Sintered gear element featuring locally selective surface compression

A method for producing an at least partially surface-densified metallic toothed gear element comprising:

• providing preform of the toothed gear element being produced, said preform comprising densified sintering material and having a locally selective oversize profile relative to a final size of the toothed gear element, the oversize profile being determined iteratively;
• iteratively simulating and optimizing the kinematics of a rolling process and a densification process comprising designing a densification profile whereby a force profile on a tooth flank of the toothed gear element is taken into account depending on the purpose of a gear element for which it is to be used and whereby a redistribution of the material is taken into account and whereby the rolling process is simulated in conjuction with simulation of elastic and plastic properties of the preform and optionally of at least one rolling die;
• and
• rolling the preform to the final size of the toothed gear element using the at least one rolling die;
• wherein the toothed gear element is densified in a locally varied manner in at least one region of at least one flank and/or one root of a tooth of the toothed gear element to produce at least one densified outer layer region at a surface of the toothed gear element.