Tubular articles with varying wall thickness

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a one-piece axle tube housing with localized sections of increased wall thickness includes providing a tube blank, inserting a mandrel having a reduced diameter profile, passing the tube through an extrusion die to conform the tube to the shape of the mandrel; and extraction of the mandrel from the tube to cause outward deformation of the tube at specific locations. A further reducing step may be used to form the final desired profile, including reduced inner and outer diameters along sections of the axle tube housing.

1 . An axle housing assembly, said axle housing assembly having support and load bearing components and a tubular member, said support and load bearing components being attached to said tubular member and defining load bearing regions on sections of said tubular member, wherein said tubular member has localized structural enhancements in said load bearing regions. 
     
     
         2 . The axle housing according to  claim 1 , wherein said tubular member has an internal surface defining a bore and an external surface, said bore and said external surface defining a wall thickness along the length of said tubular member, said localized structural enhancements being formed by localized increase in wall thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The axle housing according to  claim 2 , wherein one of said localized structural enhancements is a bulge on said external surface. 
     
     
         4 . The axle housing according to  claim 2 , wherein said localized structural enhancements include at least an exterior bulge on said external surface and an interior bulge on said internal surface.