Connecting Rod
The objective is to design and analyze a connecting rod for a Toyota 1NR-FE 4-cylinder engine. The connecting rod is to be made of 4130 Steel annealed at 865°C and utilizes an I-beam shape for its column cross section. Load analysis is performed to determine the axial and transverse forces on the connecting rod using Matlab. Using the loads obtained, a preliminary design of the cross section geometry is made based on beam theory. CAD software is used to create a two-dimensional solid model based on the preliminary design. Finite element analysis is performed on the solid model to determine the stress distribution in the connecting rod during the combustion cycle, and to compare the maximum stress to the yield strength of the material.
The maximum stress is found to be 305 MPa compared to the yield strength of 460 MPa and this gave a desired safety factor of 1.5 when pocket thickness is at 0.007915m. Using 4130 Steel, the connecting rod lasts infinite fatigue life, withstanding 8.33×106 Engine Stress Cycles and 200,000 miles. As for fracture, using Mode I with a crack size below 0.2mm when manufactured, the connecting rod survives for infinite cycles.
Connecting Rod Report
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