Fatigue design of sintered connecting rods

Within a European research programme on powder metallurgy (COST 503) an international collaboration between British, Swedish and German partners was established in order to design connecting rods for an automotive engine. A preliminary design proposal was generated, on the basis of finite element analysis, using engine loading information and realistic fatigü performance information for the relevant PM material, which was a hardened and tempered alloy based on Fe-1.5 Cu-0.5C. This paper describes the various stages of this research programme which is expected to be complete before the end of 1988 following engine testing of prototype con-rod samples. (LBF)