Abstract: A piston includes a piston structure being unitarily formed in a powder metallurgy process, the piston structure having a crown assembly and a skirt assembly, at least a partial combustion chamber being formed intersecting a piston crown surface during the powder metallurgy process, the skirt assembly depending from the crown assembly and having two spaced apart pin bosses, each pin boss having a pin bore defined therein, a pair of opposed semi-circular skirt members, each skirt member extending outwardly from and being integrally joined to both of the pin bosses. The piston may be formed by executing a powder metallurgy process on at least two different metallic constituents to define a non-homogenous piston structure. A method of forming a piston is further included.

Abstract: A method for fastening components (18, 20) at critical joints in a motor vehicle powertrain (24). An unthreaded hole (22) is provided in a first component part (20), and a clearance hole (16) in a second component part (18). The shank (14) of a screw (10) that has a multi-lobed lead capable of creating a thread in the unthreaded hole is passed through the clearance hole to engage the multi-lobed lead with the unthreaded hole. Axial force and rotary torque are applied to the screw to cause the lead to form a desired helical thread in the unthreaded hole.

Abstract: A crankshaft has a non-homogenous structure is unitarily formed in a powder metallurgy process with at least two different metallic constituents providing dissimilar characteristics at discrete locations of the structure.

Abstract: A connecting rod unitarily formed in a powder metallurgy process provides a non-homogenous structure. The connecting rod has a piston end, a crankshaft end, and an interconnecting shank. The piston end, the crankshaft end, and the interconnecting shank are formed of a structural material.

Abstract: A piston pin including a tubular body having a cylindrical exterior margin, the exterior margin being shiftably matable with an inside margin of a pin bore of a connecting rod, the margin of the pin bore having a surface formed of the material forming the connecting rod, the mating being in a surface to surface engagement. A method of forming a piston pin and a piston pin, connecting rod combination are further included.