Abstract: The teachings herein are related to assemblies, such as oil pan assemblies, including a laminate bottom portion and a nut attached to the laminate bottom portion. The nut may provide a sealable opening to a cavity of the assembly. The laminate bottom portion preferably includes a polymeric layer sandwiched between two metallic layers. The nut preferably is a clinch nut.

Abstract: A laminate sheet including a weldable margin is formed by laminating metal sheets having a core layer disposed therebetween. The core layer is formed of a core material which includes one or more of a viscoelastic, adhesive and acoustic material. The core layer is selectively distributed such that the laminate sheet includes an adhered region providing a laminate structure, and a non-adhered region including a weldable margin. The non-adhered region is adjacent an edge of the core layer and is characterized by a gap between the first and second metal sheets and by an absence of the core layer in the gap. The non-adhered region defines a weldable margin adjacent a core edge configured such that a weld is formable in the weldable margin without heat affecting the core layer. The laminate sheet can be joined by fasteners installed in the non-adhered region.

Abstract: A laminate structure and method of forming is provided. The laminate structure includes a first metal sheet having a first thickness, a second metal sheet having a second thickness, and an adhesive core having an adhesive thickness. The adhesive core is disposed between and bonded to the first and second metal sheets. The first and second metal sheets are made of an aluminum based material and the adhesive core is made of an adhesive material also described as a viscoelastic adhesive material. The laminate structure is configured such that a ratio of the sum of the first and second thickness to the adhesive thickness is greater than either to one (8:1). The laminate structure including the viscoelastic adhesive core is characterized by a composite loss factor at 1,000 Hertz which is continuously greater than 0.1 within a temperature range of 25 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are articles having an edge that is partially, or entirely sealed with one or more coatings including a polymeric material. The article may include a coating selected so that one surface (e.g., a face surface) has a desired property (e.g., an appearance, such as a chrome appearance), and a second surface (e.g., a different face surface, or an edge surface) is covered with a different material, where the different coatings provide protection to at least the edge surface. Also disclosed are coating materials including a tracer component. Also disclosed are methods for coating a substrate. Also disclosed are methods for confirming the presence of a coating, particularly on an edge surface.

Abstract: A laminate sheet including a weldable margin is formed by laminating metal sheets having a core layer disposed therebetween. The core layer is formed of a core material which includes one or more of a viscoelastic, adhesive and acoustic material. The core layer is selectively distributed such that the laminate sheet includes an adhered region providing a laminate structure, and a non-adhered region including a weldable margin. The non-adhered region is adjacent an edge of the core layer and is characterized by a gap between the first and second metal sheets and by an absence of the core layer in the gap. The non-adhered region defines a weldable margin adjacent a core edge configured such that a weld is formable in the weldable margin without heat affecting the core layer. The laminate sheet can be joined by fasteners installed in the non-adhered region.

Abstract: A laminate structure and method of welding the laminate structure is provided. The laminate structure includes a first metal sheet having a first thickness, a second metal sheet having a second thickness, and an adhesive core made of an adhesive material also described as a viscoelastic adhesive material. The adhesive core is disposed between and bonded to the first and second metal sheets. The first and second metal sheets are made of an aluminum based material. The adhesive core includes a plurality of electrically conductive filler particles dispersed in the adhesive materials. The filler particles are made of a first filler material and at least a second filler material which is a different material than the first filler material.

Abstract: A laminate structure and method of forming is provided. The laminate structure includes a first metal sheet having a first thickness, a second metal sheet having a second thickness, and an adhesive core having an adhesive thickness. The adhesive core is disposed between and bonded to the first and second metal sheets. The first and second metal sheets are made of an aluminum based material and the adhesive core is made of an adhesive material also described as a viscoelastic adhesive material. The laminate structure is configured such that a ratio of the sum of the first and second thickness to the adhesive thickness is greater than either to one (8:1). The laminate structure including the viscoelastic adhesive core is characterized by a composite loss factor at 1,000 Hertz which is continuously greater than 0.1 within a temperature range of 25 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube studded carbon fiber tow and matrix prepreg includes a body comprising a tow of surface fibers and interior bulk fibers. The surface fibers are studded with carbon nanotubes and the carbon fibers are infiltrated with a matrix material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bimetal laminate structure and improved method for manufacturing the same. The method includes: applying a layer of adhesive to a metallic substrate; and laminating a decorative metallic sheet to the metallic substrate in such a manner that substantially all surface defects and all read through appearance along an outer surface of the decorative metallic sheet are eliminated. The resultant bimetal laminate includes a decorative metallic layer consisting of a first metallic material, and a metallic substrate consisting of a second metallic material that is different from the first metallic material. The metal substrate has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the decorative metallic layer. An adhesive layer is disposed between, and spans substantially the entirety of the decorative metallic layer and metallic substrate to rigidly attach the same.

Abstract: A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

Abstract: A brake shim includes a metal substrate having a first surface and a second surface spaced opposite the first surface. The brake shim includes a first film formed from a viscoelastic material and disposed on the first and second surfaces, wherein the first film has a first elastic modulus, a primary surface spaced opposite the first surface, and a secondary surface spaced opposite the primary surface. The brake shim includes a second film formed from a polymer composition including a resin component having at least one epoxide functional group and a curing agent reactive with the resin component and having at least one amine functional group. The second film is disposed on the primary and secondary surfaces and has a second elastic modulus that is from about 10 times to about 1,000 times greater than the first elastic modulus. A method of forming the brake shim is also disclosed.

Abstract: A rotor is provided for use with a vehicle brake assembly that includes a forcing member operable to urge a friction member into mechanical communication with the rotor to thereby oppose movement of the same. The rotor includes a rotor body with an annular rim portion having first and second opposing contact faces. One or more loose-mass damper systems are interposed between the first and second contact faces, and operable to dissipate kinetic energy directly therefrom. Each of the loose-mass damper systems includes at least one mass operable to repeatedly impact against first and second inner faces respectively opposing the first and second contact faces to reduce oscillation of the rotor. Reducing oscillation of the rotor is independent of temperature and pressure. The loose-mass damper systems are preferably oriented proximate to an outer peripheral edge of the annular rim portion generally circumferentially equidistant from one another.

Abstract: Provided is a shim structure adapted to be interposed between a friction member and a forcing member configured to urge the friction member against a rotating member of a brake system. The shim structure includes a sheet member having opposing first and second surfaces defining a substantially uniform thickness of sufficient magnitude to not deform during urging of the friction member. There is no viscoelastic layer on the first or second surfaces. The first and second surfaces also define a waveform cross-section having an amplitude and a wavelength extending substantially the entire length of the sheet member; the amplitude and wavelength are of sufficient ratio to provide selective noise and vibration damping, isolation, and thermal dissipation for the brake system. Additionally, the amplitude and wavelength are configured to be variably tunable, providing different predetermined levels of noise and vibration absorption and attenuation. The wave-form cross-section is preferably sinusoidal.

Abstract: A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

Abstract: An improved method for welding a laminated metal structure is presented herein. In one embodiment, the method includes: placing the laminated structure against a second work piece, feeding a consumable metal cored wire electrode to the weld zone, feeding a stream of shielding gas to the weld zone, and melting the consumable metal cored wire electrode. If the weld joint is a plug weld, the method also includes forming a plug hole in one of the work pieces, melting the consumable metal cored wire electrode along the circumference of the plug hole, and thereafter progressively spiraling the welding gun inwards towards the center of the plug hole to fill it with the melted electrode. The method may also include determining if melting the electrode is causing sputtering, and delaying spiraling the welding gun inwards until the sputtering subsides. A welded laminate metal structure is also provided herein.

Abstract: A constrained layer damper having a multilayer damping material is provided, as are related methods for making and using the damper. The constrained layer damper features a constraining layer, a carrier layer, a release liner, a viscoelastic layer interposed between the constraining layer and a first surface of the carrier layer, and a silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive interposed between the release liner and a second surface of the carrier layer. The silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive has sufficient tackiness at room temperature to adhere the constrained layer damper, with the release liner removed, to a substrate, such as a metallic substrate. The constrained layer damper has a peak damping temperature value in a range of about 50° C. to about 100° C.

Abstract: A shim structure is provided for damping vibration and attenuating noise in a brake system. The brake system includes a forcing member operable to urge a friction member against a rotating member to slow or stop the same. The shim structure includes a shim body that is adapted to be interposed within the brake system. The shim body includes one or more tabs that are configured to oscillate out-of-phase with vibrations generated by the brake system during urging of the friction member against the rotating member to thereby dissipate vibrational energy generated by the brake system. The dimensions, orientation, and/or location of each tab are selected or engineered to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation. A mass may be attached to each tab. The geometry, location, and/or size of each mass may be selectively modified to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation.

Abstract: A method for making a damper component for absorbing and dissipating vibration and/or noise resonation is provided. The method features heating a laminate including a viscoelastomer-containing damper layer and an adjacent melt-flowable, curable sheet molding compound. Heating is conducted under pressure in a mold to cure the sheet molding compound to form a continuous constraining layer that intimately contacts and encases the damper layer.

Abstract: A method includes providing a sheet having layers characterized by different softnesses, providing a die component having a leading surface that is generally concave, and causing the leading surface to puncture the sheet thereby to cut a part from the sheet. The method provides improved flatness of parts cut from sheets having layers of varying softness and prevents soft material from exiting the sheet because the peripheral edge of the leading surface applies maximum pressure to the sheet during the puncturing step.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method of manufacturing constrained layer dampers with a vulcanized rubber viscoelastic core. The method includes the steps of: applying a first layer of adhesive to a first constraining layer; applying a layer of unvulcanized rubber solved in a solvent to the first layer of adhesive to form a first laminate structure; applying a second layer of adhesive to a second constraining layer to form a second laminate structure; laminating the first laminate structure with the second laminate structure; coiling the laminated first and second laminate structures; and increasing the temperature of the coiled first and second laminate structures to thereby vulcanize the layer of rubber.