Method of manufacturing a splined member for use in a driveshaft assembly

A method of manufacturing a splined member comprising the steps of: (a) providing a workpiece (10) that is formed from a material having a relatively low elongation characteristic and subjecting the workpiece to a softening process to provide a relatively high elongation characteristic. (b) providing a mandrel having a plurality of splines; (c) deforming the workpiece into engagement with the mandrel to form a splined member. In this method a mandrel (20) having a plurality of external splines (22) may be inserted within workpiece (10), and the workpiece deformed into engagement with the mandrel to form a splined member using a swaging process, such a rotary swaging or feed swaging. The splined member is thus formed having a plurality of internal splines (13a) and a cylindrical outer surface (11). The use of the swaging process avoids the generation of waste material. Also, dimensional accuracy is improved because the splined member is shaped in accordance with the precisely formed mandrel, which eliminates dimensional variations that can result from known machining practices.