A sintered friction material comprises a metallic matrix and granular constituents embedded in the matrix. The metallic matrix comprises a copper base alloy. The friction material is characterized in that the granular constituents comprise at least one sintered cemented carbide in a proportion of up to 9 weight percent, based on the total weight of the friction material. Furthermore, a friction body, in particular for clutches and brakes, that comprises a friction lining with at least one layer made of the sintered friction material, and a method for the production of a friction lining with the sintered friction material are described.

A system and method for ceramic doping of carbon fiber materials is disclosed. A carbon fiber preform may be made of carbonized oxidized PAN fibers and may be placed in contact with a nanoparticle suspension having nanoparticles and a dispersion medium. The nanoparticles may impregnate the carbon fiber preform, causing it to become a doped carbon fiber preform. The doped carbon fiber preform may be densified. The doped carbon fiber preform may be densified by conventional CVI processing techniques. The doped carbon fiber preform may be densified by thermal gradient CVI.

A separator plate for use as a clutch plate for a multiplate wet clutch is formed of a steel plate. The steel plate has a chemical composition containing, on a basis of percent by mass, C from 0.03 to 0.08%, Si from 0 to 1.0%, Mn from 0.2 to 0.8%, P at 0.03% or less, S at 0.01% or less, and Al at 0.05% or less, so as to satisfy a formula, 5*C %−Si %+Mn %−1.5*Al %<1. In addition, the steel plate has the chemical component containing at least one of Nb from 0.03 to 0.4%, V from 0.01 to 0.3%, and Ti from 0.01 to 0.3%, so as to satisfy a formula, 0.04<(Nb %/1.4)+(V %/1.1)+Ti %<0.3. Then, an average diameter of particles of a carbide as a precipitate is controlled to be from 20 to 100 nm. The plate is formed by heating, hot rolling, winding and forming.

A method for producing a columnar or cylindrical metal automotive part whose outer circumferential surface includes a portion to be coated with paint and a portion to be uncoated therewith includes the following processes: (1) a process of providing a convergent nozzle-shaped covering jig which covers an outer circumferential surface of the columnar or cylindrical part at an axial end thereof and covers the portion to be uncoated with the paint, with a gap formed between the covering jig and the outer circumferential surface of the part; (2) a process of discharging a gas from the gap toward an end of a nozzle of the covering jig with the columnar or cylindrical part being rotated; (3) a process of sticking a film-forming substance to the columnar or cylindrical part from an axial side surface thereof.

A one piece drum brake spider construction eliminates welds and distortion, at least relative to a typically fabricated spider, and should improve brake performance. The spider includes a main body plate having opposed flat sides, an outer perimeter, and an inner perimeter configured to receive an axle tube. Vibration control structure is preferably formed on at least one of the opposed flat sides of the main body plate, and the brake drum spider additionally includes weight minimizing features. At least the main body plate may be produced by any of a casting technique, a stamping technique, a machining technique, and an additive manufacturing technique. The invention also concerns a process of producing such a brake drum spider.

A universal joint or other vehicle driveline assembly includes an inner race, an outer race, and bearings positioned between the races. In some embodiments, the components of the universal joint that are in contact with the bearings are selectively processed to be harder than the other non-contact surfaces of the component.

An asbestos-free friction material includes inorganic and/or organic and/or metallic fibers, at least one binder, at least one friction modifier or lubricant, at least one filler or abrasive and a carbonaceous material constituted by a microstructure. The microstructure is in the form of flakes or scales of micrometric planar dimensions and of nanometric thickness consisting of a substantially pure graphene mono- or multilayers, preferably pre-blended with at least part of the organic binder.

A torque transmission shaft includes a shaft and a clamp. The shaft includes: a male serration in one axial end portion; a slit in the other axial end portion, the slit axially extending and having a closed end on one side and an open end on the other side; a fitting cylinder portion in the other axial end portion; and a female serration provided in of the other axial end portion. The clamp includes: a discontinuous portion arranged at one place in the circumferential direction; a pair of flange portions arranged on both sides of the discontinuous portion; a connecting portion connecting the flange portions; and an insertion hole for fitting cylinder portion. The clamp is fitted onto the fitting cylinder portion to reduce the diameter of the fitting cylinder portion by narrowing the width dimension of the discontinuous portion.

The present application discloses a high-performance metal matrix composite (MMC) vehicle braking component, two methods of making a porous ceramic insert, a method of making an MMC comprising a porous ceramic insert, and a method of making an MMC not comprised of a porous ceramic insert. In one exemplary embodiment the porous ceramic insert is comprised of a ceramic compound and a sacrificial insert. In another exemplary embodiment the porous ceramic insert is comprised of one or more ceramic compounds and one or more ceramic preforms. The high performance MMC vehicle braking component has two distinct friction portions that extended from the outer surfaces to the thermal management portion of the high performance MMC vehicle braking component.

A method for producing a multi-layered wet friction material includes providing a bottom layer, providing a top layer produced independently of the bottom layer from different materials, and bonding the bottom layer to the top layer. The bottom layer and the top layer may be produced from different formulations and supplied as raw papers. A formulation of the top layer may include twenty to sixty percent (20%-60%) filler, ten to forty percent (10%-40%) wood pulp, five to ten percent (5%-10%) aramid, and twenty-five to thirty-five percent (25%-35%) phenolic resin. A formulation of the bottom layer may include ten to fifty percent (10%-50%) filler, ten to forty percent (10%-40%) wood pulp, five to ten percent (5%-10%) aramid, five to fifteen percent (5%-15%) carbon, and twenty-five to thirty-five percent (25%-35%) phenolic resin.