Abstract: Systems and methods for swapping mobile robot batteries on battery charging stations are disclosed herein. An example system may comprise at least one mobile robot, wherein the mobile robot may be optionally coupled to a modular component, and wherein the mobile robot and the modular component may each have robot batteries configured to be detachably removed from the mobile robot and the modular component. An example system may also comprise at least one battery charging station for receiving robot or modular component batteries for charging, and also for providing charged batteries to mobile robots or modular components. Finally, the system may comprise a service provider and a network that may be used to manage data and handle interactions between the mobile robots and the battery charging stations.

Abstract: A hot stamping die includes a body having a stamping surface, and cooling channels within the body. The cooling channels are positioned to transfer heat from region(s) of the surface to the channels. The hot stamping die also includes a heating element within the body, separate and apart from the channels. The heating element is positioned to heat region(s) of the body different from the region(s) of the surface at a rate greater than heat transfer from the channels to the region(s) of the surface.

Abstract: A vehicle underbody assembly including a pair of rockers, a pair of rear rails, a first cross member, and a second cross member is provided. Each of the pair or rear rails extends from one of the rockers and each includes a rear portion, a first mid-portion, a second mid-portion, and a forward portion. Each of the forward portions is secured to one of the rockers at one of a first joint and a second joint. The first cross member extends between the rear rails at a transition region between the second mid-portion and the forward portion. The second cross member extends between the rear rails at locations adjacent the first and second joints. Each of the rear rails is thermally treated so that the second mid-portions form a hard strength zone. The hard strength zone may further be defined as a zone having a fully martensitic microstructure.

Abstract: A controller alters a cycle time of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components and having an active cooling system, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state.

Abstract: A portable case for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a system including a portable case for UAV and an adapter for coupling the portable case to a vehicle are disclosed. An example system may include an exterior attachment disposed on an exterior of a vehicle, an adapter configured to couple a portable case for an UAV to the exterior attachment, and a moveable cover connected to the vehicle and configured to cover the portable case when the portable case is coupled to the vehicle. An example portable case may comprise a landing pad for the UAV, a bottom portion having the landing pad and configured to connect to the exterior attachment via the adapter, and a removable upper portion configured to be connected to the bottom portion when the bottom portion is disconnected from the at least one exterior attachment.

Abstract: A vehicle underbody assembly including a pair of rockers, a pair of side rails, a first cross member, a second cross member, and a fuel tank is provided. Each of the pair of side rails is secured to a rearward portion of one of the rockers. The first cross member extends between the side rails and is thermally treated to form a first central hard strength zone between two first soft strength zones. The second cross member is arranged with the pair of side rails and the first cross member to form a rectilinear frame and is thermally treated to form a second central hard strength zone between two second soft strength zones. The fuel tank is secured between the pair of side rails so that the fuel tank is located within a rectilinear frame formed by the pair of side rails and the cross members.

Abstract: Landing apparatuses for unmanned aerial vehicles are provided herein. An example battery assembly can include a housing having a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the housing having a receiving interface that receives a first protruding adapter of an associated object. The top surface of the housing having a second protruding adapter that mates with the receiving interface of a second battery assembly, an energy storage unit disposed within the housing, a locking mechanism disposed within the housing, a biasing member that places the locking mechanism in a locked configuration, and a controller having a processor and memory for storing instructions, the processor being configured to execute the instructions to cause the locking mechanism to move into an unlocked configuration.

Abstract: A method of forming a hot stamped, die quenched, and die trimmed part is provided. The method includes hot stamping and die quenching a blank with a quench die and forming a die quenched panel. The quench die includes at least one slow-cooling channel. The die quenched panel is die trimmed along the at least one localized soft zone that is adjacent a hard zone. The blank may be formed from a press hardenable steel (PHS), and the at least one soft zone may have a ferritic microstructure and the at least one hard zone may have a martensitic microstructure. The at least one localized soft zone may have a microhardness between about 200 HV and about 250 HV and the hard zone may have a microhardness between about 400 HV and about 500 HV.

Abstract: A die apparatus including a first die element and a second die element is provided. The first die element is arranged with the second die element for disposal of a blank therebetween and includes a coolant channel and a trim groove for alignment with a trim line of the blank. A groove insert is disposed within the trim groove arranged to support a portion of the blank extending thereover and to reduce a cooling rate of the blank. The groove insert may be of a material including reflective radiation characteristics to reduce heat transfer from portions of the blank adjacent the trim line. The first die element may include a cavity aligned with a pierce region of the blank so that the pierce region does not contact an adjacent die element surface.

Abstract: A method of inspecting and determining characteristics of an aluminized coating of a hot stamped part is provided. The method includes removing a sample from the hot stamped part for Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDOES), analyzing the sample using GDOES, and plotting constituent element weight percentages versus depth on a graph. The method further includes determining points on the graph where constituent elements intersect and where the points of intersection indicate the characteristics of the aluminized coating. The characteristics of the method include, by way of example, a total thickness of the aluminized coating, a thickness of an inter-diffusion layer (IDL), constituents of the aluminized coating, constituents of the hot stamped part, phase composition of the aluminized coating, surface oxidation, and weldability.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel (PHS) is provided. The method includes preparing a die having a material with a thermal conductivity of at least 40W/(m·K) and placing a blank within the die and simultaneously hot stamping and quenching the blank at a heat transfer coefficient of at least 2,950W/(m2·K). In one form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with greater than 20 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank. In another form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with 31 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank.

Abstract: A method of inspecting and determining characteristics of an aluminized coating of a hot stamped part is provided. The method includes removing a sample from the hot stamped part for Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDOES), analyzing the sample using GDOES, and plotting constituent element weight percentages versus depth on a graph. The method further includes determining points on the graph where constituent elements intersect and where the points of intersection indicate the characteristics of the aluminized coating. The characteristics of the method include, by way of example, a total thickness of the aluminized coating, a thickness of an inter-diffusion layer (IDL), constituents of the aluminized coating, constituents of the hot stamped part, phase composition of the aluminized coating, surface oxidation, and weldability.

Abstract: A bumper assembly may include a pair of crush cans and a bumper beam. The pair of crush cans are for securing to a vehicle body. The bumper beam is secured to the crush cans and includes a first end and a second end each extending outboard of one of the crush cans, and a middle portion extending between the first and second ends. The bumper beam is thermally treated to provide the first and second ends with less tensile strength than the middle portion. The middle portion may have a tensile strength between 1000 MPa and 1900 MPa. Each of the first and second ends may have a tensile strength between 600 MPa and 900 MPa.

Abstract: A method for forming a vehicle component is provided. The method may include heating a blank of 36MnB5 in a furnace to an austenitization temperature, stamping the blank with a die assembly to form a vehicle component and change a microstructure of the blank from austenite to martensite, and responsive to a temperature of the vehicle component being at or below 130° C., removing the vehicle component from the die assembly such that the vehicle component has a yield strength equal to or greater than 1400 MPa. The blank may be retained within the die assembly for a quench time of between five and eleven seconds following the stamping. The method may further include thermo-stabilizing a surface of the die assembly to a predetermined temperature. The stamping may further include applying a pressure of approximately 10 N/mm2 to the blank.

Abstract: Systems and methods for locally softening high strength steel are disclosed. One method may include heat treating one or more local regions of a steel component having a hardness of at least 450 HV to soften the local region(s) to a hardness of at most 250 HV. The heat treating may include heating only the local region(s) to a target temperature above an AC1 temperature of the component and below an AC3 temperature of the component. In another method, the heat treating may include heating only the local region(s) to a first target temperature above an AC3 temperature of the component, cooling the local region(s) to below an AC1 temperature of the component, and isothermally holding the local region(s) at a second target temperature below the AC1 temperature. The locally softened region(s) may allow for improved joining and/or trimming of the component.

Abstract: A process for pre-conditioning a hot stamped part is provided. The process includes continuously annealing a boron steel material having an aluminum coating for a predetermined time and at a predetermined temperature such that less than 10% Iron (Fe) is in the aluminum coating and AlSi pockets are formed in the aluminum coating prior to a subsequent hot stamping process, wherein the predetermined time and temperature are a function of a thickness of the boron steel material.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel is provided. The method includes an initial step of die quenching a part stamped within a stamping die followed by a partial quenching after the initial step of die quenching. In various methods, the press hardenable steel is a 36MnB5 grade steel and/or the initial step of die quenching is performed at a temperature of approximately 200° C.±10° C. in a die configured for 36MnB5 grade steel. At least one method further includes opening the die followed by the partial quenching, the partial quenching comprising spraying a cooling liquid onto the part to reduce a temperature of the part below approximately 130° C.±10° C., with the option of spraying to reduce the temperature of the part below approximately 100° C.±10° C.

Abstract: A micro-alloyed manganese-boron steel includes about 0.25 to 0.4 wt. % carbon, about 0.5 to 2.7 wt. % manganese, about 0.001 to 0.005 wt. % boron, about 0.1 to 0.8 wt. % silicon, about 0.1 to 0.6 wt. % chromium, molybdenum and nickel, and about 0.01 to 0.06 wt. % aluminum, niobium and titanium. The balance is iron, and the steel is a micro-alloyed material for hot stamping of automotive parts.

Abstract: A furnace assembly for hot-stamping vehicle components includes a support structure, a movable visor, a heat element, and a set of blocks. The support structure defines a cavity and an opening sized to receive a blank. The movable visor is mounted to the support structure and defines a first zone partially open to the cavity via the opening. The heat element is disposed within the cavity. Each of the blocks of the set of blocks is disposed on one side of the heat element to define a second zone and aligned with the opening to receive a vehicle component blank upon the blocks. The set of blocks and visor are arranged with one another such that portions of the blank are heated at different temperatures in the first zone and the second zone.

Abstract: A hot-stamping furnace includes a housing defining a heating chamber partitioned into compartments configured to have different temperatures. The heating chamber includes an opening that is at least partially covered by a door movably mounted on the housing. The door is configured to extend over only a portion of the opening when in a closed position. A detachable panel extends from an edge of the door such that the panel extends over a portion of the opening that the door does not extend over.