Thesis Project: 30 hp - Induction Hardening Simulation of Crankshaft

Introduction

At Scania Research and Development, significant emphasis is placed on offering premium and sustainable products that create value for the customer. To ensure continuous product improvements and eliminate waste during the development of new products, extensive development of simulation methods is performed. 
A thesis work is an excellent way to get closer to Scania and build relationships for the future. Many of today's employees began their Scania career with their degree project.

Background

Scania develops engines for trucks, buses, and installations in marine or industrial applications. A central part of the engine is the crankshaft, which converts the reciprocal motion of the pistons generated by the combustion into a rotational motion of the flywheel. As a result, the crankshaft experiences high bending and torsional loads during operation. Engine design trends, such as higher peak cylinder pressure and mass optimization, further contribute to this.

To increase the fatigue strength of this critical component, certain radii and surfaces of the crankshaft are induction hardened. Induction hardening is a form of heat treatment in which the material is heated by electric coils and then quenched. This process yields a locally harder material and introduces compressive stresses on the component’s surface. Both of these factors contribute to minimizing the possibility of surface crack initiation.

However, the hardening process can also introduce significant residual tensile stresses in the component, potentially leading to fatigue cracks initiated below the surface. This makes the hardening of the crankshaft a trade-off between various factors, such as crankshaft and engine design, hardening depth, and the induction process, in order to find the combination that yields the longest fatigue life.

Objective

This thesis aims to develop a simulation model of the induction hardening process for our crankshafts using the multiphysics software COMSOL.
The simulation model should be able to predict relevant results (hardness, residual stresses, etc.) for further fatigue analyses. The model should also enable sensitivity studies of important hardening process parameters.

Job description

This thesis project will be conducted at Scania R&D Engine Development in Södertälje, within the structural analysis, tribology, and acoustics simulation group. It may be broken down into the following steps:

• Performing a literature study on induction hardening and available simulation strategies.
• Simulating the induction hardening process from an electromagnetic and thermal point of view.
• Predicting the microstructural changes and residual stresses in the component.
• Comparing obtained results with available measurements.
• Presenting the results of the thesis project in a report and during a presentation at Scania R&D.

Applicant

Desired education:                Master of Science Student in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics or similar.

Meritorious skills:                 Knowledge of the multiphysics software COMSOL. The student should be able to work independently and be open to reach out to colleges across the Scania R&D organisation.

Number of students:             1

Start date:                            Spring 2025   

Estimated time required:        20 weeks

Contact persons and supervisors

Henrik Mårtensson, Supervisor, Henrik.martensson@scania.com
Jonas Lenander, Manager, jonas.lenander@scania.com    

Application:
Your application must include a CV, personal letter and transcript of grades

A background check might be conducted for this position. We are conducting interviews continuously and may close the recruitment earlier than the date specified.