The first thing we are going to determine is that crankshaft is a term that comes from the Latin word “ciconia”.
The crankshaft , also called crankshaft , is an axis that has elbows and that, thanks to a connecting rod mechanism , manages to convert a uniform circular movement into an alternative rectilinear movement and vice versa.
It has its origin in an ancient mechanism that was used to draw water from wells that were shallow. Specifically, it was a system that was supported by a type of pole that had a counterweight with which the necessary force was achieved to proceed to raise the water and thus be able to enjoy it.
We can understand what a crankshaft is by analyzing the different terms that are part of the aforementioned definition. An axis is a bar that supports a rotating body when there is a movement. The mechanism or connecting rod set, for its part, refers to the gear that transforms a translational movement into a circular movement, or a circular movement into a translational movement.
Taking these details into account, we can affirm that the crankshaft is a bent bar that, interacting with other components of a machine , allows the transformation of a rectilinear movement into a circular one (or the other way around).
Crankshafts are generally made of very resistant alloys , they are already subjected to high intensity stress. They often have ducts and perforations through which a lubricating substance circulates.
The internal combustion engines used in automobiles have a crankshaft. With the engine running , the fuel located in the combustion chamber causes an explosion that moves the piston in a linear manner. This movement is transmitted to a connecting rod that is joined to the piston and crankshaft. When the movement reaches the crankshaft, it transforms it into a rotary or circular movement. The counterweights and crankshaft flywheels minimize the irregularities generated in the movement of the shaft.
On more than one occasion it has happened to you that you have encountered a problem in your car due to the aforementioned crankshaft. A serious problem since this element is a key part of the vehicle's engine. Specifically, among the most frequent breakdowns that you may experience are the following:
-There has been a scratch on the crankpins, which is related to oil filtration and even lubrication. The causes of this situation can be several such as the lubricant not doing its job properly, having traveled fully loaded with very few revolutions, accelerating while the engine is still too cold...
-The crankshaft has broken due to fatigue. This other breakdown, which requires taking the car to the workshop without a doubt, can occur because the aforementioned crankshaft is not well balanced, because torsional vibrations have occurred or even because a cylinder has been ignited in the wrong way.