Operational Information

The Medium Speed 4 Stroke

Trunk Piston Engine
The Crankshaft

The Crankshaft for a medium speed 4 stroke diesel engine is made from a
one piece forging.
• First the billet of 0.4%
carbon steel is heated in a
furnace It is then moved to
the forging presses
• In the hydraulic forging press the
crankshaft throws and flanges are formed.
• The crankshaft is locally heated to a white
heat where the webs are desired to be
formed. The crankshaft is then
compressed axially to form the start of the
webs
• Sets of hydraulic presses are then used to form
the crankpin journal ad webs.
• This method of forging gives the crankshaft
continuous grain flow. This is where the grain
structure follows a path parallel to and along the
journal, bends round along the line of the web,
round through the crankpin, and back down the
second web before turning again to follow the
journal. Continuous grain flow gives the
crankshaft better fatigue resistance.
• The forgings are then machined,
stress relieved, and the radii at the
change of section cold rolled.
• If the crankshafts are to be surface
hardened they are made of a steel
alloy known as nitralloy (a steel
containing 1.5%Cr, 1% Al and 0.2%
Mo)
• The crankshaft is heated to 500ºC in
ammonia gas for up to 4 days. The
nitrogen dissociates from the
ammonia gas and combines with the
chromium and aluminium to form hard
nitrates at the surface. The
molybdenum refines the grain
structure at the still tough core.
 Fillet Radii

• At the change of section between journal and

web and web and crankpin, fillet radii are
machined so there is not a sharp corner to act
as a stress raiser. These radii are cold rolled to
remove machining marks, harden the surface
and to induce a residual compressive stress,
again to increase fatigue resistance.
• Re-entrant fillets are sometimes employed; This
allows for a shorter crankshaft without
compromising on bearing length.
 Oil Holes in Crankshafts.
• Unlike the crankshafts for slow speed 2
stroke crosshead engines, which
lubricate the bottom ends by sending the
oil DOWN the con rod from the
crosshead, the crankshaft for the medium
speed trunk piston engine must have
holes drilled in it so that oil can travel
from the main bearing journals to the
crankpin and then UP the con rod to
lubricate the piston pin and cool the
piston. If the surface finish of the holes is
not good, then cracks can start from the
flaws.
• At the exit points on the crankpin, the
holes must be smoothly radiused. So that
the crankshaft strength is not
compromised the holes should be
positioned horizontally when the crank is
at TDC.