Abstract: A system, method and software product for modeling spot welds in a finite element analysis is described. The spots welds are represented by beam elements or solid elements in accordance with an indicator flag. The flag may also be specified as the number (e.g., an integer such as 1, 4, 8 or 16) of solid elements in a cluster representing spot weld. The solid elements may include, but not limited to, hexahedron, tetrahedron, and the likes. The number of solid elements and required nodes are generated for each spot weld based on the indicator flag. A table is formed to group the generated solid elements in a cluster together, so that the force and moment resultants of the spot weld can be computed and assembled in a file.

Abstract: A system, method and software product for modeling spot welds in a finite element analysis is described. The spots welds are represented by beam elements or solid elements in accordance with an indicator flag. The flag may also be specified as the number (e.g., an integer such as 1, 4, 8 or 16) of solid elements in a cluster representing spot weld. The solid elements may include, but not limited to, hexahedron, tetrahedron, and the likes. The number of solid elements and required nodes are generated for each spot weld based on the indicator flag. A table is formed to group the generated solid elements in a cluster together, so that the force and moment resultants of the spot weld can be computed and assembled in a file.

Abstract: A truck bed for a pickup truck includes a metal support structure that is in a fixed position relative to a pickup truck. A shell is fixedly supported by the metal support structure and is configured to integrally define a portion of a first chamber and a portion of a second chamber. The first chamber is adjacent to the second chamber at an interface, and the first and second chambers are disposed substantially beneath a plane. The plane is defined by a cargo carrying floor that is integrally provided by the truck bed. A first closure member includes a first support surface and is associated with the shell. The first closure member is moveable between a first position in which the first support surface is substantially coplanar with the plane and is configured to support cargo directly above the first chamber, and a second position in which the first closure member is at least partially removed to provide access to the first chamber from above the plane.

Abstract: A cargo protecting system for a pickup truck includes a metal support structure that is in a fixed position relative to a pickup truck. A bed floor is fixedly supported by the metal support structure, and the bed floor includes a first support surface for directly supporting cargo, wherein the first support surface is substantially coplanar with a plane. A first chamber is disposed substantially beneath the plane and can be defined by a first shell having first and second openings. The first chamber is accessible from above the plane through the first opening, and the first and second openings can be of sufficient size and dimension to allow the passage of a spare tire. Exemplary embodiments can include a second chamber disposed substantially directly beneath the bed floor and adjacent to the second opening, wherein the second chamber is separate from the first chamber and accessible from the first chamber through the second opening.