Cast crankshafts.

[MattMaie]

If my understanding is correct, back in the 19th and early 20th century, many engines were made with cast iron crankshafts. How strong were these and what kind of loads could they be subjected to?

 

[gbritnell]

Not just the 19th and early 20th century but all the time I worked for Ford we made cast cranks. Actually in the 60's and 70's a lot of the cranks were forged steel and then they went to cast iron. Now this is not your mother's regular cast iron but has nickel and chromium added to the batch.
gbritnell

 

[MattMaie]

Ok, I had figured there would be some sort of alloying elements in there. I have heard of ductile and malleable irons, though I can't remember which one came first in the history of metallurgy. If memory serves correct an engineer once told me that cast crankshafts were either made of cast steel or ductile iron.