Abstract: An apparatus for forming a part is provided, which includes a die. The die includes a round orifice, a central mandrel disposed within the round orifice, and a plurality of bridges and a corresponding plurality of portholes between the bridges. The bridges and the portholes extending around the central mandrel. A spacing of the bridges around the mandrel is non-equiangular. The die allows a material to be extruded through the die to form a round, closed geometry tube from the material such that the round, closed geometry tube has non-equiangular welds after emerging from the die.

Abstract: A method of lubricating a sheet of material includes moving the sheet along a first direction and operating a print nozzle to deposit a lubricant on the sheet while the sheet is moving along the first direction. The print nozzle ejects the lubricant in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction and toward a first side of the sheet. The method includes charging the lubricant so that the lubricant ejected from the print nozzle is in the form of charged droplets and applying an external electrical field between the print nozzle and the sheet to attract the charged droplets to the sheet.

Abstract: A device for incrementally forming a plurality of workpieces includes a frame configured to receive a workpiece, at least one clamp configured to secure the workpiece to the frame, a first sacrificial material layer configured to be secured to at least one surface of the workpiece, and a first forming tool configured to impart a first force directly to the first sacrificial material layer and incrementally form the workpiece to a desired geometry based on a tool path of the first forming tool. The frame, the at least one clamp, the first sacrificial material layer, and the first forming tool are configured to impart a first force directly to the first sacrificial material layer secured to at least one surface of a first workpiece with the first forming tool and incrementally form the first workpiece to a desired geometry based on a tool path of the first forming tool.

Abstract: A forming die includes a first die component with a male bead and a second die component with a female bead. The male bead and the female bead form a bead with a reverse bead geometry with the male bead having a groove and the female bead having a protrusion complimentary with the groove such that the protrusion is aligned with the groove when the male bead extends into the female bead. The male bead includes a push surface, a pair of sidewalls extending from the push surface to a main surface of the first die component, and the groove extends inwardly into the rib. And the female bead includes a stop surface and a pair of sidewalls extending from the stop surface to a main surface of the second die component, and the protrusion extends outwardly from the stop surface into the female bead.

Abstract: A stamped part includes a first blank, a second blank, and a weld joining the first blank to the second blank. The weld includes opposing ends. At least one of the opposing ends of the weld is recessed from adjacent edges of the first and second blanks.

Abstract: A method of forming a stamped part includes forming a tailor welded blank by friction stir welding (FSW) a first blank to a second blank, removing a FSW start spot and a FSW stop spot from the tailor welded blank using a machining process such that a finished tailor welded blank is formed and stamping the finished tailor welded blank into the stamped part such that a weld formed by FSW the first blank to the second blank is plastically deformed. The first blank and the second blank can be aluminum alloy blanks and a predetermined amount of material is machined from the FSW start spot and the FSW stop spot, the predetermined amount of material being equal to or greater than a thickness of the first blank and the second blank.

Abstract: A value stream method of manufacturing a plurality of vehicle structural rails includes feeding a coil of aluminum alloy sheet into a roll forming machine and forming a tubular shape with a seam, bobbin tool-friction stir welding the seam of the tubular shape and forming a welded tubular shape with a welded seam, cutting the welded tubular shape into a plurality of tubular sections, tube bending each of the plurality of tubular sections and forming a plurality of bent tubular sections, and hydroforming each of the plurality of bent tubular sections and forming a plurality of structural rails. The coil of aluminum alloy sheet may or may not be pre-treated and/or lubricated.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for making an article of manufacture from a blank defining an internal opening. A stack of blanks are aligned and the internal openings of the blanks in the stack of blanks are machined by a rotary cutting tool to a finished dimension. The blanks are clamped together before machining in a numerically controlled machine tool. The blanks are subsequently formed individually in a sheet metal forming operation in which the inner perimeter of the internal openings is expanded as the blank is formed.

Abstract: A forming die includes a first die component with a male bead and a second die component with a female bead. The male bead and the female bead form a bead with a reverse bead geometry with the male bead having a groove and the female bead having a protrusion complimentary with the groove such that the protrusion is aligned with the groove when the male bead extends into the female bead. The male bead includes a push surface, a pair of sidewalls extending from the push surface to a main surface of the first die component, and the groove extends inwardly into the rib. And the female bead includes a stop surface and a pair of sidewalls extending from the stop surface to a main surface of the second die component, and the protrusion extends outwardly from the stop surface into the female bead.

Abstract: A method of treating an aluminum material to increase adhesive bond durability is disclosed. The disclosed method includes a first aging step of heating an aluminum component to a first temperature no more than 150° C. (302° F.) for a first time period followed by a second aging step including heating the aluminum component to a second temperature greater than the first temperature for a second time period.

Abstract: A self-piercing rivet (SPR) includes a head portion and a shaft extending from the head portion. The shaft defines a hollow bore and a sidewall surrounding the hollow bore. The sidewall has a reduced thickness towards a distal end portion of the shaft to define a cutting edge on a distal end tip of the shaft, and the SPR defines a circumferential groove disposed at least partially around the shaft and extending into the sidewall.

Abstract: A device for incrementally forming a plurality of workpieces includes a frame configured to receive a workpiece, at least one clamp configured to secure the workpiece to the frame, a first sacrificial material layer configured to be secured to at least one surface of the workpiece, and a first forming tool configured to impart a first force directly to the first sacrificial material layer and incrementally form the workpiece to a desired geometry based on a tool path of the first forming tool. The frame, the at least one clamp, the first sacrificial material layer, and the first forming tool are configured to impart a first force directly to the first sacrificial material layer secured to at least one surface of a first workpiece with the first forming tool and incrementally form the first workpiece to a desired geometry based on a tool path of the first forming tool.

Abstract: A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discreet layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a part is provided, which includes a die. The die includes a round orifice, a central mandrel disposed within the round orifice, and a plurality of bridges and a corresponding plurality of portholes between the bridges. The bridges and the portholes extending around the central mandrel. A spacing of the bridges around the mandrel is non-equiangular. The die allows a material to be extruded through the die to form a round, closed geometry tube from the material such that the round, closed geometry tube has non-equiangular welds after emerging from the die.

Abstract: A method of applying a marking to a part in a stamping die includes moving a component of the stamping die, the component having a mechanical application device secured thereto. A controlled volume of a marking medium flows through the mechanical application device during the moving such that a volume of the marking medium is controlled by the moving of the component during a stamping die operation. In one form, the component is an upper die of the stamping die.

Abstract: A method of forming a stamped part includes forming a tailor welded blank by friction stir welding (FSW) a first blank to a second blank, removing a FSW start spot and a FSW stop spot from the tailor welded blank using a machining process such that a finished tailor welded blank is formed and stamping the finished tailor welded blank into the stamped part such that a weld formed by FSW the first blank to the second blank is plastically deformed. The first blank and the second blank can be aluminum alloy blanks and a predetermined amount of material is machined from the FSW start spot and the FSW stop spot, the predetermined amount of material being equal to or greater than a thickness of the first blank and the second blank.

Abstract: A system and method for applying a marking to a part in a stamping die is provided by the present disclosure. The system includes a mechanical application device having a controlled volume of a marking medium that is coupled to movement of the stamping die. In one form, the controlled volume of the marking medium is not regulated by either an external pneumatic source of an external electrical source.

Abstract: A method of treating an aluminum material to increase adhesive bond durability is disclosed. The disclosed method includes a first aging step of heating an aluminum component to a first temperature no more than 150° C. (302° F.) for a first time period followed by a second aging step including heating the aluminum component to a second temperature greater than the first temperature for a second time period.

Abstract: A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discreet layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.

Abstract: A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discrete layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.