Development of a Warm Compacted Automatic Transmission Torque Converter Hub

Turbine hubs for automatic transmission torque converters are ideal candidates for the powder metallurgy (P/M) process. The complex shape of turbine hubs is costly to produce via conventional forging and machining operations. Increases in engine size and torque requirements by automotive designers require turbine hubs to possess high levels of mechanical properties. High density P/M manufacturing techniques, in combination with high performance ferrous material produces components capable of replacing a forged and machined turbine hub.

This paper will review the conversion of a conventionally forged and machined turbine hub used in a high torque automatic transmission to a single pressed and single sintered P/M turbine hub. The material used for the P/M hub was an MPIF FD-0405. Warm compaction processing achieved significantly increased overall sintered densities in the highly stressed internal spline region. Extensive mechanical and part specific testing was conducted to verify the suitability of the P/M part.