Abstract: An improved, lightweight gear drive having a rim gear mounted on a shaft, the shaft formed of one or more shaft segments, each of the shaft segments supporting a segregated arc. The segregated arcs forming a circumferential portion of a bearing surface of the shaft.

Abstract: A method that includes: providing a blank; heating the blank; forging the heated blank to form a forged gear having a plurality of spiral bevel gear teeth; machining the forged gear to a predetermined thickness while locating off of the plurality of gear teeth to form a green machined forged gear; rotationally and axially engaging a die to the gear teeth of the green machined forged gear to induce plastic flow in the gear teeth to form an intermediate gear in which the plurality of gear teeth conform to a predetermined tooth form; heat-treating the intermediate gear to form a hardened intermediate gear; and lapping the plurality of gear teeth of the hardened intermediate gear with a spiral bevel pinion gear; wherein the plurality of gear teeth are not machined in a chip-producing machining operation before the plurality of gear teeth are lapped.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a sintered gear comprising a gear body on which at least one elastomer element is arranged, according to which a green compact is produced by pressing a powder, the green compact is sintered into a gear body and is hardened by carburization and subsequent quenching or sinter-hardening and subsequent quenching with a gas and afterwards the at least one elastomer element is vulcanized onto the gear body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tooth-shaped component including a process of draw-forming a workpiece so as to obtain a cylindrical container, which has a bottom surface portion and a side surface portion; a diameter-reducing process of reducing the diameter of a particular part in which a tooth tip portion is to be formed in the side surface portion of the cylindrical container, so as to increase the thickness of a corner portion such that an external shape of the corner portion between the bottom surface portion and the side surface portion satisfies the following conditional expression (?R+?H)?2t; and a tooth shape-forming process of forming the tooth tip portion in the particular part of the cylindrical container reduced in diameter in the diameter-reducing process, so as to obtain a tooth-shaped component which has the bottom surface portion, the side surface portion, and the tooth tip portion.

Abstract: A recess is formed in a plate-like workpiece. Then, an inner ejector is engaged with the recess to restrict deformation of a body portion. In this state, a flange is formed in the outer periphery of the workpiece. A processed product portion is then punched out.

Abstract: A steering rack meshes with a pinion rotatably driven by the input shaft of a steering gear constituting an automotive steering device. The steering rack is provided with a an axially extending rod part of round cross section, and a plurality of rack teeth formed on a radial one side surface of an axial portion of the rod part, the rack teeth meshing with the pinion. At least one dummy tooth is formed in portions that are axial parts of the rod part and are adjacent to both axial sides of the plurality of rack teeth. The dummy tooth has a tooth height less than the rack teeth and does not mesh with the pinion.

Abstract: Mating bevel gears generally include a pinion gear having a body that rotates about an axis and a side gear having a body that rotates about an axis that intersects the axis of the pinion gear. Pinion gear teeth of the pinion gear have a side that defines a curvature with an involute section through which a pitch line extends and a parabolic shape between the pinion gear teeth. Side gear teeth of the side gear have a side that defines a curvature with an involute section through which a pitch line extends and a parabolic shape between the side gear teeth. The curvatures on the pinion and the side gear teeth cooperatively define a controlled relative radius of curvature section except where the involute sections are located. The controlled relative radius of curvature section defines a sum of values of radius of curvature at a point of contact between the curvatures of the pinion gear teeth and the side gear teeth. The sum has a constant or decreasing value.

Abstract: Provided are a manufacturing method and manufacturing device that allow the depth of rack teeth to be adequately maintained across the axial direction. A stepped surface (47) is provided on one surface in the axial direction of a pressure punch (46) that moves together with a teeth-forming punch (32). The teeth-forming punch (32) is displaced downward and rack teeth are formed on the upper surface of an intermediate material (23). At the same time, the surface on the end in the axial direction of the intermediate material (23) is pressed in the axial direction by a movable die (41a) due to the engagement between the stepped surface (47) and the surface on the other side in the axial direction of the movable die (41a).

Abstract: A manufacturing method and apparatus for gears for a speed change device. The gears having a large end and a small end forming a reverse-tapered tooth part on an outer circumference thereof, spline teeth of an intermediate material having the small end provided in a rim of the large end thereof, a plurality of dies having a radial shape and an inclination angle to a gear axial line and slidably holding to an inclined axial line on a holding member are slid from outside of the radiation direction toward the center by a pushing cam mechanism, thereby pushing the reverse-tapered blade part formed at the leading end of the die, the spline teeth are formed in the reverse-tapered tooth part, and the die is slid by an extracting mechanism from the center of the radiation direction toward the outside along the inclined axial line.

Abstract: A forging apparatus carries out a method of manufacturing a gear having external teeth on an outer circumferential wall surface thereof and internal teeth on an inner circumferential wall surface thereof. First, an internal tooth forming die is inserted through a through hole defined in a workpiece. Next, a pressing die is caused to abut against the workpiece, and an external tooth machining die finishes the external teeth while preventing a support die from being lowered under action of damping mechanisms. Thereafter, a pressing die presses the workpiece to apply a load in excess of a preset load for the damping mechanisms. The support die is then lowered to lower the workpiece along the internal tooth forming die. At this time, the internal teeth are formed on the inner circumferential wall surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: An inner punch (11), an outer punch (12), and a die (13) are disposed on the same center axis (10). The outer punch (12) is disposed so as to be apart from the inner punch (11) in a radial direction perpendicular to the center axis (10) by a first space S1 which is larger than a plate thickness T of a cup longitudinal wall portion (A2). Further, an inner peripheral surface of the outer punch (12) has, on its die (13) side, a punch shoulder R portion (12A) widening as it goes toward the die (13).

Abstract: Steering pinions and methods for producing the same are described. The steering pinion has a toothed section for meshing with a gear rack and a connection section for connecting to a steering shaft. The toothed section includes a toothed part and the connection section includes a connection part. The toothed part and the connection part are pressed together in a rotationally fixed manner.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a gear wheel with stub toothing for a change-speed gearbox includes drop-forging a gear wheel body and forming the stub toothing by cold die-grooving in the forging die using a forming tool with forming parts which are arranged in a fan-shaped manner. The forming ends penetrate into the tooth spaces, wherein the forming parts are guided jointly between an upper and a lower receiving plate and are moved in a direction radially inwards in such a way that material is displaced out of the region of the tooth flanks into the tooth root regions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tool for compacting the surface of a component (2) produced by powder metallurgy, comprising a mold (1) and a stamp (20), wherein in the mold (1) a recess (5) is provided which extends from a first mold opening (6) to a second mold opening (8), and which has a wall surface (10) for supporting the component (2), and the stamp (20) has a stamp length (23) and a stamp surface (21), wherein the inner diameter (12) of the recess (5) of the mold (1) becomes smaller from the first mold opening (6) in the direction of the second mold opening (8) or an external diameter (22) of the stamp (20) becomes greater over the stamp length (23), and wherein a compaction element (17) is arranged on the wall surface (10) of the mold (1) or on the stamp surface (21). The compaction element (17) is configured to have a thread-like progression.

Abstract: In a method of making a tubular body, material is pressed through a die of a forming tool into a first mold cavity disposed in downstream relationship to the die to produce a first end piece. A mandrel is then moved in a direction of the die to thereby displace the mold cavity in the same direction and to extrude a tubular center piece to adjoin the first end piece. The mandrel is then replaced by a mold having a second mold cavity to mold a second end piece to adjoin the center piece.

Abstract: A forging apparatus carries out a method of manufacturing a gear having external teeth on an outer circumferential wall surface thereof and internal teeth on an inner circumferential wall surface thereof. First, an internal tooth forming die is inserted through a through hole defined in a workpiece. Next, a pressing die is caused to abut against the workpiece, and an external tooth machining die finishes the external teeth while preventing a support die from being lowered under action of damping mechanisms. Thereafter, a pressing die presses the workpiece to apply a load in excess of a preset load for the damping mechanisms. The support die is then lowered to lower the workpiece along the internal tooth forming die. At this time, the internal teeth are formed on the inner circumferential wall surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: [Problems] To present a manufacturing method of gears for a speed change device, capable of manufacturing gears for a speed change device by using a manufacturing apparatus, small in the load when forming, and small and simple in structure, and capable of obtaining gears for a speed change device not limited in gear deforming positions, small in generation of strain, and large in strength.

Abstract: When forming a toothed portion on the outer section of a blank by contacting a tooth profile-forming portion of a forming die with a curved portion of the blank, the first projection of the blank is accommodated in a first depression, and a load is applied axially to a center section of the blank so a material of the blank flows radially outward. The material of the blank at the first projection flows in the axial direction to inside the first depression, and the material of the blank at an intermediate section between the center and the outer section flows in axially to inside a second depression to form a second projection. When the load is maximized, a space is provided between a toothed portion and the tooth profile-forming portion, between the first projection and the forming die, and between the second projection and the forming die.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a toothed member includes a thickened tooth shaping process in which a toothed shape is formed on a side wall portion while making a thickness of the side wall portion larger than a thickness of a bottom surface portion by relatively moving the compression die with respect to the restraint die and the pressure receiving member in the axial direction from the side of the opening end of the cup-shaped raw material toward the bottom surface portion. The manufacturing method being such that the thickened tooth shaping process includes applying a load against the restraint die such that the restraint die restrains the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toothed part from a cylindrical blank using a forming die. When forming a toothed portion on a radially outer section of the blank by applying a load in the axial direction of the blank to a radially center section of the blank while constraining a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the blank such that a constituent material of the blank flows radially outward, the constituent material of the blank at an intermediate section between the center section and the outer section flows in the axial direction toward a depressed portion of the forming die to form a projection portion. When the load is at maximum, a space is provided between the toothed portion and the forming die, and a space is provided between the projection portion and the forming die.

Abstract: In a gear mechanism that includes a gear in which a tooth trace is twisted at a predetermined angle with respect to an axial direction, a curvature radius along a line of contact at a meshing position where a line of contact does not intersect a pitch circle is formed larger than a curvature radius along a line of contact at a meshing position where a line of contact intersects a pitch circle, on a plane of action of the gear.

Abstract: A blank is provided with a first shaft portion, a second shaft portion, and a machining target portion. The machining target portion is formed at a position closer to a shaft end portion of the first shaft portion than a shaft end portion of the second shaft portion. A first large-volume portion is formed at the first end portion of the machining target portion close to the first shaft portion, and a second large-volume portion is formed at the second end portion of the machining target portion close to the second shaft portion, respectively. The volumes per unit length of the first and second large-volume portions are greater than the volume per unit length of the intermediate portion in the axial direction of the machining target portion. Furthermore, the volume of the second large-volume portion is greater than the overall volume of the first large-volume portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gear includes forming a bi-material billet from a steel cylinder having a cylindrical wall, a first end closed with a first steel cap, and an open second end distal to the first end. The method includes disposing a core material other than steel into the steel cylinder, welding a second steel cap onto the steel cylinder to form the bi-material billet, and heating the cylindrical wall. The method includes a first forging blow on the heated billet or on a disk-shaped rough forging forged from the heated billet with a first closed blocker die to produce a partial toothed preform, and a second forging blow on the preform with a second closed blocker die to produce a netshape gear. The first closed blocker die has a die cavity including gear tooth forms, and the partial toothed preform includes a plurality of spaced gear teeth.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sprocket segment that is formed by forging as one of a plurality of circumferentially divided parts of a sprocket having a plurality of teeth arranged on an outer peripheral surface of a circular flange, the method includes: forming a material of the sprocket segment into an initial formed state in an initial forming step; and subjecting the sprocket segment in dies to a finish forming process with a tooth trace direction of the sprocket segment as viewed in cross-section of the sprocket segment being inclined relative to a forging direction of the dies in a finish forming step.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-material gear is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of (a) heating a first pre-form element of a first material to a temperature at which the first material can be formed; (b) heating a second pre-form element of a second material to a temperature at which the second material can be formed; and (c) forming the first and second pre-form elements in a die at least towards the shape of the gear, thereby providing bonding between the elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for influencing the cut and functional face, especially the reduction, during fine blanking of a finished part, for example, a gear, cut out of a metal strip, wherein the metal strip is clamped during closure between an upper part at least comprising a cutting punch and guide plate for the cutting punch and a lower part at least comprising a die plate and ejector and in a first working stage a blank with reduction is cut out of the metal strip. The invention has the task of providing a method and a device for purposefully influencing the cut and functional face, especially the reduction, during the production of finished parts, like gears, making it possible to purposefully influence or totally eliminate the edge reduction, while simultaneously maintaining the functional surfaces and saving material.

Abstract: A multi-plate clutch including a clutch hub having a cylindrical portion; a plurality of clutch plates splined to the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the clutch hub, and a plurality of spline teeth being formed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the clutch hub. A recessed portion is formed on the inner side of each spline tooth, and a weir portion is formed at one end of each recessed portion by depressing one portion of the spline tooth to the inner side on one end side of the cylindrical portion. Thus forming a depressed portion, and removing, with one portion of the depressed portion left behind, a portion of the cylindrical portion on the one end side of the one portion of the depressed portion.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a rack shaft, the rack shaft is formed by mounting a shaft raw material on a receiving groove of a lower mold, the receiving mold having an approximately U-shaped cross section, thereafter arranging an upper mold having a rack-teeth-forming teeth portion formed in a rectangular shape in a bottom view and capable of oscillating in a width direction of the receiving groove around a center in the width direction of the rack-teeth-forming teeth portion, in such a manner that the center of oscillation lies on a vertical line of a center in a width direction of the rack teeth, pressing the shaft raw material in the diametrical direction, deforming the shaft raw material along the receiving groove, and thereafter deforming the shaft raw material while oscillating the upper mold so as to form a rack teeth.

Abstract: A method of assembling a planetary gearset includes die-forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart teeth on a sun gear, a planet gear and a ring gear. Each tooth includes a pair of tooth flanks in a final net form for engagement with mating gear teeth. The sun gear teeth have a conical shape to allow a first die to linearly move relative to a second die after the gear teeth are die-formed. The planet gears are mounted on a carrier. The sun gear and the planet gear are oriented such that the conical shapes of the respective gear teeth taper in opposite directions from one another and the planet gear teeth meshingly engage with both the ring gear teeth and the sun gear teeth.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a toothed member includes a thickened tooth shaping process in which a toothed shape is formed on a side wall portion while making a thickness of the side wall portion larger than a thickness of a bottom surface portion by relatively moving the compression die with respect to the restraint die and the pressure receiving member in the axial direction from the side of the opening end of the cup-shaped raw material toward the bottom surface portion. The manufacturing method being such that the thickened tooth shaping process includes applying a load against the restraint die such that the restraint die restrains the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of compacting the surface of a sintered part (2), whereby a sintered part (2) is moved in a die (1) along an axis (3) in a pressing direction (20) through several die portions (7, 8, 9) from a first die portion (7) at a first die orifice (6) into a last die portion (9), and a wall surface (16) of each die portion (7, 8, 9) forms at least one pressing surface (18) against which a contact surface (17) formed by an external surface (12) of the sintered part (2) is pressed, and an internal contour (25) defined by the pressing surface (18) lying in a cross-section by reference to the axis (3) at least approximately corresponds to an external contour (26) defined by the contact surface (17).

Abstract: A forged composite gear and a method of making a forged composite powder metal gear. The forged composite gear includes a plurality of teeth extending from a core, a first section having a first powder metal material, a second section having a second powder metal material and a variable boundary profile. The variable boundary profile is formed between the first section and the second section, whereby said variable boundary profile exhibits greater tooth wear resistance on the teeth and greater impact resistance in the core.

Abstract: An internal gear manufacturing method capable of manufacturing time reduction and easy core removal, and a metallic glass internal gear manufactured thereby. A carbon core formed into a shape of an external gear is arranged in a thin, long tubular mold of a length equal thereto with a space extending longitudinally therealong. A molten metal material is pressure-injected under a temperature higher than a melting point thereof into the space between the mold and the core. The molten metal material is resolidified by rapid cooling at or above a critical cooling rate thereof together with the mold and the core. After resolidification of the molten metal material, the core is removed by pulverization or dissolution. Along internal gear formed of the resolidified metal material is cut into a plurality of segments of a prescribed length.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of a drop-forged balancing shaft for a mass balancing gear of an internal combustion engine. The balancing shaft has an unbalanced plane formed by the rotational axis thereof and an eccentric mass center of gravity, and at least one bearing journal, the outer lateral surface of which serves as a track for a rolling bearing supporting the balancing shaft in the internal combustion engine. To this end, the balancing shaft is to be forged in a forging die having a parting plane extending in the direction of the rotational axis and rotated in relation to the unbalanced plane.

Abstract: Systems and Methods are provided for determining a position of an addendum mesh node disposed between a part mesh boundary and a binder mesh boundary with respect to a first plane. The method includes selecting a first point on the part mesh boundary and a second point on the binder mesh boundary having positions with respect to the first plane that are disposed on a control line which also intersects the position of the addendum mesh node with respect to the first plane, identifying a plurality of control points having positions with respect to the first plane that are disposed on the control line, and generating an interpolated curve that intersects the first point, the second point, and the plurality of control points.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a toothed part including a bottom surface portion and a side wall portion provided to extend upright from an outer peripheral end portion of the bottom surface portion, the side wall portion being fanned with teeth. The manufacturing method includes a half drawing process of performing draw shaping on a material having a disk shape to form the bottom surface portion and the side wall portion, an inside diameter of which becomes larger in a direction away from the bottom surface portion; and a tooth shaping process of forming the teeth in the side wall portion.

Abstract: When forming a toothed portion on the outer section of a blank by contacting a tooth profile-forming portion of a forming die with a curved portion of the blank, the first projection of the blank is accommodated in a first depression, and a load is applied axially to a center section of the blank so a material of the blank flows radially outward. The material of the blank at the first projection flows in the axial direction to inside the first depression, and the material of the blank at an intermediate section between the center and the outer section flows in axially to inside a second depression to form a second projection. When the load is maximized, a space is provided between a toothed portion and the tooth profile-forming portion, between the first projection and the forming die, and between the second projection and the forming die.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toothed part from a cylindrical blank using a forming die. When forming a toothed portion on a radially outer section of the blank by applying a load in the axial direction of the blank to a radially center section of the blank while constraining a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the blank such that a constituent material of the blank flows radially outward, the constituent material of the blank at an intermediate section between the center section and the outer section flows in the axial direction toward a depressed portion of the forming die to form a projection portion. When the load is at maximum, a space is provided between the toothed portion and the forming die, and a space is provided between the projection portion and the forming die.

Abstract: Projections of a bevel gear or a vibrating body are formed by bending a metal-made plate member having a plurality of projections so as to direct them in the same direction and make their projecting direction include a component of out-of-plane direction and subsequently applying a load to the bent plate member to crush the projections so as to reduce the height thereof and increase the plate thickness.

Abstract: To sufficiently secure the width dimension, strength and rigidity of the rack teeth 10, and to realize the light weight construction and the manufacturing method of the rack 8, the rack teeth 10 is formed by plastic working on one side surface in the radial direction of part in the axial direction of a rod unit 9 having a circular cross-sectional shape, and the curvature radius of the portion which is separated in the radial direction from the portion where the rack teeth 10 is formed, is made greater than that of the cross sectional shape of the outer surface of the axial remaining portion of the rod unit 9.

Abstract: A production method for complex bearings includes: preparing an outer member and a cylindrical sintered bearing member. The outer member includes a fitting hole having: an almost circular cross section; an inner peripheral surface; and a surface roughness of the inner peripheral surface which is 3.2 to 100 ?m at a maximal height. The sintered bearing member includes: an outer diameter allowing clearance fit of the sintered bearing member into the fitting hole of the outer member. The production method further includes: inserting the sintered bearing member into the fitting hole of the outer member and inserting a columnar core rod into an inner peripheral surface of the sintered bearing member; and compressing the sintered bearing member in an axial direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for extruding helical teeth in a gear blank includes a press including a die plate and a die base, the die plate being movable along an axis relative to the die base, the die base supporting the gear blank. A mandrel, aligned with the axis and moveable with the die plate along the axis, includes a surface that includes helical die teeth. A servo motor drives the mandrel in rotation about the axis to the required helix angle as the mandrel moves axially relative to the gear blank.

Abstract: A helical gear having helical tooth portions of the helical gear being worked by a punch and a die having a land of a smaller distance between opposed working surfaces formed to be inclined than that of other portion, formed on predetermined portions in tooth directions of respective opposed working surfaces thereon, in which worked surfaces on both side of the helical tooth portions on the helical gear as a work are ironed by the land in response to the helical tooth portions passing through the land when the work is forged by the punch.

Abstract: The one end side portion is nipped by a jig including a jig member having a pair of convex portions which are to be fitted to a depressions in contact with a tooth side face and a inclined portion and positioning a bar and a jig member which is to be clamped/opened with respect to the jig member. A die having an inside diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery is pressed onto the outer periphery of the end portion of the cylindrical end side portion projected from the jig up to a press-in depth determined preliminarily based on the rack, so as to reduce the diameter of the end portion.

Abstract: When a punch is downwardly pressed, an inner circumferential surface of a first rack blank bites into a top surface of a second rack blank. A blank material upwardly flows due to a reaction force and is used to form rack teeth. Thus, a filling degree of the teeth with the material is enhanced. At the time when the forming of the rack teeth is finished, a gap is left between the inner circumferential surface of the first rack blank and the outer circumferential surface of the second rack blank. Thus, a die is not put into a sealed condition. Consequently, a forming load is small so that the lifetime of the die is lengthened. Also, the top surface of the second rack blank bites into a bore hole portion of the first rack blank so that the first rack blank and the second rack blank are joined together. Accordingly, the rigidity of the entire rack teeth is increased.

Abstract: Mating bevel gears generally include a pinion gear having a body that rotates about an axis and a side gear having a body that rotates about an axis that intersects the axis of the pinion gear. Pinion gear teeth of the pinion gear have a side that defines a curvature with an involute section through which a pitch line extends and a parabolic shape between the pinion gear teeth. Side gear teeth of the side gear have a side that defines a curvature with an involute section through which a pitch line extends and a parabolic shape between the side gear teeth. The curvatures on the pinion and the side gear teeth cooperatively define a controlled relative radius of curvature section except where the involute sections are located. The controlled relative radius of curvature section defines a sum of values of radius of curvature at a point of contact between the curvatures of the pinion gear teeth and the side gear teeth. The sum has a constant or decreasing value.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sprocket segment that is formed by forging as one of a plurality of circumferentially divided parts of a sprocket having a plurality of teeth arranged on an outer peripheral surface of a circular flange, the method includes: forming a material of the sprocket segment into an initial formed state in an initial forming step; and subjecting the sprocket segment in dies to a finish forming process with a tooth trace direction of the sprocket segment as viewed in cross-section of the sprocket segment being inclined relative to a forging direction of the dies in a finish forming step.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rigid internal gear of a wave gear device in which an internally toothed portion formed with internal teeth and a gear main body portion are joined integrally, the method including preforming an internal teeth-forming ring or disc for forming the internally toothed portion by using a first aluminum alloy powder; manufacturing a forging in which the internal teeth-forming ring or disc is placed in a forging die and is integrally formed on its outer side with the gear main body portion using a second aluminum alloy powder, the first aluminum alloy powder being harder and having higher abrasion resistance than the second aluminum alloy powder; and applying post-processing including cutting teeth to the forging.

Abstract: A die apparatus and method for performing a flashless forging operation to manufacture the toothed portion of a steering rack. The die apparatus includes first and second die members and at least one punch member, each having a forming surface shaped substantially as an obverse of a portion of the toothed portion. At least a portion of the forming surface of the first die member is shaped substantially as the obverse of the teeth of the rack. The first and second die members are moveable towards each other to a closed position, thereby partially forging the toothed portion from a blank placed in the die apparatus, and forming a substantially closed cavity defined by the forming surfaces. The punch member is adapted to move into the cavity once the die members are in the closed position, thereby completing the forging operation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a steering rack for a vehicle rack and pinion steering system. The rack comprises gear teeth and a shank that has a constant outside diameter and constant wall thickness over the majority of its length. The method comprises performing a forging operation on a tubular member with an elongate member positioned in the bore of a thickened region of the tubular member. The forging operation forms the gear teeth on the thickened region, and the elongate member is retained within the tubular member. The tubular member is made by performing a forming operation on a length of tube stock such that the outside diameter of the thickened region is smaller than the outside diameter of the shank, and the wall thickness of the thickened region is larger than the wall thickness of the shank.