From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Suitability of aluminium bearing alloys versus hardened or nitriding steel for crankshafts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 116\1\ scan0012 | |
| Date | 18th November 1937 | |
| 1020a? Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} [crossed out] Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Mths.{Reg Matthews} [crossed out] BY.7/G.18.11.37. DENNIS Co. ALUMINIUM BEARING ALLOYS. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Mths.{Reg Matthews}1/R.10.11.37. There is no reference to the material from which crankshaft is made. I would not recommend trying an I.C. engine with anything but a hardened surface, giving brinells of at least 600. Personally, I would much prefer Hykro nitriding steel, as this gives a working surface of 800 to 900 brinell. I doubt the value of aluminium alloy for use as main bearings, with steels only giving a working hardness of 300 to 341. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||