Abstract: A steering rack for a vehicle rack and pinion steering gear and a method of manufacturing a steering rack includes a first member having a toothed region, attached to a tubular second member, the second member includes a bore, the cross section of the bore being circular along the length of the second member. The second member has at least one region of increased wall thickness and reduced bore diameter formed by an upsetting operation.

Abstract: The method comprises of gripping the component in a gripper of a work holding device mounted to a work holding spindle indexable about a first axis. Then cutting each slot of the array of slots in the bore by a series of cutting strokes of a cutting tool, with the tool mounted to a cutting spindle rotatable about a second axis substantially at right angles to and offset from the first axis. The cutting of each slot followed by indexation of the work holding spindle. During the cutting of at least one of the slots, relative movement between the component and second axis takes place due to movement of the component along the first axis or movement of the second axis in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis or both. The series of cutting strokes comprises two or more successions of progressively deeper cuts and the relative movement occurs between consecutive successions.

Abstract: A method and device for machining an angularly disposed array of parallel longitudinally extending slots in a bore of a component, the method comprising the steps of: gripping said component (1) in a gripping means of a workholding device (2) mounted to a workholding spindle (3) indexable about a first axis; cutting said array of slots in said bore by a series of progressively deeper cutting strokes of a cutting tool (5), said tool mounted to a cutting spindle (7) rotatable about a second axis (8) substantially at right angles to and offset from said first axis; and the cutting of each slot followed by indexation of said workholding spindle (3); and during the cutting of at least one of said slots, relative movement between the component (1) and second axis (8) takes place due to movement of the component (1) along the first axis or movement of the second axis in a direction substantially parallel to said first axis or both.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plurality of longitudinally extending slots in the bore of a component (1). One example of such a component is the sleeve element of an automotive power steering rotary valve. More particularly the invention is directed towards a method of minimising burring of the slot edges of the sleeve component. The method comprises the steps of gripping the component (1) in a gripping mechanism (2) of a workholding device, performing a first cutting operation (5) in which the slot is cut in the bore by a series of progressively deeper cutting stroke of a cutting tool (5), further machining (30) the bore of the component, the machining of the bore being carried out while the component remains gripped in the gripping mechanism, characterized in that while the component remains gripped in the gripping mechanism the slot undergoes a second cutting operation (5) similar to the first operation.