METHOD FOR FORMING A VARIABLE WALL LIGHT WEIGHT AXLE SHAFT WITH FRICTION WELDED FLANGE AND AXLE SHAFT THEREOF

摘要

A method for forming a lightweight axle shaft (10) and an axle shaft (10) are provided. A first tubular blank (36) is inserted in a die (38) defining an extrusion throat (50) at one end (48). A tool (52) is inserted into the die (38) having a mandrel (56) with portions (60,62) of increasing diameter. The tool (52) is moved towards the outlet end (48) of the die (38) to partially extrude the blank (36) through the extrusion throat (50) and form a hollow axle shaft (10) having a variable inner diameter based on the varying diameter of the mandrel (56). The tool (52) is then removed and a second tubular blank (36A) is inserted and placed in engagement with the first blank (36). The tool (52), or a different tool (68), is inserted into the die (38) and again moved towards the outlet end (48) of the die (38) to complete extrusion of the first blank (36) and produce a shaft (10) having diameters at each end (18,20) that are less than the diameter of an intermediate portion (28,29) of the shaft (10).