FAILURE INVESTIGATION OF AUTOMOBILE PARTS

Abstract

Today an automobile has a job more severe than ever before. Higher speeds, with increased power, make heavy demands. Speed found only on race tracks a few year ago are now under throttle of every engine. Power has been stepped up by creating a tremendous pressures in the combustion chamber. These conditions have led to greater susceptibility of automobile parts towards wear, fatigue and other kinds of failure. In the present work, general methodology of conducting a failure investigation in an automobile part is presented. The failures which are commonly encountered by automobile parts are also discussed in detail. To illustrate the methodology employed by a failure analyst, some case studies of automobile parts are presented. Several mechanical and metallurgical tests are conducted on failed parts. On the basis of these tests, the cause of failure is investigated. An attempt is made to interpret the cause of failure and suggestions for prevention of similar failures in future are proposed