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Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495

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Failure analysis of a diesel engine crankshaft


Zhiwei Yu, Xiaolei Xu *

Institute of Metal and Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, PR China

Available online 11 November 2004

Abstract

A failure investigation has been conducted on a diesel-engine crankshaft used in a truck, which is made from
42CrMo forging steel. The crankshaft was nitrided. The fracture occurred in the web between the 2nd journal and
2nd crankpin. The depth of the nitrided layer in various regions of the crankshaft particularly in the fillet region close
to the fracture was determined by SEM observation and micro-hardness (HV0.1) measurement, combined with nitrogen
content analysis by EDAX. The mechanical properties of the crankshaft including tensile properties, marohardness
(HB) and surface hardness (HV1) were evaluated. Fractographic studies indicate that fatigue is the dominant mecha-
nism of failure of the crankshaft. The partial absence of the nitrided layer in the fillet region close to the fracture makes
fatigue strength decrease to lead to fatigue initiation and propagation in the weaker region and premature fracture. The
partial absence of the nitrided layer may result from over-grinding after nitriding. In order to prevent fatigue initiation
in the fillet the final grinding has to be done carefully and the grinding amount controlled to avoid grinding down the
nitrided layer.
Ó 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Crankshaft; Fatigue crack; Nitriding; Failure analysis; Automotive failures

1. Introduction

Crankshaft failures may be originated by several causes. However, mechanical fatigue failures are prob-
ably the most common cause of crankshaft failures [1–3]. The premature breakage of a diesel engine crank-
shaft was reported from a truck plant. The crankshaft made of 42CrMo forging steel was used in a truck
with a 4 cylinder diesel engine. After 200 h in service, failure of the crankshaft occurred. The steps involved
in the fabrication of the crankshaft are as follows: Bloom ! Forging shape ! Trimming ! Quench-
ing + tempering ! Machining ! Nitriding ! (560 °C, 6 h) ! Mechanically grinding. The paper describes

*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 411 84729613; fax: +86 411 84728670.
E-mail address: xxiaolei@dlmu.edu.cn (X. Xu).

1350-6307/$ - see front matter Ó 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.engfailanal.2004.10.001
488 Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495

the detailed metallurgical investigation on the failed crankshaft and a careful fractographic study. The pos-
sible failure reasons were assessed so that the precautions to be adopted during the fabrication of the crank-
shaft are recommended.

2. Experiment methods

The chemical composition of the failed crankshaft was analyzed by spectroscopy chemical analysis. The
microstructure of the crankshaft material and its nitrided layer or hardened layer (compound layer + dif-
fusion layer) in various regions were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on a Philips XL-30
scanning electron microscope. Marohardness (HB) of crankshaft material and the surface hardness (HV1)
of the crankshaft nitrided were conducted. Microhardness profiles from the surface to the interior in dif-
ferent regions of journal, crankpin-web and fillet were made on a MH-6 Vickers meter with a load of
100 g to determine the depth of the nitrided layer, combined with nitrogen content analysis by EDAX.
According to the Chinese standard (GB 1543-89) when the hardness value of the position measured is equal
to the interior hardness value +HV50 (in present work, HV0.1327), the depth from the position to the sur-
face is defined as the nitrided layer depth). The nitrided layer depth of 0.25–0.30 mm is demanded. The ten-
sile properties of the materials were measured on an MTS-880 machine. The fractured surface was
examined by visual and SEM observation to study the failure mechanism.

3. Results

3.1. Visual examination

The macrograph of the failed crankshaft is shown in Fig. 1. The fracture failure had taken place in the
web region between the 2nd journal and the 2nd crankpin. The fracture plane at the fillet has about 45°
inclination with respect to the shaft axis (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Photograph of the failed crankshaft.


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Fig. 2. SEM observation on the cross sectional specimen of the fracture zone.

3.2. Chemical analysis

Table 1 gives the chemical composition of the material from the failed crankshaft, compared with the
specified chemical composition of the crankshaft material. It can be seen from Table 1 that the chemical
composition of the materials for the failed crankshaft is within the specified range.

3.3. Mechanical properties

3.3.1. Tensile properties


Standard cylindrical tensile specimens were machined from the crankpin portion 15 mm from the crank-
pin surface. The tensile properties were evaluated by breaking the specimen in tension. The tensile proper-
ties are shown in Table 2. It can be noted from Table 2 that the tensile properties are within the expected
range.

Table 1
Chemical composition of the crankshaft material (wt%)
Element C Si Mo Cr Mn P S
Analysed 0.41 0.33 0.19 0.99 0.62 0.021 0.019
As specified 0.38–0.45 0.20–0.40 0.15–0.25 0.90–1.20 0.50–0.80 60.04 60.04

Table 2
Tensile properties
Yield strength Tensile strength Enlongation Redution in
r0.2 (MPa) rb (MPa) d5 (%) area w (%)
Tensile properties (measured) 735 885 17.0 60.5
Tensile properties (technical requirement) P680 P880 P15 P48
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3.3.2. Hardness
The surface hardness (HV1) at the journal and macrohardness (HB) of the crankshaft material were
measured, and average values of five readings are listed in Table 3. The measured hardness values are found
to be within the specified range.

Table 3
Hardness
Value (measured) Value (specified)
Surface hardness (HV1) 593 P550
Marohardness (HB) 278 217–300

Fig. 3. Microstructure of the nitriding layer: (a) journal; (b) crankpin-web.


Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495 491

3.4. Examination of the nitrided layer

Cross sectional specimens of the failed crankpin-web region were prepared to examine nitrogen content,
microstructure, depth of the nitrided layer, and micro-hardness in order to determine the nitrided layer or
the hardened layer. The matrix microstructure of the 2nd journal and 2nd crankpin-web were observed by
SEM, and is composed of normal tempered sorbite. By observation of the cross sectional specimens it
can be concluded that the crankshaft was nitrided to obtain a compound layer of about 3–6 lm in general
(Fig. 3). However, It is found that there is a zone without compound layer in the fillet region on the failed
crankpin-web, about 1.6 mm from the fracture origin region (Fig. 4).
The microhardness profiles from surface to the interior were performed. The results show that a nitrided
layer depth of 0.26–0.30 mm can be obtained in general, which is within the range of the technical demand,
except for the fillet zone close to the fracture. The microhardness profiles of the two positions in the fillet

Fig. 4. Microstructure of the region close to the fracture.

440
fillet region close to the pin
420 fillet region close to the fracture orgin
400

380

360
HV0.1

340

320

300

280

260

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650
depth, µm

Fig. 5. Microhardness profiles of the fillet region of the failed crankpin-web.


492 Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495

region of the failed web were measured, one in the fillet zone close to the web or close to the fracture origin
region, the other in the fillet zone close to the pin. The measured results are shown in Fig. 5. It can be seen
that there is no hardened layer in the fillet zone close to the fracture origin region, but the depth of the hard-
ened layer in the fillet zone close to the pin is about 0.25 mm.
The nitrogen content at different depths in two positions of the fillet region corresponding to the posi-
tions on which the hardness profiles were measured was determined by EDAX. The results are shown in
Fig. 6. The results indicate that the nitrogen content in the fillet zone close to the fracture is much lower
than that in the zone close to the pin. The nitrogen content at 0.2 mm depth from the surface in the fillet
zone close to the pin is corresponds to that at 0.0015 mm depth from the surface in the zone close to the
fracture. It is difficult to explain the results in terms of the diffusion dynamics and nitriding technology.

3.5

fillet region close to the pin


3.0 fillet region close to the fracture origin
Nitrogen content, wt%

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0 50 100 150 200


depth, µm

Fig. 6. Nitrogen content profiles of the fillet region of the failed crankpin-web.

Fig. 7. Macrograph of the fracture surface of the failed web.


Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495 493

3.5. Fractograph

A macrograph of the failed web is shown in Fig. 7. The macroscopic view of the fracture surface indi-
cates that the fracture surface is relative smooth in the fracture origin and stable crack growth regions.
Beach marks can be observed clearly in the middle of the fracture surface, which is a typical feature of fa-
tigue failure. The appearance of the striations shows that the crack rapidly progressed in the late stage of
the crack propagation. From the orientation of the beach marks and striations it can be concluded that the
fracture origin initiated from the root of the left-low fillet region in the 2nd web. The corresponding point is
marked with an arrow in the photograph (Fig. 7). The crack propagated under fatigue loading to lead to
premature fatigue fracture.

Fig. 8. SEM observation on the fracture origin zone.

Fig. 9. SEM observation on crack propagation zone.


494 Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495

The fracture origin region shows the characteristics of ‘‘point origin’’ (Fig. 8), which indicates that the
crack propagation rate in the radial direction was faster than in the circumferential direction. It is suggested
that the extent of the stress concentration at the fracture origin is higher. But in stable crack propagation
region, the crack propagation rate in the circumferential direction is faster than in the radial direction,
From the ratio of the instantaneous fracture area to the full fracture area (seen in Fig. 7), it can be con-
cluded that the real load the crankshaft bore is relative low.
The fatigue striations in the crack propagation zone can be clearly observed (Fig. 9) by SEM, which con-
firms that the crankshaft suffered fatigue fracture. By the way, there are no inclusions in the fracture origin
region.
Additionally, bright zones in the final fracture region (top zone and both sides of crack propagation
zone) can be observed (seen in Fig. 7), which should be surface scratching resulting from friction and strik-
ing between the two fracture surface after the crankshaft fractured. The absence of obvious scratching on
the fracture surface between the fracture origin and the oil hole indicates that the crankshaft was always in
a state of single-direction bending after crack initiation, propagation and formation of the fracture. In other
word, on the side of the crack origin the crankshaft always bore a tensile force so that the fracture surfaces
between the fracture origin and the oil hole could not touch each other.

4. Analysis of the causes of failure

From the observations and examinations in Section 3, it is inferred that the chemical composition and
tensile properties of the crankshaft material, macrohardness of matrix, surface hardness of the nitrided
crankshaft and general depth of the hardened layer are within the range of the technical demand. No obvi-
ous metallurgical and forging defects were found. However, there is no hardened layer in the fillet zone
within 1.6 mm of the fracture origin, which could not be explained by diffusion dynamics or nitriding tech-
nology. When the fillet zone of the failed crankpin-web was etch in selenite and salt alcohol solution, a light
band with of 3 mm width and 3/4 circular arc length can be observed, which indicated that the nitrogen
content in the band is very low.
It is well known that surface hardening by nitriding can raise the fatigue strength of the material. Initi-
ation of fatigue has apparently been influenced by local surface conditions prevailing in the fillet region. In
the absence of the hardened layer in the fillet region, the stress required for fatigue initiation would de-
crease. Initiation of fatigue has apparently been favoured due to the absence of the hardened layer in
the crankpin-web filet region. Once a fatigue crack has nucleated from the surface in combination with
occasional high stress, its further propagation under loading is possible even at a quite low normal stress.
Obvious worn morphology on the surface of the crankpin-web was not observed. According to the steps
in fabrication of the crankshaft, the fillet and the journal should be mechanically ground after nitriding.
From Fig. 4, the further, the zone is from the crack region, the thicker is the depth of the compound, which
corresponds to the characteristics of the grinding technology. So the absence of the hardened layer at the
fillet zone should be attributed to unsuitable grinding after nitriding.

5. Conclusions

1. The failure in the crankshaft initiated from the left-low fillet region of the crankpin-web between the 2nd
journal and 2nd pin. Fatigue is the dominant mechanism of failure.
2. The partial absence of the nitrided layer in the fillet region makes the fatigue strength reduce to initiate
fatigue and propagate fatigue in the weaker region and to lead to premature fatigue fracture.
Z. Yu, X. Xu / Engineering Failure Analysis 12 (2005) 487–495 495

3. The mechanical grinding should be done carefully and the grinding amount controlled to avoid grinding
down the nitrided layer and to prevent fatigue initiation from the pin-web fillet region.

References

[1] Berndt F, van Bennekom A. Pump shaft failures – a compendium of case studies. Eng Fail Anal 2001;8:135–44.
[2] Volgwell J. Analysis of a vehicle wheel shaft failure. Eng Fail Anal 1998;5(4):271–7.
[3] Heyes AM. Automotive component failure. Eng Fail Anal 1998;5(2):129–41.

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