Automotive components

Solutions for mission-critical applications

thyssenkrupp Forged Technologies develops and produces crankshafts and connecting rods for the automotive industry. Our decades of experience and the use of state-of-the-art technology have made us a preferred development partner for the automotive industry.

Our technological Know-How makes us a preferred partner in matters relating to planning and production. Thanks to our many years of experience in forging and machining, and in the field of materials technology, we can help our customers to continuously improve their products.

The cornerstones of our continuous improvement process are our Master Black Belt, Master Green Belt, and Six Sigma initiatives. These production and quality systems have been introduced globally, ensuring the highest degree of quality performance and delivery performance.

Learn more about our automotive component product landscape

Engine components

Crankshafts are used in nearly every type of combustion engine. These components are critical to successful, trouble-free motor function – and not only now, but over many years. Today millions of crankshafts leave our plants every year, either as blanks or finished parts, on their way to locations all over the world. That makes us the global market leader in this area.

_{Forged crankshafts}

The range of forged crankshafts available from thyssenkrupp includes blanks for both diesel and gasoline engines in every common version, such as in-line or boxer, and for V and W engines, no matter if they will be used in motorcycles, passenger cars, utility vehicles or earthmoving machinery.

Characteristics/Development services:

Microalloyed, alloyed and unalloyed steels
Blank development
(New) design and calculation of safety factors
Design optimization
Production of prototypes
Design and manufacturing of forging tools
Forming simulation and forging process optimization

_{Finished crankshafts}

For utility vehicles, we supply completely assembled, ready-to-install crankshafts with various surface treatments, such as inductive hardening, rolled radiing or nitriding. Our finished crankshafts are used in utility vehicles and earthmoving machinery, while we also offer blank finishing for passenger car applications.

Characteristics/Development services:

Microalloyed, alloyed and unalloyed steels
Cast iron (utility vehicle crankshafts)
Design optimization
Production of prototypes
Non-destructive testing: US and Magnaflux, Residual Stress, Chemistry, etc
Destructive testing: Fatigue, Failure Analysis, etc
Simultaneous engineering with our customers

_Conrods

thyssenkrupp produces both offset and straight conrods weighing up to 20 kg with the application of conventional splitting or the “fracture split method”. The conrods are used in both gasoline and diesel passenger car motors as well as in diesel motors for utility vehicles, generators and ships. Our partners have a choice here between forged blanks and finished, ready-to-install conrods. Moreover, we offer our customers development services from raw part design and calculation to finished part design and process optimization.

Characteristics/Development services:

Microalloyed, alloyed and unalloyed steels
Design optimization
Production of prototypes
Non-destructive testing: US and Magnaflux, Residual Stress, Chemistry, etc
Destructive testing: Fatigue, Failure Analysis, etc
Simultaneous engineering with our customers

_Pistons

The production of pistons rounds out the product range in the area of motor components. We develop and produce various versions of forged or partially finished piston crowns for medium-weight and heavy diesel motors.

Characteristics:

Microalloyed, alloyed and unalloyed steels
With joint
Upper and lower part
Integrated (upper and lower part, shaft)
Multi-axial design

Chassis components

Wheel hubs and spindles, as key elements of modern suspension systems, and truck axle beams, as essential load-bearing components, are all critical to vehicle safety and performance. Our chassis components combine strength, stability, and durability to ensure safety and long service life. Moreover, with robust yet lightweight designs, we cater to the increasing demand for environmentally sound vehicles. We achieve both through intelligent engineering and proven materials.

_{Truck axle beam}

The production processes at thyssenkrupp enable the forging, painting and ready-to-install machining of truck axle beams.

Additional heat treatment processes are available, which can be selected depending on the load and application.

Properties/development services:

Micro-alloyed, alloyed and tempered steels
Selection of optimized material and heat treatment process
Development of raw parts
Design optimization
Forming simulation and optimization of the forging process
Design and manufacture of forging tools
Production of prototypes
In-process factory tests and optimization in our own materials laboratory

_{Wheel hubs}

thyssenkrupp produces forged and ready-to-install machined wheel hubs for passenger car chassis. In addition to the production of wheel hubs, we also offer our partners development services such as structural analyses, dynamic analyses and complete fatigue strength tests.

Our product range includes wheel hubs made from these materials:

Microalloyed steels
Alloyed steels
Non-alloyed steels

_Spindles

We also produce forged and ready-to-install spindles for passenger cars.

Our product range includes spindles made of these materials:

Microalloyed steels
Alloyed steels
Unalloyed steels

Transmission components

Gear shafts and gear wheels are important components in engine transmissions. They work together to transform engine speed into driving speed. Both gear shafts and gear wheels have to be particularly resilient, fatigue-free and as light as possible. In order to meet these requirements, we forge gear shafts at room temperature to achieve the highest tolerance demands.

_{Gear shafts}

For passenger car engines in all vehicle classes, thyssenkrupp produces both hot-forged and cold-forged gear shafts. In addition to production, we also offer development services from raw part design and calculation to 3-D models and on to the development of prototypes.

Here we use the following materials:

Microalloyed steels
Alloyed steels
Unalloyed steels

_{Gear wheel blanks}

We manufacture forged gear wheels for various passenger car transmissions. thyssenkrupp also offers its partners in the automotive industry development services for gear wheels from raw part design and calculation to 3-D models and on to the development of prototypes.

Here we use the following materials:

Microalloyed steels
Alloyed steels
Unalloyed steels

What makes us special

As a full-service supplier, we are a competent partner all the way through from the development of the product to its series production and beyond. Our companies are continuously searching for innovations in their processes and products, in order to increase long-term competitiveness, and to anticipate trends through the provision of economically attractive and technically feasible solutions.

Finely tuned production lines for crankshafts and connecting rods at our international locations ensure reliable deliveries and high-quality products.
The use of state-of-the-art technology and a high degree of automation ensure short lead times and retooling times.

Technologies:

CAD
CAM
CNC milling
EDM
Polishing
In-house production of custom tools

Multiple forging lines worldwide with different configurations and press forces for crankshafts, connecting rods, pistons, chassis and gear unit parts
The fastest and most efficient forging line in the world for passenger car crankshafts
The most modern forging line in the world for truck front axles

Machining lines with different configurations for light-duty, mid-range and heavy-duty crankshafts
Machining lines for connecting rods in different configurations for light-duty, mid-range and heavy-duty engines
Machining lines for chassis components

We have production facilities on four continents, which work together in an integrated manner to supply reliable and high-quality products. Our facilities are located where they are needed: in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. For this reason, our production division is closely linked to our customer business, offering just-in-time deliveries, and capabilities for adapting to specific customer requirements.

Aspiring to the highest levels of quality in order to exceed customer requirements is part of our corporate culture. This begins with the selection of suppliers and strict test procedures for incoming materials, and includes continuous monitoring during the production process. From the initial design concept all the way through to series production, every part receives our undivided attention: Our aim is to completely fulfill customer requirements at all times, and to exceed them in the future.