A brake disc to be mounted on an axle hub, including sliding surfaces with which friction members respectively come into a sliding contact and which face in mutually opposite directions, wherein the brake disc includes: a first member having a disc-like shape and including a mount portion through which the brake disc is mounted on an axle hub and a radially outer portion located radially outward of the mount portion, one of the sliding surfaces being formed on the radially outer portion; and a second member having a doughnut plate shape, the other of the sliding surfaces being formed on the second member, and wherein the first member and the second member are bonded through a protruding portion formed on one of the radially outer portion of the first member and the second member and protruding toward the other of the radially outer portion and the second member.

Process for manufacturing a part, in particular a composite cast part, includes the steps of: providing at least one insertion element; casting a casting material around at least a portion of the at least one insertion element such that at least one contact area is formed between the at least one insertion element and the casting material; and welding the at least one insertion element to the casting material in the contact area.

The disclosure sets out a method for producing an electrical line arrangement by integrally joining a free end of an electrical conductor to a metal component. The method includes reshaping a section of the metal component to form a receiving sleeve, inserting the conductor into the receiving sleeve, attaching a friction welding tool to the receiving sleeve, and moving the friction welding tool relative to the metal component and/or the conductor for generating welding energy for at least partially melting a portion facing the conductor, e.g. an inner wall, the metal component and/or the conductor.

A void having a side peripheral surface and a bottom part is machined in a rotationally symmetrical shape spanning the end surface of a first steel member and the end surface of a second steel member; in a state in which a pressing force is applied to a contact area between the tip part of a joining metal and the bottom part of the void, the joining metal is rotated around a rotation axis and friction is created; the material structure around a rotational friction surface is joined using friction heat caused by the friction and molten metal is generated; a gap between a side peripheral surface of the joining metal and the side peripheral surface of the void is filled with the liquefied molten metal; and the first steel member and the second steel member are joined via the joining metal through integration with the structure near the gap.

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 vehicle battery case is provided. The battery case includes a lower panel and at least one transverse member that is disposed on the lower panel to increase transverse rigidity. Additionally, at least one longitudinal member is disposed on the lower panel to increase longitudinal rigidity, and a sidewall member is attached to an upper surface of the lower panel along a rim of the lower panel.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for the mobile friction stir welding of two tubular structures as joining partners, said apparatus having the following features: a) an annular main body (2) which can be unfolded using a hinge (4) and can be fixedly connected for operation opposite the hinge (4) using a locking mechanism (1); b) a plurality of lifting elements (3) which are distributed along the circumference of the main body (2), can be moved radially by a drive unit (5), and each include a retaining jaw (15) for securing the tubular structures, one retaining jaw (15) being mounted so as to be horizontally movable by a drive unit (6); c) a ring gear (21) which is connected to the main body (2) and on which a spindle head (11) can be moved by a drive unit (20) in an orbital movement about the tubular structures in order for a weld seam to be applied; d) a welding shoe (27) having a sliding surface (27) which is adapted to the curvature of the surfaces of the joining partners.

A method for welding a first powder metallurgical (PM) part to a second powder metallurgical (PM) part includes: working a first face of the first PM part; working a first face of the second PM part; and friction welding the first face of the first part to the first face of the second part.

A piston includes an upper member having a crown and a combustion surface extending radially inward from the crown. The upper member includes concentrically oriented first and second upper connecting surfaces integrally formed on the bottom side of the upper member. At least one of the upper connecting surfaces includes a curvilinear and/or multi-arcuate cross-sectional profile. The piston also includes a lower member having a pair of opposing skirts, each skirt defining a bore. The lower member also includes concentrically oriented first and second lower connecting surfaces integrally formed on a top side of the lower member. The lower member is integrally connected to the upper member by friction welding. The curvilinear and/or multi-arcuate profile enables a shortened distance between the top surface of the crown and the bore centerline of the bore. Methods of manufacturing the piston are also disclosed.

A piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. The piston includes a lower part joined to an upper part, for example by friction welding with inertia. The upper part presents a combustion surface and an undercrown surface. The piston also includes a cooling gallery surface provided by the upper part and the lower part. The cooling gallery surface surrounds a volume of space for containing a cooling media. The piston can include serrations in the cooling gallery surface and/or undercrown surface to increase surface area and thus reduce the temperature of the piston. The piston can also include shaped weld curls, instead of or in addition to the serrations, which also increase surface area and reduce the temperature of the piston.