A method of manufacturing an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes forming cup and shaft members of medium carbon steel, the cup member being manufactured by preparing a cup member having cylindrical and bottom portions being integrally formed, and a fitting hole formed in a thick portion of the bottom portion, the shaft member being manufactured by preparing a shaft member having a fitting outer surface formed at an end portion of the shaft member to be joined to the bottom portion of the cup member, and fitting the fitting hole of the cup member to the fitting outer surface of the shaft member. The method also includes welding the cup and shaft members from an inner side of the cup member to a fitted portion between the cup and shaft members.

The present invention provides a modification to the EBW process, which is referred to as a slope-out methodology, the results in the formation of a slope-out portion located generally in that region of the overall weldment located at the end of the ordinary EBW welding process for joining two components. The slope-out portion overlaps with the initial weld of the workpiece for a given distance or length along the weld and effectively eliminates the keyhole and provides a weldment that has minimal to no defects, particularly in the slope-out portion. The slope-out methodology begins by adjusting various parameters related to the electron beam to essentially decay the beam. In general, the focus position of the electron beam is moved from under-focused (focal position in the bulk of the material) to over-focused (focal position ahead of the workpiece surface) as the overlapping weld is made.

An outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes a cup section having track grooves formed in an inner periphery thereof, which are engageable with torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section formed at a bottom portion of the cup section. The cup section and the shaft section are formed as separate members, and by bringing a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section into abutment against each other at respective joining end surfaces and welding them, a hollow cavity portion is formed. The cup member has, at an axial center, a ventilation hole that communicates with the hollow cavity portion and any one of the joining end surfaces of the cup member and the joining end surface of the shaft member has a welding spatter receiving groove formed on a radially inner side thereof.

A drive unit of a fluid-actuated linear drive includes a piston rod, an annular drive piston seated coaxially on the piston rod and a buffer sleeve which is likewise seated coaxially on the piston rod. These components are secured to one another by one and the same common welded joint. Furthermore, a method for the manufacture of such a drive unit and a fluid-actuated linear drive equipped with such a drive unit is proposed.

A drive unit of a fluid-actuated linear drive includes a piston rod, an annular drive piston seated coaxially on the piston rod and a buffer sleeve which is likewise seated coaxially on the piston rod. These components are secured to one another by one and the same common welded joint. Furthermore, a method for the manufacture of such a drive unit and a fluid-actuated linear drive equipped with such a drive unit is proposed.

A sprocket assembly, formed of dissimilar materials, includes at least one tooth member made of ferrous material and a circular disk made of a light metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The circular disk supports the tooth member on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The tooth member is dissimilar-metal welded to the circular disk, either by laser welding or by electronic beam welding. Optionally, multiple individual tooth members may be fitted into notches formed in an outer periphery of the circular disk, and welded therein. A method of making a sprocket assembly is also described.

A weld structure includes a fitting portion at which a first member and a second member are engaged, a weld portion at which the first member and the second member are welded together, and a space between the fitting portion and the weld portion. One of the first member and the second member has a communication passage whose one end is open to the space and whose other end is open to an outside at a position other than the space. The communication passage is blocked by an insertion member that has a predetermined function in addition to blocking the communication passage.

A weld structure includes a fitting portion at which a first member and a second member are engaged, a weld portion at which the first member and the second member are welded together, and a space between the fitting portion and the weld portion. One of the first member and the second member has a communication passage whose one end is open to the space and whose other end is open to an outside at a position other than the space. The communication passage is blocked by an insertion member that has a predetermined function in addition to blocking the communication passage.

In an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint, a cup member and a shaft member are made of medium to high carbon steel and welded together. The cup member has a bottomed cylindrical shape that is opened at one end, and includes a cylindrical portion, a bottom portion, and a short shaft section of a solid shaft shape protruding from the bottom portion and having a joining end surface. The shaft member has a solid shaft shape and a joining end surface. The joining end surfaces of the cup and shaft members are brought into abutment against each other, and a high energy intensity beam is radiated from an outer side in a radial direction to form a welded portion. A structure of a molten metal at the welded portion is in a mixed phase of ferrite and granular cementite.

A method for making a tube is described in which a multi-layer billet is extruded to provide a tube having a wall comprising an inner layer metallurgically bonded to an outer layer.