Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a powertrain component enclosure member, including the steps of: (A) positioning at least one insert into a mold, wherein the insert is provided with a coating to prevent bonding between the insert and the casting material; and (B) casting a wall of the powertrain component enclosure member in the mold around the insert such that a major portion of the insert is substantially non-bonded with the casting material to provide a proper interfacial boundary with the casting material for damping.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a friction damped disc brake rotor, including the steps of: (A) providing a ceramic coating on an insert, wherein the insert has a body with tabs extending therefrom to hold the insert in a desired position within a mold; (B) washing the ceramic coating off of the tabs; (C) positioning the insert into the mold; and (D) casting a rotor cheek of the disc brake rotor in the mold around the insert such that a portion of each tab is bonded with the rotor cheek, and such that the coating is substantially non-bonded with the rotor cheek so that the coating provides a proper interfacial boundary between the body and the cheek for damping, and the at least partial bonding of each tab with the rotor cheek prevents corrosion-causing exterior elements from reaching the interfacial boundary when the friction damped disc brake rotor is in use.

Abstract: Method of preforming and forming a sheet metal article from a preheated blank of sheet metal uses opposing dies including a punch having a punch surface defining a final configuration for the article and a cavity die having a cavity surface defining a preform configuration. The blank is placed between the dies and has a first side surface facing the cavity die and a second side surface facing the punch. A vacuum is applied to the first side of the blank to draw and shape the blank into the cavity die to a preform configuration conforming to the cavity surface. The punch and the cavity die are then closed toward one another and gas pressure is then applied to the first side surface of the blank to press the second side surface against the punch surface to the finish configuration.

Abstract: A press and tooling apparatus for forming a preheated blank includes a heated upper tool and an opposing heated lower tool mounted within the press for relative closing movement to press the preheated blank there between. A binder ring assembly surrounds the lower tool and is mounted on the press for movement relative to the lower tool so at to bind the preheated blank to the upper tool in air tight sealing relationship in readiness for closure of the tools and application of pressurized gas to force the blank into contact with the upper tools. The binder ring assembly includes an upper ring that is heated so as to prevent the cooling of the preheated blank, and a lower ring that supports the upper ring and is fixedly connected to the upper ring by spaced apart connectors so as to minimize the heat transfer path from the heated upper ring to the lower ring.

Abstract: A hot forming tool is heated with multiple electrical resistance cartridge heaters. The heaters are located in the body of the tool so as to maintain the entire forming surface within a predetermined temperature range. Numerical thermal and optimization analyses direct the placement of the heaters so that when each heating element is simultaneously powered on for an identical fraction of the time, an acceptable temperature distribution will be produced within the tool at the tool operating temperature.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for removing metallic buildup from forming surfaces of metal forming dies while the dies are in a press and operating at elevated temperatures. The cleaning apparatus includes a programmable positioner having a robotic arm with an end effector carrying a brush assembly. The brush assembly includes a rotary drive motor rotatably carrying a metallic wire brush. The brush has a plurality of radially extending plain carbon steel bristles having tips adapted for removing metallic buildup from the forming surfaces of dies. The positioner operates to move the rotatable wire brush in a predetermined path that engages the brush with the forming surfaces of the dies for sweeping and cleaning metallic buildup from the forming surfaces.

Abstract: A hot blow-forming apparatus includes opposed and complementary forming tools adapted for hot blow forming a surface of a heated sheet-metal workpiece against a forming surface of one of the tools. The tools are also adapted to close upon and grip a peripheral edge of the workpiece and perform work on a central portion of the workpiece to produce a formed panel. The tools incorporate an improved extraction apparatus, which includes a plurality of opposed and complementary spring-loaded extractor pads. Opposed extractor pads are spring-loaded to different levels so as to apply spring-load differentials therebetween and thereby apply different extraction forces in different locations of the resultant formed panel for distortion-free removal of the formed panel from the working surfaces of the tooling.

Abstract: A tooling assembly for hot stretch-forming of a sheet metal workpiece. A forming tool is attached to a plate and includes a shell having a forming surface, and support walls that extend away from the shell, that terminate in a rearward surface of the forming tool, and that define open cells between the support walls. Heating elements are embedded within the forming tool for integral and uniform heating thereof. To limit conductive thermal losses from the forming surface, through the forming tool, and to the plate and surrounding environment, the open cells are provided in the forming tool and insulative support posts are disposed between the forming tool and the plate within deep counterbores in the rearward surface of the forming tool. To limit radiative and convective thermal losses, thermal insulation is disposed within the cells and between the forming tool and plate.

Abstract: Apparatus for hot gas blow-forming including opposed heated and insulated tool containers, each including a tool heater plate that is adapted for attachment to a platen of a press with one or more load bearing spacers interposed between the tool heater plate and the platen. Each tool container also includes an insulation enclosure having a base portion that is interposed between the tool heater plate and the platen and further having perimeter wall portion that surrounds the tool heater plate. A perimeter seal is preferably attached to at least one of the heated and insulated tool containers and is adapted for sealing engagement with the other of the heated and insulated tool containers.

Abstract: A self-contained die cushion assembly for use in a stretch-forming process involving heated tooling. A lower plate is mounted below an upper plate that undergoes different thermal expansion than the lower plate. Guidance devices are mounted between the upper and lower plates and include a guide post, a bearing sleeve circumscribing the guide post, and a cylinder circumscribing the bearing sleeve. The guide post is mounted in fixed relation to the upper plate, and the cylinder is mounted in laterally translatable relation to the lower plate to accommodate lateral relative displacement between the upper and lower plates due to different thermal expansion thereof, thereby preventing binding of the guidance devices.