Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel
This paper aims to improve the mechanical properties and fatigue life of AISI/SAE 4140 alloy steel connecting rods (CRs). Conventional CRs are typically manufactured through open die forging/hammering, blocking, and hot forging processes. In the present work, a modification to the process route has...
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Metals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/6/1035 |
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| author | Wajid Ali Khan Qamar Hayat Furqan Ahmed Mohsin Ali Muhammad Zain-ul-Abdein |
| author_facet | Wajid Ali Khan Qamar Hayat Furqan Ahmed Mohsin Ali Muhammad Zain-ul-Abdein |
| author_sort | Wajid Ali Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper aims to improve the mechanical properties and fatigue life of AISI/SAE 4140 alloy steel connecting rods (CRs). Conventional CRs are typically manufactured through open die forging/hammering, blocking, and hot forging processes. In the present work, a modification to the process route has been proposed such that the open die forging/hammering was completely replaced with a multistep asymmetrical reducer rolling technique. Four rolling passes were introduced to achieve the desired preform shape and size. The effect of each rolling pass on grain size, mechanical properties, and fatigue life was investigated. Samples from each multistep rolling, blocking, and forging stage were subjected to impact, hardness, tensile, and fatigue testing. Metallography using optical and scanning electron microscopes was also conducted to reveal metallurgical changes. Fatigue testing and fractography were performed using the R.R. Moore Rotating-Beam Fatigue testing machine and scanning electron microscope, respectively, to evaluate the fatigue life and the fracture behavior of both the conventional and multistep rolled forged CRs. It was observed that, unlike the conventional forging process, multistep asymmetrical rolling gradually reduces grain size as the rolling progresses and improves yield, tensile, and impact strengths, hardness, and ductility. In comparison to conventional forging, multistep rolling led to an almost 33% and 29% increase in yield and tensile strengths, respectively. Moreover, the fatigue life of multistep rolled CR increased by more than five times compared to conventional CR. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:10:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b331193468d847f5ac9a648ba0025384 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:10:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
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| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-b331193468d847f5ac9a648ba00253842023-11-18T11:35:55ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012023-05-01136103510.3390/met13061035Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 SteelWajid Ali Khan0Qamar Hayat1Furqan Ahmed2Mohsin Ali3Muhammad Zain-ul-Abdein4Faculty of Engineering, Design and ICT, Bahrain Polytechnic, Isa Town P.O. Box 33349, BahrainWarwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME), Faculty of Chemical, Metallurgical & Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore 54890, PakistanDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME), Faculty of Chemical, Metallurgical & Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore 54890, PakistanDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MME), Faculty of Chemical, Metallurgical & Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore 54890, PakistanThis paper aims to improve the mechanical properties and fatigue life of AISI/SAE 4140 alloy steel connecting rods (CRs). Conventional CRs are typically manufactured through open die forging/hammering, blocking, and hot forging processes. In the present work, a modification to the process route has been proposed such that the open die forging/hammering was completely replaced with a multistep asymmetrical reducer rolling technique. Four rolling passes were introduced to achieve the desired preform shape and size. The effect of each rolling pass on grain size, mechanical properties, and fatigue life was investigated. Samples from each multistep rolling, blocking, and forging stage were subjected to impact, hardness, tensile, and fatigue testing. Metallography using optical and scanning electron microscopes was also conducted to reveal metallurgical changes. Fatigue testing and fractography were performed using the R.R. Moore Rotating-Beam Fatigue testing machine and scanning electron microscope, respectively, to evaluate the fatigue life and the fracture behavior of both the conventional and multistep rolled forged CRs. It was observed that, unlike the conventional forging process, multistep asymmetrical rolling gradually reduces grain size as the rolling progresses and improves yield, tensile, and impact strengths, hardness, and ductility. In comparison to conventional forging, multistep rolling led to an almost 33% and 29% increase in yield and tensile strengths, respectively. Moreover, the fatigue life of multistep rolled CR increased by more than five times compared to conventional CR.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/6/1035multistep rollingforginggrain sizemechanical propertiesfatigue lifeconnecting rod |
| spellingShingle | Wajid Ali Khan Qamar Hayat Furqan Ahmed Mohsin Ali Muhammad Zain-ul-Abdein Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel Metals multistep rolling forging grain size mechanical properties fatigue life connecting rod |
| title | Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel |
| title_full | Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel |
| title_fullStr | Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel |
| title_short | Comparative Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Fatigue Life of Conventional and Multistep Rolled Forged Connecting Rods of High Strength AISI/SAE 4140 Steel |
| title_sort | comparative assessment of mechanical properties and fatigue life of conventional and multistep rolled forged connecting rods of high strength aisi sae 4140 steel |
| topic | multistep rolling forging grain size mechanical properties fatigue life connecting rod |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/6/1035 |
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