American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Satyanarayanan Raghavan

David Crecelius

Daniel R Bankovic

William Wang

An actuator includes a first ball-ramp plate, a second ball-ramp plate, and a plurality of balls. The first ball-ramp plate is formed of compressed powdered metal with ramps having a higher density than at least part of a remainder of the ball-ramp component. A method of manufacturing the actuator includes compacting a metal powder to form a blank of the first ball-ramp plate including an annular body disposed about an axis and a plurality of ramps fixedly coupled to the annular body and spaced circumferentially about the axis, and locally densifying the ramps of the blank by applying force to a ramped surface of each ramp.

Actuator with powdered metal ball ramp and method of selective surface densification of powdered metal ball ramp

A locking differential can include first and second locking dogs and an actuator system. The first dog can include a set of first teeth fixed to a side gear of the differential. The second dog can be axially movable between first and second positions and can include an annular body coupled to a differential case for common rotation and a set of second teeth. In the first position, the first and second teeth can be disengaged. In the second position, the first and second teeth can be engaged, inhibiting relative rotation between the side gear and the differential case. At least one sensor can detect the angular position and angular velocity of the second teeth relative to the first teeth. An actuator can move the second dog from the first position to the second position based on the detected relative angular positions and velocities of the first and second teeth.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Satyanarayanan Raghavan