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 of treating a high pressure die cast (HPDC) material to improve rivetability is provided. The method includes exposing the HPDC material to a temperature between 300° C. and 450° C. for a time period between 10 minutes and 5 hours in a heat treatment step. In this method, the heat treatment results in eutectic silicon spheroidization of the HPDC material such that the HPDC material does not crack after rivet installation. The method further includes the step of exposing the HPDC material to a subsequent heat treatment step at about 180° C. for about 30 minutes after quenching. Moreover, the quenching may be a forced air quench for a period of 6° C./s.