Introduction
A car is an automobile machine that has wheels driven by the engine. A car has four wheels the rotate to allow it to change positions from one part to the other. The components of a car involve the engine, body, wheels and steering for controlling the movement. The other minor parts of the car are the starter, headlights, backlights, windscreen, wipers, radiator, alternator, seats, safety belts, chassis, etc. different cars has varied engine performance depending on the model. Several types of cars exist in the market, and these include Isuzu, Toyota Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Honda, Landrover, BMW, etc.
Each model has a different way of manufacture to make their design unique. This way will make people have changing demands depending on the model one wants. Basically, in the manufacture of a car, the critical parts that need not be comprised are the major parts as mentioned above. An engine block, for example, requires a material that can withstand high temperatures, shocks and vibrations. The best material for making this part is cast iron or forged steel. Moreover, a car has different engine capacity depending on the fuel consumption and performance. For example, a car that has a rating of 2300cc means the total volume of all cylinders is 2.3litres and therefore, has a higher performance than a car with 1500cc. This paper explains some different parts of an engine environment, their functions, and materials used in manufacturing (Soto, 2012)
Engine
As seen from figure 1 below, the engine has several parts that dictate its function. Some of these parts are the cylinder head, gasket, oil seal, cam shaft, crank shaft, oil filter among others. The combination of these parts form and that generates motion through the internal combustion of fuel. There are two types of engines, the four-stroke, and the two-stroke engine. In a four-stroke driving force, the fuel undergoes four cycles for complete combustion. These are intake stroke, compression stroke, expansion stoke and the exhaustion stroke. However, in a two stroke engine, the first two cycles of the four stroke engine are combined to form one stroke and last two cycles makes the other stroke. The engine block is the main part of the engine that is made of cast iron. The vibrations and shocks can be resisted by this type of material. The primary function of an engine is to generate motion that is used to propel the wheels.
Brake disc
A brake disc is crucial part of a vehicle control system that slows the motion of a moving car or brings it to a halt.it consist of a cast iron disc that is bolted to the wheel hub and a stationary housing called the caliper. The caliper is mounted on the stationary part of the vehicle such as the hub or the wheel axle. The piston rod has a connection in between the with a friction pad held by piston springs and pins. The material for making brake disc is metal matrix oxide (MMO) or cast iron. In recent times, car manufacturers has opted the use of (MMO) because of its weight in comparison the cast iron. However, cast iron has proved to be superior because of its resistance to wear and tear, corrosion and high temperatures. The color of the brake disc depicts the color of the material which is grey.
Figure 2: Brake disc (Soto, 2012)
Engine starter
This is the device that starts the car via electrical connections. The motor for starting is attached to the shaft, and when the pedal is pressed, the motor starts the shaft at high speed and allows the small gear to mesh with the flywheel teeth. The engine starts. The component of this device is a group of wires and a motor that enables the engine to start.
Steering Wheel and Gear
The steering mechanism of a car consists of a wheel and a worm gear that allows perpendicular motion transmission. The system also has a horizontal rod that connects the front wheels and the steering arm. The materials used in manufacturing these parts should be able to resist torsion, wear and tear, and corrosion. Such materials include some classes of heat treated steel e.g. EN 9 and EN 24 series (Stone & Ball, 2004)
Figure 3: system of an engine (Stone & Ball, 2004)
Alternator
This is an electrical gadget that is used in powering of the electrical system of a car. The purpose of an alternator is to convert the motion of the engine to charge the battery used in starting the car and other applications. The alternator also converts the power to the desired demand. This can either from direct current to alternating current or vice versa.
Timer and distributor
It is very important for the ignition of the spark plug to occur in the cylinder when it is ready to be fired at the right time. A timer and distributor are needed for this purpose. To do this, the cam shaft is rotated, and it closes contact with the four terminals on the shell of the timer allowing the current to pass to the engine’s spark plug thereby firing them in a regular manner.
Clutch
A clutch is a device in a car that has four functions. First, it can make the car stop. Secondly, a clutch allows the engagement of another when driving depending on the load. The clutch is used to start the car. Lastly, the clutch disconnects the engine from the gear box. The material used for making a clutch is a ceramic material or an organic material having a copper wire facing. These materials are wear and tear resistant and light in weight.
The cam shaft has a design that enables the valves to open and close. It is cylindrical in shape and lays along the cylinders in the engine with symmetrical parts placed at a position in line with the valve. As long as it rotates the opening and closing of the valves take place. The material used for making a cam shaft is a forged steel because of its high strength and light in weight.
Piston
This is a moving component that if found in an engine cylinder. The piston is made tight fit by use of piston rings. The purpose of the piston is to transfer the force from the gases expanding in the cylinder to the crankshaft via a piston rod or connecting rod. It also covers the ports in the cylinder wall and as such act as the valve. The material for making pistons are aluminum alloys. The materials have good strength and higher fatigue life.
Conclusion
An engine is the main component of a car. This is the source power for propulsion. The engine has several parts that form a system that coordinates with each other to generate the desired motion. The parts that were discussed above include piston, camshaft, and timer and distributor alternator among others. Each part has a specific function in the engine environment. The purpose of the parts calls for the proper material selection to suit the use and functionality. The function of each part individually and collectively forms the engine system of propulsion (Stone & Ball, 2004)
References
Soto, X. (2012). Automotive engineering. Delhi: Research World.
Stone, R., & Ball, J. (2004). Automotive engineering fundamentals. Warrendale, Pa.: SAE International.
