Design, analysis and topology optimization of connecting rod

Abstract

This paper focuses on the design, analysis, and topology optimization of the connecting rod. All the Internal Combustion (IC) Engines require a number of connecting rod depending on the number of cylinders that have been used. The Creo Parametric software has been used for designing the connecting rod 3D model and then the designed connecting rod model is imported into the ANSYS software in which the design is meshed and analyzed by using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the result is manipulated. From the results obtained from the ANSYS by doing static stress analysis, the topology optimization of the connecting rod has been done by using the Autodesk Fusion 360 software. Topology optimization is an efficient mathematical technique that is used to optimize the layout of the design for the given loads and boundary conditions within the given design space and the objective of the technique is to increase the desired performance characteristics of the given design. The optimized design is fine-tuned for manufacturability and it is imported into ANSYS for meshing and analyzing. Then, the values of maximum principal stress, equivalent stress, maximum principal strain, and total deformation of the connecting rod before and after the topology optimization are manipulated and also compared. It is found that the optimized model is efficient in design as the stresses are lesser then the existing model and the weight reduction of about 3.5% is achieved in the optimized design for the material of steel.