Natalino Fonseca da Silva Guterres, Salustiano dos Reis Piedade, Yogi Reza Ramadhan, Hanan Hidayat, Justiniano Salvador Guterres, Deni Fajar Fitriyana, Wahyu Caesarendra
The main shaft of cone crushers, particularly the critical SCATs 32CR102, is prone to fatigue failure under the demanding conditions of crushing hard, abrasive ores. Moving beyond reactive failure analysis, this study pioneers a proactive predictive approach for fatigue crack initiation in this shaft. The investigation employs an integrated methodology combining chemical composition analysis, tensile and hardness testing, macroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation, and S-N curve analysis specifically tailored to the shaft's operational loads (including rotational bending and thrust forces). The shaft material, ASTM A291 Grade 4 Class E, was characterized, and a detailed CAD model (83,930 nodes, 55,281 elements) was developed for FEM analysis. The simulation results reveal Von Mises stress values between 262.41 MPa and 0.000011908 MPa, with a maximum deformation of 0.41 mm. The integrated FEM and S-N curve analysis uniquely predicts both the occurrence of fatigue cracks before failure and their precise initial location within the shaft geometry. The fatigue life was predicted to range from 9,951.9 to 1,000,000 cycles, and the lowest safety factor (3.163) was found at the thread groove, identifying it as the critical stress concentration zone where cracks are most likely to initiate. Although the design meets safety standards, the analysis indicates that excessive torque or external loads can induce fatigue and lead to cracking at the identified thread groove. By simulating real-world operational stresses to pinpoint critical zones and quantify fatigue life, this research establishes a foundation for proactive condition monitoring and targeted maintenance strategies, enabling timely interventions to prevent catastrophic breakdowns. © 2026 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dili Institute of Technology, Ai-meti Laran Street, Dili, Timor-Leste; CV. Rekayasa Desain Manufacture (REDESMA), Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Gunung pati, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Malaysia
