This torsion beam manufacturing method is for manufacturing a torsion beam including a central portion of which a cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction is a closed cross-section having a substantial V-shape or a substantial U-shape at any position in the longitudinal direction, and a shape changing portion which has a connection region leading to the central portion and including a closed cross-section having a shape different from the shape of the closed cross-section of the central portion.

This torsion beam manufacturing method has a compression step of thickening at least the connection region through application of a compression force in the longitudinal direction to at least the connection region of a torsion beam material to obtain the torsion beam, the torsion beam material being formed with the central portion and the shape changing portion.

A tie rod end includes a body portion having a curved portion and extending in a rod shape, an engaging portion with a tie rod provided at one end of the body portion, and a connecting portion with a knuckle arm provided at the other end of the body portion, and constitutes a part of a vehicle steering apparatus used for steering a vehicle. The body portion made of an aluminum warm-forged material is provided so that an outer curved portion is oriented toward a front of the vehicle when attached to the vehicle. Dimension in a vehicle height direction of the body portion is larger at an inner curved portion than at the outer curved portion. It is possible to obtain the tie rod end capable of securing sufficient rigidity against stress concentration inside the curved portion.

A tie rod end includes a body portion having a curved portion and extending in a rod shape, an engaging portion with a tie rod provided at one end of the body portion, and a connecting portion with a knuckle arm provided at the other end of the body portion, and constitutes a part of a vehicle steering apparatus used for steering a vehicle. The body portion made of an aluminum warm-forged material is provided so that an outer curved portion is oriented toward a front of the vehicle when attached to the vehicle. Dimension in a vehicle height direction of the body portion is larger at an inner curved portion than at the outer curved portion. It is possible to obtain the tie rod end capable of securing sufficient rigidity against stress concentration inside the curved portion.

A helical pier and extension shaft, one end of which is formed with a thickened hexagonally shaped female end coupler using a hot forging process that swedges and compresses the walls of the female coupler into a thickened hexagonal configuration, with subsequent heat treatment to recover and enhance yield and tensile strength to the entire main body section and female end coupler of the helical pier and extension shafts. A corresponding hexagonally shaped male coupler may be milled and inertia friction welded to the opposite end of each extension shaft, or alternatively hot forged and internally upset as an integral homogeneous part of each extension shaft, thereby completing construction of the extension shaft with opposing corresponding male and female hexagonal couplers. The forgoing helical pier has particular benefits in applications requiring deep soil penetration and/or when using a grouted helical pier system.

The invention relates to a twist-axle that includes a cross-beam member and two trailing arms, each trailing arm rigidly secured to the cross-beam member in one of two connection regions of the cross-beam member or formed integrally with and extending from one of the two connection regions. The cross-beam member is formed from a tubular blank and has a torsionally elastic central portion and two torsionally stiff connection regions. The cross-beam member has a wall thickness that varies longitudinally along the length of the cross-beam member from the torsionally elastic central portion to each of the torsionally stiff connection regions.

The invention relates to a twist-axle that includes a cross-beam member and two trailing arms, each trailing arm rigidly secured to the cross-beam member in one of two connection regions of the cross-beam member or formed integrally with and extending from one of the two connection regions. The cross-beam member is formed from a tubular blank and has a torsionally elastic central portion and two torsionally stiff connection regions. The cross-beam member has a wall thickness that varies longitudinally along the length of the cross-beam member from the torsionally elastic central portion to each of the torsionally stiff connection regions.

The production method disclosed is a method for producing a front axle beam. The production method includes a die forging step and a bending step. The die forging step is a step of forging a steel material with dies to produce a forged product including a rough web part, which is to be formed into a web part, and four plate-shaped rough flange parts protruding frontward and rearward from an upper side and a lower side of the rough web part, respectively. The bending step is a step of pressing at least one specified rough flange part, which is at least one of the four rough flange parts, with a first die to form a bent portion in the specified rough flange part such that the bent portion is bent inward in an up-down direction of the forged product.

The production method disclosed is a method for producing a front axle beam. The production method includes a die forging step and a bending step. The die forging step is a step of forging a steel material with dies to produce a forged product including a rough web part, which is to be formed into a web part, and four plate-shaped rough flange parts protruding frontward and rearward from an upper side and a lower side of the rough web part, respectively. The bending step is a step of pressing at least one specified rough flange part, which is at least one of the four rough flange parts, with a first die to form a bent portion in the specified rough flange part such that the bent portion is bent inward in an up-down direction of the forged product.

In a pressing step, a first forged product is pressed by a first die, and thereby, a second forged product including a rough flange having a thickness-changing portion is produced. The thickness-changing portion includes a front part protruding frontward from a side of a rough web part and a rear part protruding rearward from the side of the rough web part. Each of the front part and the rear part includes a first part, and a second part that is thicker than the first part and is located farther from the rough web part than the first part. In the pressing step, at least a part of the rough flange that is above or below the web part (thick part) is pressed by the first die, whereby the material of the first forged product in the part is caused to flow frontward and rearward, and the thickness-changing portion is formed.

In a pressing step, a first forged product is pressed by a first die, and thereby, a second forged product including a rough flange having a thickness-changing portion is produced. The thickness-changing portion includes a front part protruding frontward from a side of a rough web part and a rear part protruding rearward from the side of the rough web part. Each of the front part and the rear part includes a first part, and a second part that is thicker than the first part and is located farther from the rough web part than the first part. In the pressing step, at least a part of the rough flange that is above or below the web part (thick part) is pressed by the first die, whereby the material of the first forged product in the part is caused to flow frontward and rearward, and the thickness-changing portion is formed.