A method for controlling a process for manufacturing a bevel gear includes forming, via a first process, a ring gear and determining a first set of parameters associated with the ring gear, and forming, via a second process, the pinion gear, and determining a second set of parameters associated with the pinion gear. The ring gear and the pinion gear are paired, and a single-flank test is executed on the paired ring gear and pinion gear to determine a third set of parameters. The paired ring gear and pinion gear are assembled into a final assembly, and an end-of-line noise/vibration analysis of the final assembly is executed. The noise/vibration analysis, the first set of parameters, the second set of parameters, and the third set of parameters are evaluated, and one of the first process, the second process, the pairing process, and the assembly process are adjusted based thereon.

A system for making a welded assembly. The system may include a welding system that is configured to weld a first part to a second part with a laser beam. The system may further include an integrated feeder nozzle that includes an inlet manifold that receives a shield gas, and a nozzle body secured to the inlet manifold. The nozzle body may include a plurality of peripheral apertures that extend through the conical distal region and that are arranged around a central axis of the nozzle body. The system may further include a wire feeder disposed in the inlet manifold and the nozzle body. The wire feeder receives a welding wire and guides the welding wire to the central aperture.

A drive unit includes a housing and a pinion having a head and a shaft. The shaft extends through a pinion-support portion of the housing. A tail bearing supports the shaft and has an outer race fixed to the pinion-support portion and an inner race received on the shaft. The inner race is brazed to the shaft. The drive unit may be assembled by installing a tail-bearing cup and a head-bearing cup in the housing and inserting the pinion in the housing with the shaft extending through the cups. The method further includes installing a tail-bearing cone onto the shaft to be seated on the tail-bearing cup and urging the cups toward each other. The method also includes brazing the tail-bearing cone to the shaft while the cups are urged toward each other.

A differential device includes a differential gear mechanism having a plurality of differential gears, a plurality of differential gear support bodies supporting the plurality of differential gears, and a pair of output gears meshing with each of the differential gears; and a differential case having a support member having a plurality of opposite ends-supporting parts supporting opposite end parts of each of the differential gear support bodies, a first cover member covering a back face of one of the output gears and capable of being joined to the support member, and a second cover member covering a back face of the other output gear and capable of being joined to the support member, wherein a recess portion facing a back face of each of the differential gears is formed in an outer support part, supporting the differential gear support body on an outer side of the output gear.

A differential assembly is disclosed herein. The differential assembly includes a ring gear and a case. The ring gear and case may comprise dissimilar materials. The ring gear may include a ferrous material and may be overmolded by the case. The case may include a non-ferrous material. Teeth may be formed in the ring gear. The teeth may be hardened through induction heating.

In at least some implementations, a torque transmitting apparatus includes a first member arranged for rotation about an axis and having a first surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis, and a second member having a second surface with at least a portion that is parallel to and engaged with at least a portion of the first surface. The second member is coupled to the first member by a weld provided in an interface region defined by an area of radial overlap between the first surface and the second surface. The groove is provided in one or both of the first surface and the second surface, the groove has a portion located radially inboard of the weld and at least one outlet that, at least without the weld, is communicated with a radially outer edge of the interface region.

A simplified drive press system is operable to press-fit a pair of first workpieces into a second workpiece. The drive press system uses a simplified mechanical arrangement to translate an input torque into movement of a pair of drive arms toward and away from one another. Yokes of differing configurations may be attached to the drive arms to accommodate a variety of different workpieces. A nut runner may be used to supply a drive torque to the gear assembly and provide a controlled input torque and control the movement of the drive arms. An overall reduction may be utilized that balances a desired movement resolution with the desire to detect changes in input torque. The nut runner may be programmable to provide a desired movement of the drive arms while monitoring the input torque to detect when a fully press-fitted condition is realized.

It is an object to provide an axle driving device that can change a deceleration ratio while obtaining a high deceleration ratio, and reduces noise during operation to have high ease of assembly and coolability. A carrier of a planet gear mechanism includes a first plate-like member, a second plate-like member, and a third plate-like member, and the third plate-like member includes the plate-like portion and the second plate-like member, a plurality of stays extended from the plate-like portion and connected to the first plate-like member, and a plurality of stays extended from the plate-like portion and connected to the second plate-like member.

A method for manufacturing a case-hardened ring gear/differential case assembly includes attaching a ring gear to a differential case. The case-hardened ring gear and the differential case are fabricated of materials each having differing properties of at least carbon content and melting temperature. The attaching includes placing a flange of the case-hardened ring gear in intimate contact with a flange of the differential case whereby a predetermined gap is defined between a remainder of the ring gear and a remainder of the differential case. The ring gear flange is attached to the differential case flange by a friction welding process. The predetermined gap defines an outflow channel that receives a carburized portion of the case-hardened ring gear as overflow material created by an upset forging step of the friction welding process. Differential assemblies and vehicles including such are described.

A method for joining a carburized steel workpiece to a cast iron workpiece is provided that includes tempering a localized area of the carburized steel workpiece, machining the localized area to reduce carbon content, and welding the carburized steel workpiece to the cast iron workpiece at the localized area. The tempering may be performed by induction heating and results in a hardness profile of the localized area of less than 50 HRC.