The main types of crankshafts are:

• the elbow-shaped crankshaft with the characteristic shape (also called “swan neck”) due to the cranks on whose pins the piston rods are mounted.
• the single-block or incorporated crankshaft that offers advantages compared to the disassembled crankshaft: it can be lighter than the separable ones as it consists of a single element.

The crankshaft enables transformation of the harmonic motion of the pistons into a circular one thanks to the movement transmitted to them by the piston rods and transfers it to the power take-off usually positioned at the flywheel used to dampen the typical pulsating of the reciprocating motion endothermic motor.