摘要:
A method of making a drive axle shaft wherein a shaft and a flange having axially facing planar areas are friction welded together such that a substantial annular flash region is formed therebetween and wherein an outer peripheral portion of the flash is removed to form an annular smoothly merging juncture between the shaft and the flange.
摘要:
A friction welding apparatus is particularly adapted for the friction welding of relatively heavy workpieces, as for example the center section and wheel bearing end spindles of a drive axle housing, and comprises special hydrostatic bearing equipped devices for mounting the rotating workpieces. Each such device is mounted for axial displacement and comprises a rotatable arbor assembly to which the rotatable workpiece, such as a wheel bearing end spindle, is clutched and the arbor assembly is rotatably supported in a housing by two axially spaced hydrostatic journal bearings. Front and rear hydrostatic thrust bearings are provided between the arbor assembly and the housing. Oil under suitable pressure is supplied to both the journal and thrust hydrostatic bearings, and controls are provided for attaining and maintaining suitable fluid pressure levels at these bearings. One aspect of control insures that the workpiece is not secured to the arbor assembly until journal bearing oil pressure reaches a certain level. Oil is forced under high pressure into the bearings through specially arranged passages and after being discharged from the hydrostatic bearings returns to a sump at lowered pressure.