A flanged tube assembly includes a rigid tube (10) and a sleeve (12) disposed about an axial end portion of the tube. The axial end portion (18) of the tube (10) includes a flange portion (24) that is formed by the tube wall (36) being radially outwardly deformed over an axial end surface of the sleeve. The sleeve (12) has a radially inner surface (28), and a portion of the tube wall (36) inside of the sleeve (12) is deformed to engage and conform to the radially inner surface of the sleeve, thereby forming a non-welded connection between the sleeve and the tube. The radially inner surface of the sleeve proximal the flange defines a relief cavity (56) that receives the deformed portion of tube wall when the tube wall is deformed during the formation of the flange (24).

A flanged tube assembly includes a rigid tube (10) and a sleeve (12) disposed about an axial end portion of the tube. The axial end portion (18) of the tube (10) includes a flange portion (24) that is formed by the tube wall (36) being radially outwardly deformed over an axial end surface of the sleeve. The sleeve (12) has a radially inner surface (28), and a portion of the tube wall (36) inside of the sleeve (12) is deformed to engage and conform to the radially inner surface of the sleeve, thereby forming a non-welded connection between the sleeve and the tube. The radially inner surface of the sleeve proximal the flange defines a relief cavity (56) that receives the deformed portion of tube wall when the tube wall is deformed during the formation of the flange (24).

A process for preparing a multi-thickness welded steel vehicle rail, the process comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first tube having a first outer diameter, an inner diameter and a first wall thickness; (b) forming a second tube having the first outer diameter, a second inner diameter and a second wall thickness different than the first wall thickness; (c) swaging a first end of the first tube to a second outer diameter less than the second inner diameter of the second tube; (d) inserting the swaged first end of the first tube into an end of the second tube to form a joint; (e) welding the first tube and the second tube together to form a weld at the joint to form a tube blank with a heat affected zone of lower metal strength in the area of the weld; (f) preheating the tube blank to create a common crystalline microstructure along a length of the tube blank; (g) introducing the tube blank into a blow molding tool having inner molding walls; (h) molding the tube blank at an elevated temperature by expanding the tube blank against the inner molding walls of the molding tool by injecting a pressurized medium into an interior cavity of the tube blank; and (i) quenching the tube blank by replacing the pressurized medium with a cooling medium through the molding tool and the tube blank to achieve a rapid cooling effect on the tube blank and to create a completed vehicle rail with essentially uniform material strength across the weld. A completed vehicle rail has an overlapped welded structure and uniform microcrystalline structure along the length of the rail.

A process for preparing a multi-thickness welded steel vehicle rail, the process comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first tube having a first outer diameter, an inner diameter and a first wall thickness; (b) forming a second tube having the first outer diameter, a second inner diameter and a second wall thickness different than the first wall thickness; (c) swaging a first end of the first tube to a second outer diameter less than the second inner diameter of the second tube; (d) inserting the swaged first end of the first tube into an end of the second tube to form a joint; (e) welding the first tube and the second tube together to form a weld at the joint to form a tube blank with a heat affected zone of lower metal strength in the area of the weld; (f) preheating the tube blank to create a common crystalline microstructure along a length of the tube blank; (g) introducing the tube blank into a blow molding tool having inner molding walls; (h) molding the tube blank at an elevated temperature by expanding the tube blank against the inner molding walls of the molding tool by injecting a pressurized medium into an interior cavity of the tube blank; and (i) quenching the tube blank by replacing the pressurized medium with a cooling medium through the molding tool and the tube blank to achieve a rapid cooling effect on the tube blank and to create a completed vehicle rail with essentially uniform material strength across the weld. A completed vehicle rail has an overlapped welded structure and uniform microcrystalline structure along the length of the rail.

Equipment including a rigid plate provided with a plurality of cutters configured to be impressed in sequence against a swaged annular collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub, the collar being formed with a first radial profile; the cutters sliding axially through the plate and towards a first face of the plate resting in abutment against the collar; wherein the first face of the plate is provided in the region of the cutters with a concave annular seat having a second radial profile configured to copy at least partly the first radial profile of the collar, the annular seat being configured to be passed through by the cutters during the step for impression against the collar and to contain any radial flow of the metallic material which forms the collar.

Equipment including a rigid plate provided with a plurality of cutters configured to be impressed in sequence against a swaged annular collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub, the collar being formed with a first radial profile; the cutters sliding axially through the plate and towards a first face of the plate resting in abutment against the collar; wherein the first face of the plate is provided in the region of the cutters with a concave annular seat having a second radial profile configured to copy at least partly the first radial profile of the collar, the annular seat being configured to be passed through by the cutters during the step for impression against the collar and to contain any radial flow of the metallic material which forms the collar.

A stabilizer comprises a main bar that is elastically deformable, a pair of connecting plates respectively configured to be connected to a pair of left and right suspension apparatuses, and transition sections connecting both end portions of the main bar and the pair of connecting plates, a size of one transition section of the transition sections in a plate thickness direction of one connecting plate of the connecting plates gradually decreasing from the main bar toward the connecting plate, wherein the minimum value of the Vickers hardness of the transition section is 200 HV or more.

A stabilizer comprises a main bar that is elastically deformable, a pair of connecting plates respectively configured to be connected to a pair of left and right suspension apparatuses, and transition sections connecting both end portions of the main bar and the pair of connecting plates, a size of one transition section of the transition sections in a plate thickness direction of one connecting plate of the connecting plates gradually decreasing from the main bar toward the connecting plate, wherein the minimum value of the Vickers hardness of the transition section is 200 HV or more.

Equipment and method in which a creator tool is pressed against an annular upset collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub and is provided towards the collar with a toothing complementary to the toothing to be obtained, formed by a plurality of radial teeth separated by respective radial spaces, all arranged radially in a circular crown, symmetrically with respect to a first axis (B) defining the axis of symmetry of the tool; wherein the creator tool is provided with an annular radial containment element configured to delimit a continuous wall which closes off respective radially outer ends of the radial spaces.

Equipment and method in which a creator tool is pressed against an annular upset collar of an inner ring of a wheel hub and is provided towards the collar with a toothing complementary to the toothing to be obtained, formed by a plurality of radial teeth separated by respective radial spaces, all arranged radially in a circular crown, symmetrically with respect to a first axis (B) defining the axis of symmetry of the tool; wherein the creator tool is provided with an annular radial containment element configured to delimit a continuous wall which closes off respective radially outer ends of the radial spaces.