Modern Side-Shafts for Passenger Cars: Manufacturing Processes II - Monobloc Tube Shafts

This paper presents an overview of some major developments in the design a manufacture of automotive sideshafts and specifically looks at the most important requirements for a Monobloc Tubular Shafts (MTS). Taking into account the vehicle requirements, the behaviour of the shaft material and heat treatment and cold forming technologies, then different MTS designs can be implemented. The advantages and disadvantages of different cold forming technologies for the different types of MTS (e. g. rotary swaging, drawing, rolling and hydraulic expansion) are discussed and some new processes, such as spline drawing, are briefly described.