An investigation of a damaged crankshaft from a horizontal, six-cylinder, in-line diesel engine of a public bus was conducted after several failure cases were reported by the bus company. All crankshafts were made from forged and nitrided steel. Each crankshaft was sent for grinding, after a life of approximately 300,000 km of service, as requested by the engine manufacturer. After grinding and assembling in the engine, some crankshafts lasted barely 15,000 km before serious fractures took place. Few other crankshafts demonstrated higher lives. Several vital components were damaged as a result of crankshaft failures. It was then decided to send the crankshafts for laboratory investigation to determine the cause of failure. The depth of the nitrided layer near fracture locations in the crankshaft, particularly at the fillet region where cracks were initiated, was determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with electron-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Microhardness gradient through the nitrided layer close to fracture, surface hardness, and macrohardness at the journals were all measured. Fractographic analysis indicated that fatigue was the dominant mechanism of failure of the crankshaft. The partial absence of the nitrided layer in the fillet region, due to over-grinding, caused a decrease in the fatigue strength which, in turn, led to crack initiation and propagation, and eventually premature fracture. Signs of crankshaft misalignment during installation were also suspected as a possible cause of failure. In order to prevent fillet fatigue failure, final grinding should be done carefully and the grinding amount must be controlled to avoid substantial removal of the nitrided layer. Crankshaft alignment during assembly and proper bearing selection should be done carefully.

There was a large incidence of surface defects on the crank pins and journals and other areas of crank shafts of a high power automotive engine. The steel used was a Cr-Mo type of nitriding steel. Metallographic observations conclusively proved that the defective areas were entrapment of foreign bodies, resulting from steel making/deoxidizing/teeming stages. The occasionally globular nature of the foreign particles suggested these were formed at the liquid condition of the steel. The ratio of Mn-Si as seen on electron probe microanalysis also suggested the globules high in Mn content might have resulted in deoxidizing stage. Particularly the absence of Fe in some areas in the inclusion was indicative of precipitation deoxidation by ferromanganese/ferrosilicon. The defects apparently did not have time to coalesce and rise up to the top.

Recurring, premature failures occurred in TiN-coated M2 gear hobs used to produce carbon steel ring gears. Fractographic and metallographic examination, microhardness testing, and chemical analysis by means of EDS revealed that the primary cause of failure was a coarse cellular carbide network, which created a brittle path for fracture to occur longitudinally. As the cellular carbide network must be dispersed and refined during hot working of the original bar of material, the hobs were not salvageable. Minor factors contributing to the hob failures were premature wear resulting from lower matrix hardness and high sulfur content of the material, which contributed to lower ductility through increased nucleation sites. It was recommended that the hob manufacturer specify a minimum amount of required reduction for the original bar of tool steel material, to provide for sufficient homogenization of the carbides in the resultant hob, and lower sulfur content.

Decarburization of steel may occur as skin decarburization by gases either wet or containing oxygen, and as a deep ongoing destruction of the material by hydrogen under high pressure. Guidelines are given for recognizing decarburization and determining at what point cracks occurred. How decarburization changes workpiece properties and the case of hydrogen decarburization are addressed through examples.

An oil scavenge pump was found to have failed when a protective shear neck fractured during the start of a jet engine. Visual inspection revealed that the driven gear in one of the bearing compartments was frozen as was the corresponding drive gear. Spacer wear and thermal discoloration (particularly on the driven gear) were also observed. The gears were made from 32Cr-Mo-V13 steel, hardened and nitrided to 750 to 950 HV. Micrographic inspection of the gear teeth revealed microstructural changes that, in context, appear to be the result of friction heating. The spacers consist of Cu alloy (AMS4845) bushings force fit into AA2024-T3 Al alloy spacing elements. It was found that uncontrolled fit interference between the two components had led to Cu alloy overstress. Thermal cycling under operating conditions yielded the material. The dilation was directed inward to the shaft, however, because the bushing had only a few microns of clearance. The effect caused the oil to squeeze out, resulting in metal-to-metal contact, and ultimately failure.

Two fuel injection pump gears that were nitrided in a cyanide bath were submitted by the engine manufacturer for examination of hardness distribution and failure analysis. The gears showed signs of wear after only comparatively brief operation. They were made of normalized unalloyed steel C 45 (Material No. 1.0503) according to DIN 17200 and were normalized. Gear 1 with 1905 h of operation showed at one side pittings on both flanks of the teeth as well as incipient fractures. Gear 2 with 1713 h of operation also showed at one side incipient fractures of the nitride layers at the outer part of the teeth. The nitride layer did not stand up to the high and one-sided compressive stress applied in this case and could not prevent pitting. It could even have accelerated the wear by the incipient break down. Gas nitriding at greater depth under application of a suitable special steel or case hardening would have been better under these circumstances.

Rivets from the longitudinal seam of the terminal shell ring of a 12 year old Lancashire boiler broke off easily during examination. Cleavage fractures indicated a brittle material. Microstructure of a sectioned rivet head was typical of a normal rimming steel except the ferrite crystals contained numerous nitride needles. Their existence indicated an abnormally high nitrogen content. If such a steel is heated for a lengthy period to a temperature of that prevailing in a boiler, precipitation of the nitrides may be expected, with consequent embrittlement. In this case, embrittlement of this type was the primary cause of the breaking off of the type rivet heads. Nothing was observed in the course of the examination that suggested caustic cracking.

An investigation was conducted to determine what caused a bearing sleeve in a locomotive turbocharger to fail. The sleeve, which is made of nitrided 38CrMoAl steel, fractured at the transition fillet between the cylinder and plate. Visual examination revealed significant wear on the external surface of the cylinder, with multiple origin fatigue fracture appearing to be the dominant fracture mechanism. Metallurgical examination indicated that the nitrided layer was not as deep as it was supposed to be and had worn away on the outer surface of the sleeve, exposing the soft matrix underneath. This led to further wear and an increase in friction between the sleeve and bearing bush. Fatigue crack initiation occurred at the root fillet because of stress concentration and large frictional forces. Insufficient nitriding depth facilitated the propagation of fatigue cracks.

An 8640 steel shaft installed in a fuel-injection-pump governor that controlled the speed of a diesel engine used in trucks and tractors broke after few days of operation. The mechanism that drove the shaft was designed to include a slip clutch to protect the governor shaft from shock loading. It was revealed by visual examination that the fracture had initiated in the sharp corner at the bottom of a longitudinal hole which was part of a force feed lubricating system. Beach marks were observed on the fracture surfaces. It was revealed by further examination that the slip clutch was removed in an effort to reduce cost and hence the shaft was subjected to increased vibration and shock loading. Insufficient fatigue limit of the shaft was revealed by fatigue testing of the shafts taken from stock in a rotating-beam machine. As a corrective measure, the fatigue limit of shafts was increased to 760 MPA by nitriding for 10 h at 515 deg C.

Within about one month, several knuckle pins (AMS 6470 steel failed, and required to have a minimum case hardness of 92 h15N, a case depth of 0.4 to 0.5 mm (0.017 to 0.022 in.), and a core hardness of 285 to 341 HRB) used in engines failed over a range of 218 to 463 h in operation. Visual examination revealed beach marks typical of fatigue cracks that had nucleated at the base of the longitudinal oil hole. Micrographs of sections revealed a remelt zone and an area of untempered martensite within the region of the cracks. However, review of inspection procedures disclosed the pins had been magnetic-particle inspected by inserting a probe into the longitudinal hole. Evidence found supports the conclusions that the knuckle pins failed by fatigue fracture. The circular cracks at the longitudinal holes were the result of improper technique in magnetic-particle inspection. Thermal transformation of the metal also causes a stress concentration that may lead to fatigue failure. Recommendations included insulating the conductor to prevent arc burning at the base of the longitudinal oil hole. Also, a borescope or metal monitor could be used to inspect the hole for evidence of arc burning from magnetic-particle inspection.

This report covers case histories of failures in fixed-wing light aeroplane and helicopter components. A crankshaft of AISI 4340 Ni-Cr-Mo alloy steel, heat treated and nitrided all over, failed in bending fatigue. The nitrided layer was ground too rapidly causing excessive heat generation which induced grinding cracks and grinding burn. Tensional stresses resulting from grinding developed in a thin surface layer. On another crankshaft, chromium plating introduced undesirable residual tensile stresses. Such plating is an unsatisfactory finish for crankshafts of aircraft engines. Aircraft engine manufacturers and aeronautical standards require magnetic particle inspection to detect grinding cracks after reconditioning. Renitriding after any grinding is needed also, regardless of the amount of undersize as it introduces beneficial residual compressive stresses.

Component slippage in the left-side final drive train of a tracked military vehicle was detected after the vehicle had been driven 13,700 km (8500 miles) in combined highway and rough-terrain service. The slipping was traced to the mating surfaces of the final drive gear and the adjacent splined coupling sleeve. Specifications included that the gear and coupling be made from 4140 steel bar oil quenched and tempered to a hardness of 265 to 290 HB (equivalent to 27 to 31 HRC) and that the finish-machined parts be single-stage gas nitrided to produce a total case depth of 0.5 mm (0.020 in.) and a minimum surface hardness equivalent to 58 HRC. Investigation (visual inspection, low-magnification images, 500X images of polished sections etched in 2% nital, spectrographic analysis, and hardness testing) supported the conclusion that the failure occurred by crushing, or cracking, of the case as a result of several factors. Recommendations included reducing the high local stresses at the pitch line to an acceptable level with a design modification. Also suggested was specification of a core hardness of 35 to 40 HRC to provide adequate support for the case and to permit attainment of the specified surface hardness of 58 HRC.

Rolling-contact fatigue (RCF) is a surface damage process due to the repeated application of stresses when the surfaces of two bodies roll on each other. This article briefly describes the various surface cracks caused by manufacturing processing faults or blunt impact loads on ceramic balls surfaces. It discusses the propagation of fatigue cracks involved in rolling contacts. The characteristics of various types of RCF test machines are summarized. The article concludes with a discussion on the various failure modes of silicon nitride in rolling contact. These include the spalling fatigue failure, the delamination failure, and the rolling-contact wear.

Breech bolt assemblies from the Gatling guns used on fighter aircraft failed during firing tests. Metallography of the failed components revealed considerable decarburization which resulted in a loss of surface hardness. It was also determined that the maraging steel components were not in the nitrided condition as was required. This resulted in lower wear and fatigue resistance. These components also had a silicon content nearly double of that specified. The high silicon content lowered the notch tensile strength and toughness of the components.

A pinion gear made of AMS 6470 steel, nitrided all over, lost internal splined teeth due to wear. Spline failure of the power turbine gear caused an engine overspeed and disintegration. Excessive spline wear resulted from a new coupling being mated during overhaul with a worn gear spline. Wear on the spline teeth flanks of the coupling was attributed to severe wear on the mating gear (internal) spline teeth. The assigned cause was an inadequate maintenance procedure which resulted in a wear-damaged component being retained in the power train during engine overhaul. To prevent reoccurrence, specific inspection criteria were issued defining maximum limits for spline wear. A procedure and requirements were specified for installing the coupling and pinion gear at the next overhaul.

Two vertical coal-pulverizer shafts at a coal-fired generation station failed after four to five years in service. One shaft was completely broken, and the other was unbroken but cracked at both ends. shaft material was AISI type 4340 Ni-Cr- Mo alloy steel, with a uniform hardness of approximately HRC 27. Metallographic examination of transverse sections through the surface-damaged areas adjacent to the cracks also showed additional small cracks growing at an angle of approximately 60 deg to the surface. The crack propagation mode appeared to be wholly transgranular. SEM examination revealed finely spaced striations on the crack surfaces, supporting a diagnosis of fatigue cracking. Crack initiation in the pulverizer shafts started as a result of fretting fatigue. Greater attention to lubrication was suggested, combined with asking the manufacturer to consider nitriding the splined shaft. It was suggested that the surfaces be securely clamped together and that an in-service maintenance program be initiated to ensure that the tightness of the clamping bolts was verified regularly.

A farm-silo hoist used as the power source for a homemade barn elevator failed catastrophically from destructive wear of the worm. The hoist mechanism consisted of a pulley attached by a shaft to a worm that, in turn, engaged and drove a worm gear mounted directly on the hoist drum shaft. The worm and the worm gear were made of leaded cold-drawn 1113 steel and class 35-40 gray iron (nitrided in an aerated salt bath) respectively. The gearbox was found to contain fragments of the worm teeth and shavings that resembled steel wool. More than half of the worm teeth were revealed to be sheared off to almost half the depth. It was revealed on investigation that the drive pulley had been replaced with a larger pulley that generated more power than the gearbox could handle, causing failure by adhesive wear of the steel worm.

A splined shaft on a wood chip-to-fiber refiner failed during equipment start-up. The shaft broke into two pieces at a location close to the end of the splined part of the shaft. The failed component showed the classical fatigue-cracking fracture face. The shaft had a diam of approximately 140 mm (5.5 in.) in the unsplined section and was made of 4340 Ni-Cr-Mo alloy steel heat treated to a uniform hardness of HRC 31. Cracks from at least seven different origins had coalesced to produce the single large crack that resulted in failure. The origins of these cracks were on the flanks of the splines. SEM examination revealed the splined shaft failed by fretting fatigue.