I think they are machined forgings.
A center crankshaft has the crank located?æin the middle. An overhung crankshaft, also known as a side crankshaft, has it located to the side.
Al Jazzari
The piston is moved by the connecting rod which in turn is moved by the crankshaft. It is only on the power stroke that the piston moves the connecting rod, crankshaft and all the rest of the engine, in all the other strokes the engine, crankshaft and connecting rod move the piston.
A swash plate is a way of going from rotary motion to linear motion without using a crankshaft. A swash plate pump is a piston pump that uses a swash plate instead of a crankshaft.
The crankshaft and connecting rod (or piston rod).