Provided is a production method, including a first preforming process, a second preforming process, and a finish forging process. In the first preforming process, while a plurality of flat parts are formed, a region to be a second pin is decentered. The second preforming process includes: a process of pressing each region to be a plurality of journals in a pressing direction corresponding to a width direction of the flat part by using a pair of second dies; and a process of, after starting the pressing by the second dies, decentering a region to be a first pin and to be disposed in a first position and a region to be a third pin and to be disposed in a third position from each other in opposite directions with a width direction of the flat part being as a decentering direction by using third dies.

A connecting rod comprises a shaft connecting a first end including a first bore with a second end including a second bore. Methods for forming and assembling a connecting rod and crankshaft assembly include fabricating the second end of the connecting rod via additive manufacturing such that the second end comprises a first and second weakened regions on opposing sides of the second bore, and breaking the second end of the connecting rod at the first and second weakened regions to form a connecting rod assembly comprising a second end base and a second end cap, wherein the base comprises a first fracture face and a second fracture face which each respectively correspond to a first fracture face and a second fracture face of the cap. The methods can further include mating the base and the cap such that a crankpin of a crankshaft is disposed within the second bore.

A connecting rod comprises a shaft connecting a first end including a first bore with a second end including a second bore. Methods for forming and assembling a connecting rod and crankshaft assembly include fabricating the second end of the connecting rod via additive manufacturing such that the second end comprises a first and second weakened regions on opposing sides of the second bore, and breaking the second end of the connecting rod at the first and second weakened regions to form a connecting rod assembly comprising a second end base and a second end cap, wherein the base comprises a first fracture face and a second fracture face which each respectively correspond to a first fracture face and a second fracture face of the cap. The methods can further include mating the base and the cap such that a crankpin of a crankshaft is disposed within the second bore.

An engine device having a flywheel housing in which a flywheel that is rotated integrally with a crankshaft is accommodated on one side portion of a cylinder block, in which the cylinder block is integrally formed with housing bracket portions each protruding in a direction away from the crankshaft from each of opposite side portions of the cylinder block extending along a crankshaft axial direction, the housing bracket portions protruding from end portions of the opposite side portions close to the one side portion, and a space surrounded by the one side portion, the housing bracket portions, and the flywheel housing constitutes a gear case for accommodating therein a gear train.

An engine device having a flywheel housing in which a flywheel that is rotated integrally with a crankshaft is accommodated on one side portion of a cylinder block, in which the cylinder block is integrally formed with housing bracket portions each protruding in a direction away from the crankshaft from each of opposite side portions of the cylinder block extending along a crankshaft axial direction, the housing bracket portions protruding from end portions of the opposite side portions close to the one side portion, and a space surrounded by the one side portion, the housing bracket portions, and the flywheel housing constitutes a gear case for accommodating therein a gear train.

A drive apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle includes a motor body including a rotor to rotate about a central axis extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and a stator radially outside of the rotor, a housing including a housing portion to house the motor body, oil in a vertically lower region of the housing portion, and a pump to move the oil from the vertically lower region of the housing portion to feed the oil to the motor body. A liquid surface of the oil in the vertically lower region of the housing portion approaches the central axis to bring the oil into contact with the rotor as a result of the vehicle being inclined forward or rearward in the direction of travel.

An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft that has a journal linked to a bearing and is rotatably supported on the crankcase, a power transmission gear fixed to an extremity of the crankshaft that has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the journal and projects outward of the crankcase, a to-be-detected body that is fixed on an outer periphery of a collar member disposed between the bearing and the power transmission gear and is relatively non-rotatably supported on the crankshaft, and a detection sensor that is made to face a trajectory of the to-be-detected body and detects movement of the to-be-detected body to generate a pulse signal. This provides a structure for disposing a to-be-detected body that enables any increase in the dimensions of an internal combustion engine to be avoided.

An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft that has a journal linked to a bearing and is rotatably supported on the crankcase, a power transmission gear fixed to an extremity of the crankshaft that has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the journal and projects outward of the crankcase, a to-be-detected body that is fixed on an outer periphery of a collar member disposed between the bearing and the power transmission gear and is relatively non-rotatably supported on the crankshaft, and a detection sensor that is made to face a trajectory of the to-be-detected body and detects movement of the to-be-detected body to generate a pulse signal. This provides a structure for disposing a to-be-detected body that enables any increase in the dimensions of an internal combustion engine to be avoided.

An induction-hardened crankshaft is provided that offers an excellent balance of fatigue strength, machinability and quench-cracking resistance. An induction-hardened crankshaft has a chemical composition of, in mass %: 0.30 to 0.60% C; 0.01 to 1.50% Si; 0.4 to 2.0% Mn; 0.01 to 0.50% Cr; 0.001 to 0.06% Al; 0.001 to 0.02% N; up to 0.03% P; 0.005 to 0.20% S; 0.005 to 0.060% Nb; and balance Fe and impurities, the non-induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of ferrite-pearlite and having a fraction of ferrite Fα satisfying the expression (1) provided below, the induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of martensite or tempered martensite, and having a prior austenite grain diameter not larger than 30 μm,

Fα≥150×[C %]+84   (1), where the C content in mass % in the induction-hardened crankshaft is substituted for [C %].

A nodular iron alloy and automotive components, such as a crankshaft, are provided. The nodular iron alloy may include iron, about 2.2-3.2 wt % carbon, about 1.7-2.3 wt % silicon, about 0.2-0.6 wt % manganese, a maximum of 0.03 wt % phosphorus, a maximum of 0.02 wt % sulfur, about 0.2-0.6 wt % copper, about 0.1-0.4 wt % chromium, about 0.4-0.8 wt % nickel, about 0.15-0.45 wt % molybdenum, about 0.2-1.0 wt % cobalt, about 0.02-0.06 wt % magnesium, and a maximum of 0.002 wt % rare earth element(s). The nodular iron alloy may have a Young's modulus in the range of 175-195 GPa and an as-cast ultimate tensile strength in the range of 750-950 MPa. This alloy possesses favorable strength, stiffness and noise/vibration/harshness qualities, making it suitable in crankshaft applications. A method of forming the nodular iron alloy includes feeding a magnesium-based material into a molten iron alloy through a continuous system at a constant amount.