Abstract: Longitudinal members for motor vehicles may generally include a supporting element that is releasably connectable to an energy absorption mechanism. The supporting element may typically include a joining zone that can be used to secure the supporting element to one or more chassis or drive components of the motor vehicle. The supporting element and the energy absorption mechanism may be comprised of fiber-reinforced plastic. More specifically, the supporting element may be comprised of a plurality of length portions having different fiber orientations. For example, a first length portion may have fibers oriented substantially parallel to a horizontal longitudinal plane about which the supporting element is positioned, whereas a second length portion between the first length portion and the energy absorption mechanism may have intersecting fibers oriented oblique to the horizontal longitudinal plane.

Abstract: Methods for producing subassemblies comprised of at least two metal components, at least one of which is comprised of a heat-treatable steel, may involve a number of steps. For example, a thermal joining technique may be employed to join the two metal components at one or more connection points to form the subassembly. One or more regions of the subassembly may then be hardened to cause one or more of the connection points to have at least partially a hardened microstructure.

Abstract: Devices and methods for resistance-welding a metallic component to a sandwich sheet having a thermoplastic layer disposed between two metallic cover layers may involve heating a region of the sandwich sheet to be welded such that the thermoplastic layer softens. The cover layers of the sandwich sheet may then be compressed so as to displace the thermoplastic layer from the region of the sandwich sheet to be welded. Electrical circuitry may then be employed to interconnect the metallic cover layers and the metallic component by passing a current through a pair of electrodes positioned on opposing sides of a combination including the sandwich sheet and the metallic component.

Abstract: Methods for using a mold to partially harden semifinished products, which are comprised of hardenable steel and have at least partially an open-profile or closed-profile cross section, may involve a number of steps. For example, such methods may involve heating regions of a semifinished product above an Ac1 temperature, positioning the semifinished producing in a mold, positioning an active mold cooling element adjacent to or in contact with the heated regions of the semifinished product, and cooling the regions of the semifinished product at a defined cooling rate so that a hardened microstructure in the cooled regions. These methods and corresponding devices provide low cost solutions that dispense with complete hardening of semifinished products and/or employing welded connections to provide various mechanical properties.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel for motor vehicles may include a wheel-rim ring with an opening, a main member positioned at least partially in the opening of the wheel-rim ring, and a covering shell for at least partially covering the main member. The main member may include an attachment region with receptacles for attaching the main member and the wheel-rim ring to a vehicle. The wheel is configured to have a low weight and an adequate stiffness. Moreover, the wheel also exhibits a secure attachment and no pre-load losses while permitting a high degree of design flexibility. In some examples, the attachment region of the main member is free from the covering shell by way of, for example, a cut-out in the covering shell.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to production lines and methods for hot rolling steel strips. Example production lines may include a hot rolling line that comprises a plurality of rolling stands through which a steel strip passes in a conveying direction. The production line may also include a cooling section for intensively cooling the steel strip as the steel strip exits a final rolling stand of the rolling line. The steel strips may be deformed so as to have a thickness of more than 15 mm and to comply with the most stringent requirements with respect to, for example, toughness. Further, at least a portion of the cooling section may overlap with a portion of the hot rolling line.

Abstract: Methods for producing a flat product from an iron-based shape memory alloy may involve casting a melt comprised of iron, alloying elements, and impurities into a strip having a thickness of 1-30 mm and cooling the melt as the strip is formed. A twin-roll caster may be employed to help cool and form the melt into the strip. The resultant flat product is highly resistant to bending and is robust under pressure and torsion.

Abstract: A wear-resistant steel part may be formed by hot forming and/or hardening a hardenable steel grade semifinished part. The steel part may be used, for example, as a processing, conveying, and/or crushing mechanism in agricultural machines, conveying machines, mining machines, or building machines. The semifinished part may be heated to a temperature above an Ac1 transformation temperature and then subsequently hot formed and/or hardened. The steel part may be particularly suitable for use with abrasive materials. To that end, the steel part may have at least one region that has been hardened to a depth of not more than 100 microns by surface hardening before the semifinished part is hot formed or hardened.

Abstract: Spring strut domes for use with vehicle bodies can be formed by reshaping a semifinished product into a dome element by way of massive forming. In particular, the semifinished product may be reshaped by rolling, forging, upset-forging, and/or pressing. In this process, structures may be introduced into the dome element that increase the stiffness of the dome element and hence the spring strut dome. Two example structures include ribs and webs, and the dome element may be formed of steel or a steel alloy. In some cases, the semifinished product may be heated before being reshaped into the dome element. Further, the spring strut dome may also include an attaching region coupled to the dome element, which may be used to secure the spring strut dome to a vehicle body. A wall thickness of the attaching region may be equal to or less than 1.5 mm in some examples.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a protective apparatus that can be positioned along an underside of a motor vehicle and, in many cases, near a front or rear region of the motor vehicle. The protective apparatus may include an underbody made from fiber-reinforced plastic for protecting assemblies or components arranged above it against damage as a consequence of stone chipping or ground contact. Further, the underbody may have three-dimensionally structured regions for increasing its rigidity, and the underbody may be designed to absorb chassis and/or crash loads and may include integrated holders for movably attaching chassis links.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing at least one undercut in a sheet-metal profile that is slotted or closed may include an inner core portion and an outer core portion, which together can be inserted within the sheet-metal profile and/or may support a semi-finished sheet-metal product from which the sheet-metal profile is formed. The inner core portion and the outer core portion may have faces that mate with one another such that when the inner core portion rotates or translates relative to the outer core portion, the outer core portion is forced away from the inner core portion. To cause this behavior, the faces may be undulating, inclined, or cam-like, for example. In effect, a cross-sectional profile of the device may be reduced at least for purposes of extracting the device from the sheet-metal profile after the undercuts have been formed.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to provide a method for controlling the flow of material when deep-drawing a workpiece, which better utilizes the drawing capacity of a workpiece and produces a better shape accuracy, particularly of the bottom of the drawn part. The aim is achieved by a method in which the deep-drawing process is performed incrementally and in which at least one bead is incorporated into the flange region of the workpiece prior to each increment of the deep-drawing process. Due to this, the shape accuracy of the bottom can be improved and material accumulations in the flange zone can be prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for the continuous and progressive shaping of metal strips to produce a formed metal strip whose cross sectional dimensions vary along a longitudinal axis thereof. The apparatus includes a device for shaping the metal strips, wherein the device has at least one tool set with at least two rotatably mounted and mutually associated tools, wherein the tools each have a pressure face disposed along an outer circumference thereof with a contour configured to shape the workpieces. The contour of the pressure face of at least one tool is not axially symmetric. In order to be able to cost-effectively produce workpieces or profiles with a variable cross section, in particular profiles with a closed cross section, it is proposed that the contours of the pressure faces of all tools, but at least of one tool set, are concave in order to generate a profile having a closed cross section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the resistance welding of a metal sheet to a further metallic component, wherein the metal sheet is welded to the further component by a flow of electric current for welding in a circuit comprising the metal sheet, the further component, a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode, wherein the first welding electrode is in contact with the metal sheet and the second welding electrode, lying opposite the first welding electrode, is in contact with the further component on the side of the further component that is facing away from the metal sheet, wherein, in a first phase, the metal sheet is subjected at least for a time to a first force at least by the first welding electrode and, in a second phase, the metal sheet is subjected at least for a time to a second force at least by the first welding electrode during the flow of electric current for welding, the second force being lower than the first force.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for hardening a component or any semi-finished product formed from a steel workpiece that has been shaped in a shaping tool may involve introducing the component into a receiving region of a hardening tool. The hardening tool may then be closed around the component in a form-fitting manner so as to surround the component and maintain a substantially constant distance between the component and at least one induction coil integrated into the hardening tool. The induction coil of the hardening tool may then be used to heat the component. The component may then be cooled within the receiving region or by removing the component from the receiving region and exposing the component to air external to the receiving region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transporting device for transporting steel parts for hot forming and/or hardening, having transporting receptacles in which the steel parts are disposed and which are specified for transporting steel parts having temperatures of more than 650° C. The invention moreover relates to a method for transporting steel parts from a device for heating the steel parts to a device for hardening, hot forming, or press hardening the steel parts, wherein the steel part in a first step in a device for heating is heated to a predetermined first temperature which is above room temperature.

Abstract: Example methods and devices for producing a shaped component may involve positioning a workpiece having a hollow region and consisting at least partially of steel in a mold of a device. One or more docking punches may secure the workpiece within the mold and serve to introduce a pressurized fluid into the hollow region of the workpiece within the mold. The workpiece may be hot-formed in this process. The present disclosure concerns a variety of methods and devices that may be utilized to counteract a cooling of the workpiece in a region of the docking punch and reduce a temperature difference that may exist between the workpiece and the device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous hot-dip coating of metal strip, preferably steel strip, comprising a melting bath vessel, a snout, which opens in the melting bath vessel, for introducing a metal strip, which is heated in a continuous furnace, into the melting bath in protective gas, and a deflecting roller, which is arranged in the melting bath vessel, for deflecting the metal strip, which is entering the melting bath, in a direction pointing out of the melting bath, wherein that end of the snout which is dipped into the melting bath has at least one runoff chamber which is bounded inward by an overflow wall, downward by a floor and outward by the wall of the snout, wherein the overflow edge of the overflow wall lies at least in sections below the melting bath surface, and wherein a suction line with a pump is connected to the runoff chamber, characterized in that the runoff chamber is provided with at least one through opening through which liquid molten metal can flow out of the mel

Abstract: A method for producing rotationally symmetric structural components of metal, in particular steel, is provided. A blank is arranged in a torsion-proof manner on a first receptacle, the receptacle is rotated about a rotation axis so that the blank is caused to rotate about this rotation axis, at least one linear shaping element with a contour having at least partially an unrolled external contour of the rotationally symmetric structural component or a preform of the structural component is moved tangentially to the surface of the synchronously rotating blank, and the linear shaping element is at the same time pressed against the blank so that during the tangential movement the contour of the linear shaping element is formed at least partially into the blank. A kingpin or link pin of a connection link with a connection shaft and a link outer part is produced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing shell components having at least a lower region, a frame region and optionally a flange region from a planar or preformed plate with a drawing die and a drawing punch, the drawing die having a shaping region and at least one cutting region, the shaping region of the drawing die having at the end of the drawing operation the outer shape of the shell component to be drawn and to be cut in the lower region, frame region and optionally in the flange region, the drawing punch having a shaping region and at least one cutting region, the shaping region of the drawing punch having, at the end of the drawing operation, the inner shape of the shell component to be drawn and to be cut with a lower region, frame region and optionally a flange region.