Query: light weigth rear axle shaft

title: Design of Rear Axle Shaft for Light Weight Green Vehicle

title: Failure of a Rear Axle Shaft of an Automobile Due to Improper Heat Treatment
abstract: A section of fractured rear axle shaft made of induction hardened steel and removed from the scene of overturned automobile was analyzed to determine the most probable cause of failure. Light optical metallography and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructure and the mechanical strength was evaluated by microhardness measurements. Chemical analysis verified that the shaft was made of AISI 4140 steel as per specifications. However, microstructural characterization and microhardness measurements revealed that the shaft was improperly heat treated resulting in a brittle case, where crack propagation was found to occur by an intergranular mode in contrast with cleavage within the core. This behavior was related to differences in microstructure, which was observed to be martensitic type within the case with microhardness equivalent to Rc 58, and a mixture of pearlite and ferrite within the core with Rc 25. Although it was not possible to reconstruct the exact sequence of events leading to fracture, it is possible that it was initiated by large overload within the extremely hard brittle case, which could lead to overturning of the vehicle and final fracture could have occurred by the impact of overturning. However, crack initiation due to hydrogen generated by rust and water pickup as well as the possibility that overturning of the vehicle was the cause of the fracture could not be ruled out.

title: New technology and machine tool for the forming of the rear axle shaft of light truck
abstract: A new technology of forward extrusion and cross rolling has been developed to process the rear axle shaft sleeve of light truck with the use of tube billets. This technology is characterized by large reductions of material, energy and cost of production and has significant economical benefits. This technology is stable and reliable. The three rolls transverse rolling mill built based on this technology has novelty construction, higher production efficiency, non vibration and noise. The research results have been extensively applied to light trucks and farm transport with load of 1 to 3 tones.

title: EVALUATING FOS FOR REAR AXLE HOUSING USING HYBRID ALUMINIUM COMPOSITES
abstract: Rear axle housing supports parts rear axle assembly like rear axle shaft, differential gear assembly. It also acts as a tank for the rear end lubricants. Due to the increase in fuel cost and it is acceptable to produce a component with less weight and more life. Hence there is a urge for light weight and prolonged life of the automobile components. In order to achieve this hybrid aluminium composite (Reinforced with Al2O3 and Fly ash It is observed experimentally that the reinforced aluminium with Fly ash and Al2O3 enhances mechanical properties in comparison with monolithic metal. In present work with the use of finite element analysis factor of safety for rear axle housing is estimated for both hybrid composite and monolithic metal. In comparison with the results found for hybrid composite metal and monolithic metal, composite material analysis results were found to be better than the monolithic metal.

title: Connecting structure for connecting intermediate axle and rear axle on frames
abstract: The utility model discloses a connecting structure for connecting an intermediate axle and a rear axle on frames. According to the improvement of the connecting structure, V shaped propelling rods, a run through beam and lower propelling rods are used as main bodies, and the frames, balance shaft device assemblies, steel plate spring assemblies, the intermediate axle and the rear axle are connected to form a new connecting structure for connecting the intermediate axle and the rear axle of a truck. The connecting structure has the advantages that the light and simple connecting structure is provided to adapt to a light weight balance shaft assembly with a simply supported beam structure, and transverse runout between the intermediate axle and the rear axle also can be limited; propelling rod lower supports and the balance shaft device assemblies have a split structure, so that the propelling rod lower supports and the balance shaft device assemblies are convenient to machine and assemble; and acting force of the propelling rod lower supports and the balance shaft device assemblies is not interfered with each other, so that the stability of the connecting structure is improved.

title: FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF LEAF SPRING AND REAR AXLE FOR REAR SUSPENSION
abstract: Leaf spring and rear axle are major parts of vehicle suspension system which is subjected to millions of varying stress cycles leading to fatigue failure. In a commercial light vehicles engine is placed at front or middle providing large space to the rear axle. Advantages of the new rear suspension design of the light commercial vehicle have been captured. In most of the vehicle Engine is placed at rear to have low engine noise and vibration inside cabin of vehicle. In This paper we are suggesting best material for leaf spring rear axle .Oil tempered carbon steel and manganese silicon steel analyzed and found that oil tempered carbon steel is best for leaf spring of light duty vehicles. Similarly For rear axle such as Blue tempered and polished steel and forged alloy steel According to results found in software analysis the best material for rear axle is forged alloy steel.  Suspension system, Finite element analysis, Leaf spring, Rear Axle Fatigue failure.  Traditionally, for light commercial vehicles, Engine is placed at front/middle giving huge space for traditional rear axle with differential inside .Propeller shafts are used to transfer drive from power pack to axle housing.  Suspension Concept for Rear Engine This project describes complete design of rear suspension with leaf spring application for rear engine vehicle as shown in Fig. 1 There is a need of high load carrying rear suspension to suit market requirement so necessary to use leaf spring type rear suspension.  Springs are crucial suspension elements on vehicle, necessary to minimize the vertical vibrations, impacts and bumps due to road irregularities and create a comfortable ride. A leaf spring, especially the Novateur Publication's International Journal of Innovation in Engineering, Research and Technology [IJIERT] ICITDCEME'15 Conference Proceedings ISSN No 2394 3696 2 P a g e longitudinal type, is a reliable and persistent element in automotive suspension systems. These springs are usually Formed by stacking leafs of steel, in progressively longer lengths on top of each other, so that the spring is thick in the middle to resist bending and thin at the ends where it attaches to the body. A leaf spring should support various kinds of external forces, but the most important task is to resist the variable vertical forces. The automotive industry is exploring composite materials for structural components construction in order to obtain the reduction of weight without decrease in vehicle quality and reliability. To conserve the natural resources and economize energy, weight reduction has been the main focus of automobile manufacturer in the present scenario. Actually, there is almost a direct proportionality between the weight of the vehicle and its fuel consumption, particularly in city driving. The advanced composite materials such as Graphite, Carbon, Kevlar and Glass with suitable resins are widely used because of their high specific strength (strength/density) and high specific modulus (modulus/density) Advanced composite materials seem ideally suited for suspension (leaf spring) applications. Their elastic properties can be tailored to increase the strength and reduce the stresses induced during application.  The rear dead axle supports the weight of rear part of the vehicle, absorbs shocks which are transmitted due to road surface irregularities and also absorbs torque applied on it due to braking of vehicle. Rear axle was consists of wheel support plate, spring support plate and central tube as shown in Fig. 2. Once concept was finalized, cross section and thicknesses of different plates and tubes were finalized using finite element method.

title: Half floating axle structure rear axle
abstract: The utility model provides a half floating axle structure rear axle comprising an axle case, an axle shaft, an axle bearing and a brake, wherein the axle bearing is a two row ball bearing; the axle shaft is arranged at the inner ring of the two row ball bearing; the outer ring of the two row ball bearing is arranged in a bearing block hole of the axle case; and the bottom plate of the brake is arranged at the outer ring of the two row ball bearing. The rear axle has the beneficial effects: the half floating axle structure rear axle adopts the two row ball bearing, even the two row ball bearings of light series increases the dynamic load rating by 50 percent compared with that which adopts the single row deep trench ball bearing of middle series with equal outer diameter; the service life of the two row ball bearings is increased by about 2.5 times under the same rear axle loading; the bearing capacity is greatly increased; and the rear axle has simple structure, and simple and convenient installation and repair.

title: Axle Shaft Optical Inspection System
abstract: An electro optical instrument to gauge automotive rear axle shafts is described. A high contrast image of the axle lug flange is projected via a high quality photographic lens on two self scanning linear photodiode arrays. In one three second rotation, a dedicated digital processor measures bolt circle location, hole diameter and separation. The unit automatically: compares each measurement with preset tolerances, computes the average bolt circle diameter, computes the bolt circle runout, makes a pass/fail decision, provides a digital readout, marks the axle shaft with colored ink and provides the operator a pass/fail light.

title: Axle whine phenomenon in light trucks: a combined numerical and experimental investigation
abstract: Axle whine is a continuous, steady state tonal sound, emitted from the differential unit's hypoid gears. It is essentially induced by torque variations. This can be as a result of resonant conditions or torque fluctuations caused by engine order vibrations, compounded by gear transmission error. The principal mechanism of gear whine noise generation is, therefore, through transmission of vibration from the gear shafts and bearings to the differential housing, which is radiated as noise. Furthermore, interactions between the differential unit, axles and driveshafts often generate excessive tonal noises, which are the result of coupled bending and torsional resonances of assembled components. These resonances induce a magnification effect upon the noise source itself through exciting the gear shafts and distorting the alignment of the gear sets. Axle whine noise has become an important noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) concern, because of the nature of the noise; further compounded by the human aural system, which is highly sensitive in tonal memory. The result is continuously increasing warranty costs or use of expensive palliatives to mitigate the phenomenon. In this paper, a combined experimental and numerical investigation of axle whine in a rear wheel drive light truck is presented. The aim is to reveal some root causes of the drivetrain's NVH behaviour, which can be related to the amplification/reduction of axle whine vibration and noise. Correlation of the experimental results with the vibration modes of the drivetrain has shown that for vehicle coasting conditions a number of modes are excited, which can interact with the vibrations of the hypoid gear pair. Finally, some light is shed on the role that differential bulk oil temperature plays in the severity of the ensuing vibration.

title: Two gear four wheel hydraulic stepless variable drive axle assembly for harvester
abstract: The invention relates to a two gear four wheel hydraulic stepless variable drive axle assembly for a harvester. A rear axle motor is a variable hydraulic motor, a front axle motor is a constant displacement hydraulic motor, a driving brake assembly is connected to a front axle differential, a mechanical gearbox assembly is connected to a front axle intermediate shaft, a gearbox of the mechanical gearbox assembly is provided with a meshing sleeve, and is connected with a gear shifting control handle, the meshing sleeve is controlled by the gear shifting control handle to shift gears, a hydraulic variable pump is provided with a variable controller, and a variable swing arm of the variable pump moves to realize the variable control of the hydraulic variable pump. The assembly is low in failure rate and energy consumption, easy to operate, small in size and light in weight, and such a mechanical four wheel drive axle assembly can be adapted to landforms with serious water accumulation and other operation requiring higher driving capability.