cracks in the crankpins initiated at machining dents present on the wall of oil hole. The appearance of the machining dents on the wall of oil hole suggests improper machining and these dents supplied the stress concentration site that was mainly responsible for the fatigue fracture of crankshaft.