Knuckle Joints Design

Kabul University
Engineering Faculty
Mechanical Engineering Department
Design Project
Knuckle Joint Design
Prepared by: Sultan Ahmad Ahmadi

Instructor: Master Abbas Barkhordar
Winter 1395
Abstract
Knuckle joint is used to connect two rods whose axes either coincide or intersect
and lie in one plane. It is used to transmit axial tensile force and permits limited angular
movement between rods, about the axis of the pin. As the rods are subjects to tensile force,
yield strength is the criterion for the selection of material for the rods. The pin is subjected
to shear stress and bending stress. Therefore, strength is criterion for material selection for
the pin. The objective of this paper is to design and analysis the structural deformations in
a Knuckle joint. Here the Knuckle joint is designed by using SOLIDWORK and analysis
is done by ANSYS workbench 15
Keywords ANSYS, SOLIDWORK, EN8D, FEA (Finite Element Analysis), Knuckle

Joint.
1. Introduction
A Knuckle joint connects two rods under tensile loads. The basic design of a knuckle
joint is simple and it can be easily assembled and disassembled when required. Typical
applications of knuckle joints are: joints between the links of a suspension bridge, valve
mechanism of a reciprocating engine, fulcrum for the levers, etc. It is unsuitable to connect
two rotating shafts which transmit torque. [1][2] Knuckle joint has mainly three
components: Eye, fork and pin as shown in the Fig 1. Eye is formed on one of the rods and
fork is formed on the other. Eye fits inside the fork and the pin is passed through both the
fork and the eye. This pin is secured in its place by means of split-pin. Screwed connections
often play an important part in the transmission of load through machine assemblies. In
large circuit breakers they are subjected intermittently to high impulsive loads transmitted
through large-scale linkages. The material used for the joint is usually steel or wrought
iron.
Fig1- Eye, Fork and Pin of a Knuckle Joint
The paper presents a FE analysis of the knuckle joint assembly. The required solid model
based on the real life application and dimension is modelled in SOLIDWORK. The model
is then discretized and meshed. Analysis is done in ANSYS workbench after suitable
constraints and load conditions are applied to it
Fig 2- 3D model of a Knuckle Joint

1.1Material and its Properties
EN8D is a medium carbon and medium tensile steel used mainly for axles, spindles, studs,
automotive and general engineering components. It is suitable for heat treatment where
extra strength is required. It is medium high carbon steel that can be strengthened by heat
treating after forming. Machinability and weld ability are fair. Typical uses include
machine, plow and carriage bolts, cylinder head studs, machine parts etc. It is also used for
U bolts, concrete re-enforcing rods, forgings and non-critical springs
Table 1.1.1 (Material Data: EN8D)

Ultimate Tensile Strength 965 Mpa
Tensile Yield Strength 862 Mpa
Poisson’s Ratio 0.28
Elastic Modulus 200Gpa
Young’s Modulus 3.e+005
Bulk Modulus 2.727e+005 Mpa
Shear Modulus 1.1719e+005
2. OBJECTIVES
The objective of this paper is to design a knuckle joint made of EN8D using
SOLIDWORK and carry out the finite element analysis (FEA) on the prepared model
using ANSYS 15 and determine the values of stress-strain and deformation.
3. DESIGN OF KNUCKLE JOINT
I. Calculation of Permissible Stress
𝑆𝑦𝑡 827
𝜎𝑡 = = 165.4 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑓𝑜𝑠 5
𝑆𝑦𝑐 827
𝜎𝑐 = = 165.4 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑓𝑜𝑠 5
0.5𝑆𝑦𝑡 0.5 ∗ 827
𝜏= = 82.7 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑓𝑜𝑠 5
Fig 3- Typical cross section of a Knuckle Joint
3.1 Notations
D = diameter of each rod (mm)
D1 = enlarged diameter of each rod (mm)
d = diameter of knuckle pin (mm)
d0 = outside diameter of eye or fork (mm)
a = thickness of each eye of fork (mm)
b = thickness of eye end of rod
d1 = diameter of pin head (mm)
II. Calculation of Dimensions
4𝑝 4 ∗ 35 ∗ 1000
𝐷=√ =√ = 16.414𝑚𝑚 ≈ 18𝑚𝑚
𝜋𝜎𝑡 𝜋 ∗ 165.4
Step2: Enlarged diameter of rod (D1)

𝐷1 = 1.1𝐷 = 1.1 ∗ 18 = 19.8 ≈ 20𝑚𝑚
Step3: Dimensions of a and b.
𝑎 = 0.75𝐷 = 0.75 ∗ 18 = 13.5 ≈ 14𝑚𝑚
𝑏 = 1.25𝐷 = 1.25 ∗ 18 = 22.5 ≈ 24𝑚𝑚
Step4: diameter of pin
2𝑝 2 ∗ 35 ∗ 1000
𝑑=√ =√ = 16.414𝑚𝑚 ≈ 18𝑚𝑚
𝜋𝜏 𝜋 ∗ 82.7
Also
3 𝑏 𝑎 24 14
32 ∗ 𝑃 ∗ [ + ] 3√32 ∗ 35000 ∗ [ + ]
𝑑=√ 4 3 = 4 3 = 22.5689 ≈ 24𝑚𝑚
2𝜋 ∗ 𝜎𝑏 2𝜋 ∗ 165.4
Hence d=24cm
Step5 dimensions of d0 and d1
𝑑0 = 2 ∗ 𝑑 = 2 ∗ 24 = 48𝑚𝑚
𝑑1 = 1.5 ∗ 𝑑 = 1.5 ∗ 24 = 36𝑚𝑚
Step6 check for stress in eye.
𝑃 35000
𝜎𝑡 = = = 60.7638𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑏(𝑑0 − 𝑑) 24(48 − 24)
Hence 𝜎𝑡 < 165.4𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑃 35000 60.7638𝑁
𝜎𝑐 = = =
𝑏 ∗ 𝑑 24 ∗ 24) 𝑚𝑚2
Hence 𝜎𝑐 < 165.4𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑃 35000
𝜏= = = 60.7638𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑏(𝑑0 − 𝑑) 24(48 − 24)
Hence 𝜏 < 82.7𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
Step7: check for stress in fork
𝑃 35000
𝜎𝑡 = = = 52.083𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
2 ∗ 𝑎(𝑑0 − 𝑑) 2 ∗ 14(48 − 24)
Hence 𝜎𝑡 < 165.4𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑃 35000
𝜎𝑐 = = = 52.083𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
2 ∗ 𝑎 ∗ 𝑑 2 ∗ 14 ∗ 24
Hence 𝜎𝑐 < 165.4𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
𝑃 35000
𝜏= = = 52.083𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
2 ∗ 𝑎 ∗ (𝑑0 − 𝑑) 2 ∗ 14(48 − 24)
Hence 𝜏 < 82.7𝑁/𝑚𝑚2
It is observed that stresses are within limits.
4. Meshing
SOLIDWORK and ANSYS workbench software are used for the Finite
Element Analysis of the Knuckle joint. At first the Knuckle Joint is designed in
SOLIDWORK software and then the file is saved as IGES format and imported in
the ANSYS workbench software. The next step was to mesh the model as shown in
the fig 4, the 10 node tetrahedral element are used as shown in the fig 5.The finite
element was generated using the tetrahedral element of size 5mm.We have divided
the part into 2447 element with 4782 nodes. The reason for choosing this huge
number of element was to make our part very complex which enables us to gain
more authentic results based on the high technique of fatigue life calculation.
Fig 5- Meshing Type: Tetrahedral

Fig 4- meshed model of a Knuckle Joint
4.1 Finite Element Method (FEM)

The Finite element method (FEM) is a numerical technique for finding the
approximate solutions to boundary value problems for partial differential equations.
It uses subdivision of a whole problem domain into simpler part, called finite
elements and solve the problem by minimizing an associated error function.
4.2 FEA procedure in ANSYS
Any analysis which is performed by using the Finite element analysis can be
divided into the following steps:
I. Discretization
II. Selection of the displacement model.
III. Deriving element stiffness matrices.
IV. Assembly of overall equations/ matrices.
V. Solution for unknown displacement
VI. Computations for the strains/stresses.
5 ANALYSS OF KNUCKLE JOINT
Fig 6- Total Deformation
Fig 7- Equivalent Elastic Strain

Fig 8- Equivalent Stress
Fig 9- Maximum Shear Stress
Fig 6- Maximum principle Stress

5.1 Results Table 5.1.1
Parameters Max. Min.
Total deformation (mm) 0.029557 0
Equivalent Elastic strain(mm) 0.00048665 1.6377e-6
Equivalent Stress(Mpa) 145.13 0.26334
Shear Stress(Mpa) 73.624 0.15067
Principle Stress(Mpa) 154.95 -10.647
6. Conclusion
This paper, not only deals with the design of a Knuckle Joint but also the stress
strain effect applied to it. In design, the Knuckle Joint is taken to have maximum
weight possible with the ability to withstand high stress and strain. It is found that
the stress-strain formed in the EN8D material was much lower than that compared
to Cast Iron or Mild Steel. The maximum stress and strain values are found to be
145.13 Mpa and 0.00048665 mm.
References
[1] Design of Machine Elements by VB Bhandari, ISBN: 978-0-07-068179-8,
pp 94-100
[2] Nishant Vaibhav Saxenaand Dr. Rohit Rajvaidya, “Study and Analysis of
Knuckle Joint with Replacement of Material by using Teflon”, ISSN: 2248-
9622, Vol 5, Issue 3, (part 4) March 2015, pp 67-72.
[3] K.L. Narayan, P Kannaiah, V Venkata Reddy, Machine Drawing, Published
by New Age International (P) Ltd., ISBN (13): 978-81-224-2518-5, pp 113
[4] Shaik. John Bhasha and Hari Sankar Vanka, “Modelling and Analysis of
Knuckle Joint”, (IJMETMR) ISSN: 2348-4845, Volume No: 2 (2015), Issue
No: 11 (November).
[5] Kawaljit Singh Randhawa, “Advantage of Knuckle Joint in Pneumatic
Press”, Intl. J. of Research in Mechanical Engineering, Vol.3, Issue 4, pp.43-
50.
[6] Gupta, R.S. Khurmi, J.K, A Textbook of Machine Design, Ram Nagar, New
Delhi: Eurasia Publishing House. ISBN 81 -219-25371 (2008).
[7] Dinesh Shinde and Kanak Kalita,“FE Analysis of Knuckle Joint Pin Used in
Tractor Trailer”, (ARPN Journal) ISSN 1819-6608, Vol. 10, No. 5, March
2015.
[8] http://saajsteel com/?page_id=1780.

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Kabul University

Prepared by: Sultan Ahmad Ahmadi

is done by ANSYS workbench 15

Keywords ANSYS, SOLIDWORK, EN8D, FEA (Finite Element Analysis), Knuckle

constraints and load conditions are applied to it

Fig 2- 3D model of a Knuckle Joint

U bolts, concrete re-enforcing rods, forgings and non-critical springs

Table 1.1.1 (Material Data: EN8D)

Step2: Enlarged diameter of rod (D1)

Fig 5- Meshing Type: Tetrahedral

4.1 Finite Element Method (FEM)

Fig 6- Total Deformation

Fig 7- Equivalent Elastic Strain

Fig 9- Maximum Shear Stress

Fig 6- Maximum principle Stress

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