To radially enlarge an intermediate portion of a shaft, the shaft is held by a pair of holders with a gap between the pair of holders in an axial direction of the shaft, compression force is applied in the axial direction to the intermediate portion arranged between the pair of holders, and alternating load is applied in a direction intersecting the axial direction to the intermediate portion to enlarge the intermediate portion. When enlarging the intermediate portion, a temperature of the intermediate portion is set to be above a blue brittleness temperature range of the shaft, and a temperature of the holders is set to be below a tempering temperature range of the holders.

A production method of a wheel rim includes: a step of forming a cylindrical rim material into a rim shape; and a step of increasing a sheet thickness of at least one opening end edge of the rim material at least one of before and after the step of forming of the cylindrical rim material. In addition, in the step of increasing of the sheet thickness, in a state in which the opening end edge is inserted into an annular groove of a die provided with the annular groove which is wider than the sheet thickness of the opening end edge, a thickened portion is formed by exerting a compressive load in an axial direction of the rim material on the opening end edge.

A production method of a wheel rim includes: a step of forming a cylindrical rim material into a rim shape; and a step of increasing a sheet thickness of at least one opening end edge of the rim material at least one of before and after the step of forming of the cylindrical rim material. In addition, in the step of increasing of the sheet thickness, in a state in which the opening end edge is inserted into an annular groove of a die provided with the annular groove which is wider than the sheet thickness of the opening end edge, a thickened portion is formed by exerting a compressive load in an axial direction of the rim material on the opening end edge.

A method for use in manufacturing a metal part is provided. The method may include casting liquid metal in a ceramic mold. The ceramic mold may be formed via an investment casting process in which a wax mold is used to as a form for the ceramic mold, and the wax is melted away from the ceramic mold prior to its use. The method may further include cooling the liquid metal in the ceramic mold to form a solid metal part, and then divesting the ceramic mold to release the metal part. The metal part may include an imperfection in a shape of the metal part. To correct the imperfection, the method may include shaping the metal part by near-net shape forging.

A method for use in manufacturing a metal part is provided. The method may include casting liquid metal in a ceramic mold. The ceramic mold may be formed via an investment casting process in which a wax mold is used to as a form for the ceramic mold, and the wax is melted away from the ceramic mold prior to its use. The method may further include cooling the liquid metal in the ceramic mold to form a solid metal part, and then divesting the ceramic mold to release the metal part. The metal part may include an imperfection in a shape of the metal part. To correct the imperfection, the method may include shaping the metal part by near-net shape forging.

An apparatus includes an anvil having a first end and second end, and a press head reciprocally mounted relative to the anvil. The apparatus further includes an induction heater having a workpiece discharge end mounted adjacent the first end of the anvil, and a plurality of first station dies secured to the anvil. The first station dies each form at least a portion of a first contour. A plurality of second station dies are also secured to the anvil, the second station dies each defining at least a portion of a second contour.

An apparatus includes an anvil having a first end and second end, and a press head reciprocally mounted relative to the anvil. The apparatus further includes an induction heater having a workpiece discharge end mounted adjacent the first end of the anvil, and a plurality of first station dies secured to the anvil. The first station dies each form at least a portion of a first contour. A plurality of second station dies are also secured to the anvil, the second station dies each defining at least a portion of a second contour.

A pressing method operatively associated with a press apparatus includes: providing a first substrate connected with a flexible printed circuit board onto a stage; providing a second substrate onto the stage; arranging the flexible printed circuit board on the second substrate; pressing a pad electrode-free area of the flexible printed circuit board; and pressing first pad electrodes of the flexible printed circuit board and second pad electrodes of the second substrate.

A pressing method operatively associated with a press apparatus includes: providing a first substrate connected with a flexible printed circuit board onto a stage; providing a second substrate onto the stage; arranging the flexible printed circuit board on the second substrate; pressing a pad electrode-free area of the flexible printed circuit board; and pressing first pad electrodes of the flexible printed circuit board and second pad electrodes of the second substrate.

A method of producing a press-formed product includes a steel plate heating step, a hot forging step and a hot stamping step. In the steel plate heating step, a steel plate is heated to 950 C. or more. In the hot forging step, the heated steel plate is forged to form a varying-thickness steel plate. In the hot stamping step, the heated varying-thickness steel plate is subjected to press-working by a press tooling to form a press-formed product, and the press-formed product that is formed is cooled inside the press tooling. Thus, a press-formed product that has high strength and for which a reduction in weight is possible can be produced.