Hardening of flexible trailing arms
AssigneeWeweler Nederland B.V.
InventorsDerk Geert Aalderink, Martinus Jozef Maria Verhoofstad
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing of a flexible trailing arm for a wheel axle suspension of a vehicle such as a lorry or a trailer. In the method a steel blank is heated. Next, the blank is formed into the desired shape of the trailing arm by means of a suitable forming process. Following that the trailing arm is austempered by cooling it in a warm fluid medium.
Claims9
A method for manufacturing a flexible trailing arm for a wheel axle suspension of a vehicle such as a lorry or a trailer, comprising the following steps:
- heating a steel blank,
- forming the blank into the desired shape of the trailing arm by means of a suitable forming process, and
- austempering the formed trailing arm by cooling it in a warm liquid medium.
The method according to claim clause 1, wherein the trailing arm is cooled in the liquid medium to a temperature of about 310° C.
A flexible trailing arm for a wheel axle suspension of a vehicle such as a lorry or a trailer, wherein the flexible trailing arm comprises steel with a bainitic structure which has a tensile strength of approximately 1300-1600 N/mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.