Abstract: Centering systems for centering blanks outputted from a furnace in a hot stamping line are provided, the centering system comprising a centering table and a heating system for heating one or more selected zones of the blank while arranged on the centering table. Also provided are methods for manufacturing steel components having hard zones and soft zones, wherein the soft zones are of less mechanical strength than the hard zones. The methods comprise heating a steel blank in a furnace, centering the heated blank on a centering table arranged downstream from the furnace, heating one or more selected zones of the heated blank while the blank is on the centering table, wherein the selected zones are the zones of the blank which are destined to form the hard zones; transferring the blank to a press tool to hot forming the blank, and quenching the selected zones of the blank destined to form the hard zones.

Abstract: A centering system comprising a conveyor for receiving a plurality of blanks outputted from a furnace and displacing the blanks along a first horizontal axis and shifting units for each individual blank including two or more adjustable lifting bars, the shifting units configured to move along a second horizontal axis, and the adjustable lifting bars being configured to lift the blanks along a vertical axis, wherein each of the shifting units is independently movable along the second axis, and a plurality of centering pins for centering the blanks, such that the blanks can be centered by moving the individual blanks along the second axis against the centering pins. Also disclosed are conveyor systems and methods for centering and conveying blanks.

Abstract: A battery box floor for electric vehicles for being arranged at the lower part of a vehicle body is disclosed. The battery box floor comprises a battery pack supporting panel for supporting a plurality of battery cells, a plurality of lower cooling channels for containing a cooling fluid, a plurality of lower cooling channels being arranged adjacent to and below the battery pack supporting panel such that they can cool the battery cells and an underbody protection arranged below the lower cooling channels. The battery box floor further comprises a deformation inner cavity between said plurality of lower cooling channels and said underbody protection. Additionally, the battery box floor is integrally formed from a metallic material. Also a vehicle body comprising the battery box floor is disclosed.

Abstract: Method for joining a first and a second steel blanks, at least one of the blanks comprising aluminium. The method comprises providing a support being made of a magnetic material for each blank, the supports being arranged distanced apart by a central space; providing a coil winding around one support, arranging the first blank on one support and the second blank on the other support, such that a butt end of the first blank that is facing the second blank is brought into contact with a butt end of the second blank that is facing the first blank defining a contacting area that closes a path for magnetic flux. The method further comprises applying a laser beam onto the contacting area, while applying an alternating current to the coil winding, wherein an alternating magnetic field is created across the contacting area in a direction substantially in-line with the blanks.

Abstract: A vehicle door for use in a vehicle body comprising a rocker (20) is described. The vehicle door comprises an inner door panel (11) and an outer door panel (13), wherein the door further comprises a reinforcement element (12) arranged in a lower portion of the door such that when the door is mounted in the vehicle body, the reinforcement element (12) is at the height of the rocker (20) and such that when a side impact is received by the door the reinforcement element with the inner door panel is supported by the vehicle rocker. The reinforcement element (12) is a U-shaped bracket that extends from the inner door panel (11) to the outer door panel (13), the U-shaped bracket (12) being arranged with an open side facing the inner panel. The disclosure further relates to a vehicle having a vehicle body that comprises a rocker and such a door.

Abstract: A metal piece having at least two areas of lower mechanical strength than the body of the piece, said pieces being respectively arranged on one side and the other of a longitudinal central section (PM) of said piece and alternatively located in two locations separated longitudinally along the piece, the areas of lower mechanical strength than the body of the piece being formed by local control of the stamping temperature during a stamping process of the piece, notably a process comprising steps including heating the piece to a temperature range suitable for obtaining an austenitic stage, then stamping this piece in a stamping tool suitable for defining different temperatures in the different areas of the stamped piece, for example by virtue of the voids formed in the stamping tool or by local reheating of the stamping tool.

Abstract: A centering system comprising a conveyor for receiving a plurality of blanks outputted from a furnace and displacing the blanks along a first horizontal axis and shifting units for each individual blank including two or more adjustable lifting bars, the shifting units configured to move along a second horizontal axis, and the adjustable lifting bars being configured to lift the blanks along a vertical axis, wherein each of the shifting units is independently movable along the second axis, and a plurality of centering pins for centering the blanks, such that the blanks can be centered by moving the individual blanks along the second axis against the centering pins. Also disclosed are conveyor systems and methods for centering and conveying blanks.

Abstract: A structural beam which comprises a first beam and a reinforcement to be attached to it. The first beam has a substantially U-shaped cross-section along at least a first portion of its length and comprises a bottom wall and two sidewalls wherein the bottom wall comprises a substantially flat first joining region. The reinforcement of the structural beam has a substantially flat second joining region which may be welded to a first joining region. Both parts of the structure are made of hardened UHSS. Methods for manufacturing such beams are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing reinforced structural components are described. The methods include providing a previously formed steel structural component having a thickness of 0.7 mm to 5 mm. In a reinforcement zone of the structural component, locally depositing a material on the structural component to create a local reinforcement with a minimum thickness of 0.2 mm, wherein locally depositing a material on the structural component includes supplying a metal powder to the reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heat to melt the metal powder and create the reinforcement by drawing specific geometric shapes on the structural component with the metal powder and the laser heating. The disclosure further relates to a reinforced component obtained using such methods.

Abstract: Structural beam which comprises a first beam and a cover plate to be attached to the first beam. The first beam has a substantially U-shaped cross-section along at least a first portion of its length. The U-shape comprises a bottom wall, two sidewalls, a lateral flange at an end of at least one of the two sidewalls, and a groove in the junction between the sidewall and the lateral flange. The groove has a substantially flat first joining region at or near the bottom of the groove. The cover plate of the structural beam has a substantially flat second joining region welded to a first joining region. Methods for manufacturing such beams are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for joining a first blank and a second blank, wherein at least one of the first and second blanks comprises at least a layer of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In particular, the method comprises placing the first and second blanks for welding; laser welding the first and second blanks following a welding path thus forming a tailor welded blank, wherein the welding path combines a linear movement along a welding direction and oscillating movements substantially transverse to the welding direction and then hot deforming and quenching the tailor welded blank to form a component, wherein the welding is done without using a filler.

Abstract: A battery box floor for electric vehicles for being arranged at the lower part of a vehicle body is disclosed. The battery box floor comprises a battery pack supporting panel for supporting a plurality of battery cells, a plurality of lower cooling channels for containing a cooling fluid, a plurality of lower cooling channels being arranged adjacent to and below the battery pack supporting panel such that they can cool the battery cells and an underbody protection arranged below the lower cooling channels. The battery box floor further comprises a deformation inner cavity between said plurality of lower cooling channels and said underbody protection. Additionally, the battery box floor is integrally formed from a metallic material. Also a vehicle body comprising the battery box floor is disclosed.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a B-pillar central beam made of steel which comprises hard zones and soft zones. Such soft zones have less mechanical strength than the hard zones. The B-pillar central beam further comprises an upper region with a fastening portion for fastening to a roof member, and a lower region with a fastening portion for fastening to a sill member. The B-pillar central beam includes two soft zones. A lower soft zone is located between the lower fastening portion and 50% of the B-pillar central beam height, and an upper soft zone is located between the upper fastening portion and 50% of the B-pillar central beam height. The upper soft zone has higher mechanical strength than the lower soft zone. Methods for manufacturing such B-pillar central beam are also provided.

Abstract: Press systems for manufacturing hot formed structural components may be provided. The systems comprise a fixed lower body (2), a mobile upper body (3) and a mechanism configured to provide upwards and downwards press progression of the mobile upper body (3) with respect to the fixed lower body (2). The system further comprises a cooling/heating tool (10) configured to cool down and/or heat a previously heated blank having locally different microstructures and mechanical properties which comprises: upper (11) and lower (12) mating dies, and the upper (11) and lower (12) dies comprising two or more die blocks adapted to operate at different temperatures corresponding to zones of the blank having locally different microstructures and mechanical properties, and a press tool (20) configured to draw the blank, wherein the press tool (20) is arranged downstream the cooling/heating tool (10). Moreover, methods for hot forming structural components are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing hot-stamped components are described. The method includes providing a hot-stamped component by hot forming die quenching, and selecting a first and a second portion of the hot-stamped component, wherein the first portion has a different width than the second portion. A laser system, wherein the laser system includes one or more optical elements and a laser source for generating a laser beam. The laser system is moved along a length of the component. Finally, the laser beam is applied in a single pass onto the selected first and second portions using the laser system, wherein a laser beam spot size is adjusted during the application of the laser beam and is adapted to the widths of the first and second portions, and wherein a power of the laser beam is regulated based on the temperature measured in the hot-stamped component. The disclosure further relates to components obtained using such methods.