Finite Element Analysis of an Aluminum Damper

Most heavy duty and automotive 6 and 8 cylinder engines have torsional dampers on the crankshaft to control torsional vibrations caused by nonuniform cylinder pressure and the reciprocating parts in the engine. One such type of damper is an elastomeric damper. With automotive companies striving to increase fuel economy, there is a pressure on component manufacturers to reduce the weight of engine parts. This includes the use of lighter materials such as aluminum instead of iron. A damper ‘with aluminum parts was designed for light duty engines. This paper presents the finite element modelling used in the development of this aluminum damper without going Into the actual numerical values used or obtained in the analysis.