News Entry

(EN) Redesign of the Alfa Romeo Twin Spark CON ROD by Obasogie Okpamen

• Posted by Dalibor Pejicic July 4, 2019 - Filed in Other - #3dprinting  #3D  #alfaromeo  #alfa romeo  #con rod  -

  2,149 views

  Excellent article by our member Obasogie Okpamen!

  If you have your own projects and you would like to present it, feel free to contact us.

   

   

  Redesign of the Alfa Romeo Twin Spark CON ROD

  (FINESSING THE 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION)

   

   

  My name is Obasogie Okpamen, a recent mechanical engineering graduate from Landmark University, Nigeria and here is how I am finessing the 4th Industrial Revolution.

  Most recently I was announced as the winner of the “Best Student Project “of the Additive Manufacturing Challenge 2019 and also winner of the 3D Pioneers Challenge 2019 (Student Category) for my project.

  My project was the redesign of the TS connecting rod for the Alfa Romeo 2.0 Twin-spark engine.

  But why?

  My simple application shows a potential of the spare parts market and this is an idea I have been pushing for through my designs and award entries. I have won already several awards in my move to revamp manufacturing parts in Nigeria.

  I believe it is everyday machine parts that get to show the power of additive manufacturing.

  I hope this sparks an idea in the minds of engineers, technicians and business people who seek a path in the 4th industrial revolution.

   

  The benefits are:

  1. It uses less material and so it weighs less.
  2. It is 3D printable with metal (using SLS and SLM methods).
  3. It demonstrates the possibilities of a revolution in the spare parts industry. The revolution is in the fact that spare parts are 3D printed when needed, instead of mass production as it is now.
  4. It is more aesthetic in its form.

   

   I hope you like my project and the article – thank you!

   

  https://b2b.partcommunity.com/community/partcloud/index?route=part&name=Alfa+Romeo+ConRod+FULL&model_id=88223

   

   

  Project Name:

  Redesign of the Alfa Romeo Twin Spark CON ROD

   

  Function:

  Connecting rod transmits motion from the piston to the crankshaft.

   

  Reason for Design:

  The CON ROD for the Alfa Romeo was chosen, because it is a great functional part of the Alfa Twin Spark 75 2.0 engine which could use some improvements in the mass and material usage. The part is currently being made from forged steel and it is a H-Beam rod giving its great strength.

   

  Design Tools Used:

  The redesign and topology optimization was made with the Fusion360 Software.

   

  Topology Optimization Result:

  The new design still maintains the H-Beam structure, but reduces the weight of the entire CON ROD by 122grams with a more aesthetic form.

   

  Room for Improvement:

  Improvement could be made generally in number of produced machine parts. The best part about it is that those small replacement parts could be printed easily in workshops and garages.