Abstract: A powder metal alloy composition is used in the production of a sintered powder metal insert for casting into an aluminum casting. The powder metal alloy composition includes an iron powder metal base, copper such that the copper is 3.5 weight percent or more of the powder metal alloy composition, and carbon in an amount of 0.1 to 1.0 weight percent of the powder metal alloy composition. Upon compacting and sintering the powder metal alloy composition to form the sintered powder metal insert, the sintered powder metal insert has a copper gradient that provides a higher concentration of copper on the surface of the sintered powder metal insert than in a center of the grains of the sintered powder metal insert. The higher concentration of copper at the surface of the insert enables a strong metallurgical bond to be formed with the aluminum casting during casting.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sized powder metal component having improved fatigue strength. The method includes the sequential steps of solutionizing a sintered powder metal component and quenching the sintered powder metal component, sizing the sintered powder metal component to form a sized powder metal component, re-solutionizing the sized powder metal component, and ageing the sized powder metal component. The sized powder metal component made by this method, in which the component is re-solutionized between sizing before ageing, can exhibit exceptional improvements in fatigue strength compared to components prepared similarly but that are not re-solutionized.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for pumps that deliver optimized torque characteristics and volumetric efficiency. A system includes a housing defining a surface and a rotor defining a face. A face clearance is defined between the face and the surface. The face clearance is variable in magnitude and determinative of target performance characteristics of the pump system. The housing is made of a material selected to have a thermal expansion characteristic and the rotor is made of a second material selected to have another thermal expansion characteristic. The thermal expansion characteristics deliver the target performance characteristics of the pump system.

Abstract: A method of making a powder metal bearing support insert includes filling a tool and die set with a powder metal. A compact is compacted from the powder metal using the tool and die set in which the compact includes a body having a pair of opposing ends on lateral sides thereof, a bearing-receiving surface positioned on a side of the body between the pair of opposing ends in which the bearing-receiving surface is for reception of a bearing therein, and a pair of holes extending through the body wherein each of the pair of holes are formed by sets of adjacent interdigitated slots having regions that abut one another to form a connected passageway therethrough that define the respective hole. The compact is sintered to form the powder metal bearing support insert. The powder metal bearing support insert may be cast into an engine component.

Abstract: The mechanical properties and thermal resistance of a sintered component made from an Al—Cu—Mg—Sn alloy powder metal mixture can be improved by doping the Al—Cu—Mg—Sn alloy powder metal mixture with a silicon addition. Silicon is added as a constituent to the Al—Cu—Mg—Sn alloy powder metal mixture. The Al—Cu—Mg—Sn alloy powder metal mixture is compacted to form a preform and the preform is sintered to form the sintered component.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite component having a brass or bronze powder metal portion sinter fit into a supporting, ferrous portion.

Abstract: A differential assembly includes one or more NVH-modifying elements that alter and/or reduce at least one of a noise, vibration, and harshness emitted from the differential assembly. The NVH-modifying element(s) are placed in engagement with the side gears of the differential assembly to modify and/or reduce the NVH of the differential assembly.

Abstract: A forged composite inner race for a constant velocity joint is forged from a composite preform compact including a first powder metal material and a second powder metal material. The forged composite inner race includes a plurality of ball tracks formed on an outer section of the forged composite inner race with corresponding lands between adjacent ball tracks and an axially-extending splined opening formed in an inner section of the forged composite inner race. The outer section comprises the first powder metal material in a higher concentration than the second powder metal material and the inner section comprises the second powder metal material in a higher concentration than the first powder metal material.

Abstract: A method of sinter fitting a powder metal compact around a core forms a composite component. By exploiting the shrinkage associated with the sintering of a powder metal compact, a sintered powder metal section may be dimensionally shrunk onto a core to create a mechanical interference fit between a core section and a sintered powder metal section. This method may be used to join materials such as aluminum and steel together, which traditionally have been difficult to join to one another.

Abstract: A transition element-doped aluminum powder metal and a method of making this powder metal are disclosed. The method of making includes forming an aluminum-transition element melt in which a transition element content of the aluminum-transition element melt is less than 6 percent by weight. The aluminum-transition element melt then powderized to form a transition element-doped aluminum powder metal. The powderization may occur by, for example, air atomization.

Abstract: A powder metal bearing support insert for casting into an engine component includes a pair of holes formed by interdigitated slots during a powder metal compaction process. Since they are formed by interdigitated slots, this pair of holes may receive the cast material therein during the casting step. Among other things, the cast material in these holes may be drilled or machined using tools graded to work the material of the casting in contrast to the material of the insert.

Abstract: A rotor for a variable valve timing engine is disclosed in which the opposing planar surface(s) of the rotor have one or more recesses formed therein in order to balance, equilibrate, or equalize the planar surface areas on the opposing surfaces. Among other things, this can improve the accuracy and efficiency with which the rotor is ground during a related method of manufacturing the rotor.

Abstract: A method includes the sequential steps of compacting a powder metal in a tool and die set using a compaction press to form a powder metal compact, ejecting the powder metal compact from the tool and die set, positioning the powder metal compact relative to another part, and cooling the powder metal compact. When the powder metal is compacted, a temperature of the powder metal used to form the powder metal compact increases relative to ambient temperature due to deformation of the powder metal during compacting. After ejection and while the powder metal compact is still above ambient temperature, the compact is positioned relative to the other part. Then, upon the cooling of the powder metal compact, the powder metal compact dimensionally shrinks to form an interference fit between the powder metal compact and the other part thereby forming the composite component, which may be subsequently sintered.

Abstract: A brazed part includes two or more components that are brazed together and has related method of making. Using a method of locating parts relative to one another, an inter-component gap between the components may be formed. Subsequently, during brazing, flow control features formed along the inter-component gap may then be used to assist in the retention of the braze material between the components during brazing.

Abstract: An improved aluminum alloy powder metal includes silicon additions. When this improved powder metal with silicon additions is sintered to form a sintered component, the resultant component exhibits many improved mechanical strength properties and improved thermal resistance.

Abstract: A planetary gear carrier has a drum cover and drum hub that make up a drum of the carrier and a carrier plate spaced from the drum cover defining a space in which the planetary gears reside, The drum cover, drum hub and carrier plate are joined by keys that are formed integrally with at least one of them that mate with surfaces of the other parts for precise assembly and re-assembly, and windows are defined through sets of spline teeth of the dram cover and drum hub through which planetary gears may be inserted for assembly to the carrier while the drum cover, drum hub and carrier plate are assembled to one another.

Abstract: An improved planetary gear carrier assembly is disclosed including a carrier and a ring. The carrier has a hub extending in an axial direction. The hub has splines on a radially-outward facing surface that extend in an axial direction and further has a first set of groove sections on the radially-outward facing surface in which the first set of groove sections extends circumferentially around the hub and through the splines. The ring is received around the hub of the carrier and has splines on a radially-inward facing surface. The splines in the ring are received in the first set of groove sections by axially nesting the splines of the carrier and ring into one another and then angularly rotating the ring relative to the carrier. With the splines of the ring twisted in the groove sections of the carrier, the ring can be axially restricted relative to the carrier.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy powder metal is disclosed. A sintered part made from the aluminum alloy powder has a thermal conductivity comparable to or exceeding parts made from wrought aluminum materials.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a machining tool in which an insert holder comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first insert tip slot extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first insert tip slot is configured so as to be compressed and densified to support a first insert tip. The insert holder further includes elevated projections extending from the first and second surfaces proximate the first insert tip slot.

Abstract: A forged composite powder metal part, such as a CVJ inner race or bevel gear, and method of making the same are disclosed. The forged composite powder metal part includes a outer section concentrated with a first powder metal material, a inner section concentrated with a second powder metal material and a variable boundary profile between the materials of the two sections. For example, in a forged CVJ inner race, the different materials can provide improved wear resistance in the ball tracks and improved spline performance. As another example, in a forged bevel gear, the different materials can be used to create a continuous variable boundary profile that defines the depth of a harder layer over the teeth.