Material Selection for an

engine piston
Name and Surname : Sami Onur Vural
Number : 263410

Supervisor : Dr inż. Krzysztof Widanka

Description Of Piston

 Piston is a part of a system which converts chemical energy to mechanic energy. Main duty
of a piston is turning crank shaft so converting linear motion to rotational movement.
Mixture of fuel and air combust in a cylinder and expanded gas push piston and thus the
crank which linked by piston turns.
 There are two common methods to produce pistons. These ones are casting and forging. In
forged pistons , there are more molecules in the same area rather than casted piston.
Thanks to this situation forged pistons have more strenght and working hours. But after
forging process machining is applied more harder.
Specification Of Requirements

 The piston together with the piston rings, form the combustion chamber with the cylinder
head, sealing the combustion gas. Then, it transfers combustion pressure to the rotating
crankshaft through the piston pin and connecting rod. Finally, in the two stroke engine
particularly, the piston itself works as the valve, exchanging gas. Also, pistons need to be
mass-produced at low expense.
 When exposed to a high-temperature gas,the piston must reciprocate at high speed along
the cylinder bore. Even a small engine can generate a high power output at an increased
revolution number. To generate high power output, the piston should be designed to be as
light as possible whilst retaining durability. Such lightweight designs increase the stress on
the piston material.
 In comparison with petrol engines, diesel engines generate power at relatively low rotation,
although a higher cylinder pressure is required. These engines use a piston with a centrally
located combustion bowl. This increased power has aised the piston head temperature to as
much as 350 ᵒC at the combustion bowl edge. Compared to petrol engine pistons, diesels
require a piston with a much higher strength to withstand these high temperatures.
Material Investigation

 Light aluminum alloy has been the most widely used material. A key issue was whether
aluminum, with a melting temperature as low as 660 ᵒC, could withstand hot combustion
gas. We will compare it with another materials in the next section.
 Ashby chart is one of the first step of material selection. It is an useful tool because it give
enable to compare unnumberable materials during the consept design process. Also it is
useful for checking specific material properties whether or not appropriate for our design.
An ashby plot ensure to compoare two or more specification for a material or a group of
material. For comparing these traits , ashby charts are quite important.
 For selected a material by using Ashby Chart ;
 We should know trait of material like density , yield tension
 Variables can be adjusted during the loading period such as applied force.
 Constraints such as, thickness of the beam, amount of deflection.
 There are two main material groups are manufacturing in piston; These are Cast irons and
aluminium alloys ;
 Cast İron : Cast iron is a group of iron-carbon alloys with a carbon content greater than
%2. Carbon (C) ranging from % 1.8-4 wt and silicon (Si) %1-3 wt are the main alloying
elements of cast iron. There are 4 types of cast iron. These ones are grey cast iron, white
cast iron , malleable cast iron and Ductile Cast iron. Cast iron is hard and brittle. Also it is
very good in compression. But it is non-malleable (i.e. it cannot be bent, stretched or
hammered into shape) and more fusible than steel.
 Aluminium Alloys : Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminium (AI) is the
predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper , magnesium , manganese,
silicon , tin and zinc. Cast aluminium alloys yield cost-effective products due to the low
melting point. Aluminum alloy characteristics are high operating temperaturs , outstanding
corrosion resistance , lightweight , very good strenth-to-weight ratio,excellent EMI and RFI
shielding properties,excellent thermal conductivity, high electrical conductivy, good
finishing characteristics and full recyclability. Aluminum castings improve automotive fuel
efficiency by contributing to weight saving requirements. Aluminium is used in a broad
range of networking and infrastructure equipment in the telecom and computing industries
because RF filter boxes and housings require heat dissipation. In handheld devices,
aluminum castings provide EMI/RFI shielding,rigidity and durability with minimal weight.
Because of aluminum’s excellent electrical performance and shielding properties,even in
high temperature environments, die cast aluminum is ideal for electronic connectors and
housings.
 It’s crucial efficiency and cost-effectiveness in material choose. Based on these knowings,
a few material were selected. The materials for manufacturing a piston
 Carbon Steel
 Cast Iron
 Nickel Chronomium Alloy
 Cast Aluminium
 Aluminium Alloy which İnclude %4.6 Cu
 Material - Properties Maximum Maximum Induced Permissible Stress Yield Stress N/mm2
Deformation (mm) Stress N/mm2 N/mm2

1 Carbon Steel 0,012788 156 210 420

2 Cast Iron 0,024735 156 175 350

3 Nickel Chronomium 0,056724 158 170 340

Alloy

4 Cast Aluminium 0,033759 248 190 380

5 Aluminium Alloy 0,035386 159 172,5 345

 Index Method
 Material performance index ,

 𝞫 = Scaled Property
 𝜶 = Weightin Factor,
 i = Summed over all the n relevant properties
 For calculate material calculate index, initially we should detect weighting factor of these
properties.

Property Maximum Deformation Maximum Induced Permissible Stress Yield Stress

Stress

Decisions 2 3 3 2

Weighting Factor (𝜶) 0,2 0,3 0,3 0,2

 Materials with higher maximum induced stress,permissible stress,yield stres are preferred
for pistons with the maximum value being 100. The following equation is used to measure
their scaled values.


 Because a lower maximum deformation is preferred for pistons. The lowest value is equal
to 100 and scaled values are determined using this equation
 Carbon Steel Cast Iron Ni Cr Alloy Cast Aluminium Aluminium Alloy

Max Deform 100 51,7 22,5 37,88 36,14

Max Induced Stress 62,9 62,9 63,7 100 64,1

Permissible Stress 100 83,3 80,9 90,47 82,14

Yield Stress 100 83,3 80,9 90,47 82,14

Performance Index 90,725 70,3 62 79,7 66,13

 The performance index shows us only technological capability. But we should give
importance only costs and density.

 C = Total cost of the material per unit weight

 𝞀 = Density of the material
Material Carbon Steel Cast Iron Ni. Cr. Alloy Cast Aluminium Al alloy

Performance Index 90,725 70,3 62 79,7 66,13

Density 7,8 7,2 1,8 2,7 2,8

Costs 1 0,7 40 1,1 1,1

Figure of Merit 11,63 13,9 0,86 26,835 21,47

Rank 4 3 5 1 2
Conclusion

 There are cast aluminium and an alluminium alloy in 1st and 2nd ranks. Thanks to lower
density and production costs. Aluminium is preferred by Automotive Industry for
manufacturing of pistons. Although, carbon steel has best technological capability it has
4th rank because of it has highest density.
References

 https://www.sekizsilindir.com/
 The science and technology of materials in automotive engines ( Hiroshi Yamagata)
 Material selection for piston (Kumaraguru College of Technology)
 A study on material selection of ic engine piston under static loads (M. Senthil Kumar,M.
Suresh , P.Kumaravel, V.R. Srinivashan)
 Material Selection in mechanical design (Michael F. Ashby)