Material Analysis of an Engine Camshaft Using Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

The performance and durability of an internal combustion engine are critically dependent on the design and the material selection of its camshaft. Traditional cast iron camshafts, while robust, are heavy and can limit engine efficiency. This study employs finite element analysis to evaluate and compare the structural performance of four candidate materials which included cast iron, titanium, aluminum silicon carbide (Al/Sic) composite and Nitriding steel (EN-40B) for a double overhead camshaft (DOHC) from a Toyota 1ZZ-FE engine. A detailed 3D model was created in Autodesk inventor version 2026, and a static structural analysis was performed under operational loading conditions, including a maximum valve force of 1348.25 N and an applied torque of 171 Nm. The analysis focused on three key performance indicators namely Von Mises stress (relative to material yield strength), maximum displacement (indicating stiffness) and minimum safety factor. Results indicate that while cast iron, titanium and EN-40B all exhibited stresses below their yield limits, Al/Sic failed structurally with a safety factor of 0.73. Although titanium has a high strength-to-weight ratio, it showed the highest displacement of 6.115 mm, potentially compromising valve timing precision. EN-40B emerged as the optimal material, demonstrating the lowest displacement of 2.551 mm and robust safety factor of 1.89, ensuring superior dimensional stability and operational reliability compared to conventional cast iron. This study provides a data driven recommendation for material selection to enhance camshaft performance and engine efficiency.