A method produces a connecting rod from a sintered material, which rod has at least one bore having a center axis, and has a first connecting rod eye in a connecting rod head, and a second connecting rod eye in a connecting rod foot, wherein the connecting rod head is connected with the connecting rod foot with a connecting rod shaft, wherein the bore is configured in the connecting rod shaft, wherein furthermore, the connecting rod is produced from a metallic powder, in accordance with a sintering process, for which purpose the powder is pressed into the corresponding mold to form a green compact, the bore is introduced into the green compact, and the green compact is afterward sintered. The bore is introduced into the green compact as a first and second partial bore, proceeding from the connecting rod foot and from the connecting rod head.

A sliding component may include an overlay comprising a polymeric material and a metal oxide. The metal oxide may have a thermal conductivity of greater than about 1.5 Wm.sup.1K.sup.1, and a Mohs hardness of between about 5 and about 7. The sliding component may be a sliding component for an engine, such as a bearing, a bearing shell, a bush, a thrust washer, a journal bearing or the like.

A hinge has a hinge body forming an articulating section extending between a first end and a second end of the hinge. The articulating section is adapted to bend from a neutral axis when the first and second ends are parallel to an angular range in which the first end is arranged among a plurality of angles within the angular range relative to the second end. The hinge body may define a receptacle along the articulating section, and an insert may be provided for insertion into the receptacle. The insert can modify the stiffness of the hinge in the angular range and is arranged parallel to the neutral axis.

The invention relates to a sliding bearing element (1) comprising a polymer layer (4), the polymer layer (4) having solid lubricant particles and metal oxide particles and as a polymer, exclusively a polyimide polymer or a polyamide imide polymer. The metal oxide particles are selected from the group comprising bismuth vanadate, chromium-antimony-rutile and mixtures therefrom.

A bushing formed of different alloys selected to accommodate different operating conditions is provided. For example, the bushing could include an iron-based alloy in a portion of the bushing exposed to lower temperatures, and a cobalt-based alloy in a portion of the bushing exposed to higher temperatures. The first and second alloys could be axially or radially aligned. The iron based alloy includes 10 to 30 wt % Cr, 0 to 21 wt % Ni, 0 to 10 wt % Mo, 0 to 5 wt % W, 0 to 3 wt % C, 0 to 4 wt % V, 0 to 20 wt % Co, and a balance of Fe; and the cobalt based alloy includes 10 to 30 wt % Cr, 5 to 21 wt % Ni, 0 to 10 wt % Mo, 0 to 10 wt % W, 0 to 3 wt % V, 0.5 to 3 wt % C, and a balance of Co.

A bearing carrier or bearing housing or part of a bearing housing includes at least one organic sheet and/or at least one pre-preg. Also an assembly of the bearing carrier or bearing housing or part of the bearing housing and a bearing having an outer ring mounted in the bearing carrier or bearing housing or the part of a bearing housing.

A connecting rod includes a rod having the form of a bar, a smaller end part, and a larger end part. The rod is provided with a friction generation portion at which friction is generated due to deformation of the rod.

A sliding component may include an overlay comprising a polymeric material and a metal oxide. The metal oxide may have a thermal conductivity of greater than about 1.5 Wm.sup.1K.sup.1, and a Mohs hardness of between about 5 and about 7. The sliding component may be a sliding component for an engine, such as a bearing, a bearing shell, a bush, a thrust washer, a journal bearing or the like.

A spherical plain bearing comprising an inner ring provided with a spherical outer surface and with lateral surfaces, an outer ring provided with a corresponding spherical inner surface mounted on the outer surface, and a sleeve mounted into a bore of the inner ring. The inner ring comprises at least three part rings which are mounted in contact in the circumferential direction one relative to another. At least one protrusion is provided on an outer surface of the sleeve and extends into a groove formed on the bore of the inner ring. The sleeve leaves the lateral surfaces free of the inner ring.

A powdered material preform includes a pressed powdered metal or other powdered material, where the preform is processed and sealed so that a skin or shell is formed at the outer surface of the preform (such as via melting an outer layer or surface of the preform or via adding an outer layer around the preform or via a combination thereof), with an inner portion of the preform comprising pressed powdered material. The skinned preform may comprise a shape that is generally similar to that of a final product or part to be formed, or may simply comprise a puck or shape of approximately the same mass of the shape being formed, and the skinned preform is suitable for use in subsequent densification and/or consolidation processes or combinations thereof to form the final, fully processed part.