Abstract: A forming sheet metal part (1) for a vehicle frame includes: a first portion (2) being locally heat-softened after the sheet metal part (1) has been formed out. The part (1) further includes a dedicated three-dimensional distortion-absorbing area (4), defining an internal boundary (6) within which the first portion (2) is to be locally heat-softened after the sheet metal part (1) has been formed out. The distortion-absorbing area (4) is dimensioned such that once said locally heat-softening step has been performed, the internal boundary (6) is adjacent to the first portion (2) and encloses the first portion (2) to absorb the dimensional distortions induced by the locally heat-softened first portion. The invention further relates to a method for producing a forming sheet metal part (1).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing reinforced steel structural components is described. The method comprises providing a previously formed steel structural component, selecting one or more reinforcement zones of the previously formed structural component, and locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone to create a local reinforcement on a first side of the structural component. Locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone comprises supplying a metal filler material to the reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heat to melt the metal filler material and create the reinforcement by drawing specific geometric shapes on the first side of the structural component with the metal filler material and the laser heating. And the method further comprises providing cooling to areas on an opposite side of the structural component. The disclosure further relates to a tool for manufacturing reinforced steel structural components and to the components obtained using such methods.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing reinforced steel structural components is described. The method comprises providing a steel blank, selecting one or more reinforcement zones of the steel blank, locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone to create a local reinforcement on a first side of the steel blank. Locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone comprises supplying a reinforcement material to the selected reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heating to melt the reinforcement material and a portion of the steel blank to mix the melted reinforcement material with the melted portion of the steel blank. The method further comprises forming the steel blank with the locally deposited material to shape the reinforced steel structural component. The disclosure further relates to reinforced components obtained using such methods and tools used in such methods.

Abstract: Methods and tools for manufacturing reinforced structural components are described. The methods comprise providing a structural component having a steel substrate and a metal coating layer. The method further comprises selecting a reinforcement zone of the structural component, guiding a first laser beam to ablate at least a part of the coating layer of the reinforcement zone, locally depositing a reinforcement material on the ablated reinforcement zone to create a local reinforcement on a first side of the structural component, wherein locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone comprises supplying a reinforcement material to the ablated reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heating using a second laser beam to melt the reinforcement material and part of the steel substrate of the ablated reinforcement zone to mix the melted reinforcement material with the melted part of the steel substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing reinforced steel structural components is described. The method comprises providing a previously formed steel structural component, selecting one or more reinforcement zones of the previously formed structural component, and locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone to create a local reinforcement on a first side of the structural component. Locally depositing a material on the reinforcement zone comprises supplying a metal filler material to the reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heat to melt the metal filler material and create the reinforcement by drawing specific geometric shapes on the first side of the structural component with the metal filler material and the laser heating. And the method further comprises providing cooling to areas on an opposite side of the structural component. The disclosure further relates to a tool for manufacturing reinforced steel structural components and to the components obtained using such methods.