A treatment machine comprises a chamber for the treatment of one substrate or a plurality of substrates. A rotatably supported temperature-controlled shaft (30) defines a cylindrical, gas-tight hollow space. A heating arrangement (40, 50) is provided for electrically heating at least a part of the shaft (30) arranged in the chamber. The heating arrangement (40, 50) comprises an accommodation mandrel (40) for accommodating at least one electrical heating element (50), said accommodation mandrel (40) being arranged in a non-rotating manner and extending into the hollow space of the shaft (30). An outer surface of the accommodation mandrel (40) is spaced apart from an inner surface of the shaft (30) by a gap.

A treatment machine comprises a chamber for the treatment of one substrate or a plurality of substrates. A rotatably supported temperature-controlled shaft (30) defines a cylindrical, gas-tight hollow space. A heating arrangement (40, 50) is provided for electrically heating at least a part of the shaft (30) arranged in the chamber. The heating arrangement (40, 50) comprises an accommodation mandrel (40) for accommodating at least one electrical heating element (50), said accommodation mandrel (40) being arranged in a non-rotating manner and extending into the hollow space of the shaft (30). An outer surface of the accommodation mandrel (40) is spaced apart from an inner surface of the shaft (30) by a gap.

An impact tool includes: a motor; a sun gear rotated by the motor; and at least three planet gears, which mesh with the sun gear; an internal gear, which meshes with the planet gears. A spindle includes a flange portion having a hole in an axial direction for the insertion of the sun gear, and slit portions in at least a side surface thereof for mounting the planet gears, and a shaft portion extending forward from the flange portion in the axial direction. The flange portion is shaped by forging. A hammer is held on the spindle; an anvil is impacted by the hammer in a rotational direction. A hammer case houses the hammer and holds the anvil in a rotatable manner; a tool-accessory retaining part is formed on the anvil; and a coil spring biases the hammer toward the anvil.

An impact tool includes: a motor; a sun gear rotated by the motor; and at least three planet gears, which mesh with the sun gear; an internal gear, which meshes with the planet gears. A spindle includes a flange portion having a hole in an axial direction for the insertion of the sun gear, and slit portions in at least a side surface thereof for mounting the planet gears, and a shaft portion extending forward from the flange portion in the axial direction. The flange portion is shaped by forging. A hammer is held on the spindle; an anvil is impacted by the hammer in a rotational direction. A hammer case houses the hammer and holds the anvil in a rotatable manner; a tool-accessory retaining part is formed on the anvil; and a coil spring biases the hammer toward the anvil.

Provided is a method for fabricating a stepped forged material that can realize a uniform microscopic structure in both the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion. This method for fabricating a stepped forged material comprises the following steps: a step for obtaining a primary forged material in which an austenite stainless steel billet is heated to 1000-1080 C., and, without any further heating, the material is forged by means of reciprocal forging into a round rod having along the entire length thereof a forging ratio of 1.5 or greater; a step for obtaining a secondary forged material, that forms the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion, in which without reheating, the small diameter shaft portion is formed by means of reciprocal forging at a temperature where the surface temperature of the primary forged material never falls more than 200 C. lower than the abovementioned material heating temperature and the forging is completed before the surface temperature of the final forged portion falls more than 300 C. lower than the abovementioned heating temperature; and a step for performing a solution heat treatment in which the secondary forged material is heated to 1040-1100 C. for 30 minutes or longer.

Provided is a method for fabricating a stepped forged material that can realize a uniform microscopic structure in both the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion. This method for fabricating a stepped forged material comprises the following steps: a step for obtaining a primary forged material in which an austenite stainless steel billet is heated to 1000-1080 C., and, without any further heating, the material is forged by means of reciprocal forging into a round rod having along the entire length thereof a forging ratio of 1.5 or greater; a step for obtaining a secondary forged material, that forms the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion, in which without reheating, the small diameter shaft portion is formed by means of reciprocal forging at a temperature where the surface temperature of the primary forged material never falls more than 200 C. lower than the abovementioned material heating temperature and the forging is completed before the surface temperature of the final forged portion falls more than 300 C. lower than the abovementioned heating temperature; and a step for performing a solution heat treatment in which the secondary forged material is heated to 1040-1100 C. for 30 minutes or longer.

In a propeller shaft (PS1) according to the present invention, a thickness (Tw) of a welding portion (13) formed by welding a first tubular member (11) and a second tubular member (12) is formed to be thinner than a thickness (T1) of a first end portion of a first tubular portion (111) and also thinner than a thickness (T1) of a first end portion of a second tubular portion (121). Therefore, the thickness (Tw) of the welding portion (13) is reduced, and weight of the welding portion (13) can be reduced. With this, it is possible to suppress runout of the welding portion (13) and imbalance in rotation of the propeller shaft (PS1) during rotation of the propeller shaft (PS1).

In a propeller shaft (PS1) according to the present invention, a thickness (Tw) of a welding portion (13) formed by welding a first tubular member (11) and a second tubular member (12) is formed to be thinner than a thickness (T1) of a first end portion of a first tubular portion (111) and also thinner than a thickness (T1) of a first end portion of a second tubular portion (121). Therefore, the thickness (Tw) of the welding portion (13) is reduced, and weight of the welding portion (13) can be reduced. With this, it is possible to suppress runout of the welding portion (13) and imbalance in rotation of the propeller shaft (PS1) during rotation of the propeller shaft (PS1).

An impact tool includes: a motor; a sun gear rotated by the motor; and at least three planet gears, which mesh with the sun gear; an internal gear, which meshes with the planet gears. A spindle includes a flange portion having a hole in an axial direction for the insertion of the sun gear, and slit portions in at least a side surface thereof for mounting the planet gears, and a shaft portion extending forward from the flange portion in the axial direction. The flange portion is shaped by forging. A hammer is held on the spindle; an anvil is impacted by the hammer in a rotational direction. A hammer case houses the hammer and holds the anvil in a rotatable manner; a tool-accessory retaining part is formed on the anvil; and a coil spring biases the hammer toward the anvil.

An impact tool includes: a motor; a sun gear rotated by the motor; and at least three planet gears, which mesh with the sun gear; an internal gear, which meshes with the planet gears. A spindle includes a flange portion having a hole in an axial direction for the insertion of the sun gear, and slit portions in at least a side surface thereof for mounting the planet gears, and a shaft portion extending forward from the flange portion in the axial direction. The flange portion is shaped by forging. A hammer is held on the spindle; an anvil is impacted by the hammer in a rotational direction. A hammer case houses the hammer and holds the anvil in a rotatable manner; a tool-accessory retaining part is formed on the anvil; and a coil spring biases the hammer toward the anvil.