Different Flat & Boxer Engine Configurations Explained | Flat-Twin to Flat-16

Different Flat & Boxer Engine Configurations Explained | Flat-Twin to Flat-16 A flat engine is also a horizontally opposed piston engine, with cylinders on either side of a central crankshaft. Most flat engines use a “boxer“ configuration because the movement of the engine’s pistons resembles the action of a boxer’s fists in the horizontal plane. However, unlike the boxer’s fists that both moves in the same direction, half of the ’Boxer’ engine’s pistons move in the opposite direction. Boxer engines have low vibrations since they are the only common configuration with no unbalanced forces regardless of the number of cylinders. Flat engines have been used in aviation, motorcycle, and automobile applications. They are now less common in cars than straight engines and V engines (for engines with six or more cylinders). They are much more common in aircraft, where straight engines are a rarity, and V engines have almost vanished except in historical airc