Comparative Analysis of the Mechanical Properties and Manufacturing Techniques of Brass Alloy (Cu3Zn) and Cast Steel (Fe3C) to Connecting Rods

The connecting rod, a crucial component that links the piston and the crankshaft, plays a vital role in converting the piston's reciprocating motion into the crankshaft's rotary motion. This study aims to fabricate, design, and analyze the fatigue behavior and lifespan of connecting rods made of cast steel and brass alloy. Tensile strength, hardness, and microstructure tests were conducted on the connecting rods. Similarly, structural analyses were performed. The results showed that the brass alloy rod has greater resistance to tension, withstanding a force of 44.926 KN and a tensile strength of 378.2 MPa, than cast steel, with a tensile strength of 277.3 MPa. The stress analysis showed lower stress on the cast steel, meaning that although brass alloys have superior tensile strength, they also endure less deformation under loading conditions. The study recommends the use of brass alloy due to its resistance to deformation and superior strength.