Abstract: A multi-component structure includes a first component of a first material, an insert of a second material different than the first material, a retainer, and a second component. The first component includes a recess in which the insert is arranged. The retainer secures the insert in the recess by covering a portion of a top surface of the insert. To accomplish this, a) the retainer is joined to the first component by a solid-state weld or by solid-state additive manufacturing, or b) the base component and the retainer are of a one-piece construction and the retainer is of the first material. The second component is attached to the insert by a mechanical connection or by a resistance spot weld between the second component and the insert.

Abstract: A forming tool including an additive manufactured polymer shell defining a first side and an opposite second side. The forming tool includes a support structure mechanically connected to the second side of the shell. The support structure may be formed by pouring a molten backfill material into the shell, and solidifying the backfill material. The backfill material includes a low melting temperature metal, fusible alloy, or other element. The solidified backfill material has a strength and rigidity greater than the polymer used to make the shell. The first surface of the shell includes a complex surface for bringing into contact with a material in a stamping process to form a stamped part.

Abstract: A door ring assembly is provided. The door ring assembly includes a frame member that includes a reinforcement. The reinforcement is solid-state bonded to the frame member. The frame member further includes a body and a first leg. The first leg extends outward from the body. Further, the first leg intersects with the body to form a corner radius, and the reinforcement is positioned on at least a portion of the corner radius.

Abstract: A fastening inclusion is provided and includes a hard point made of coalesced metal sheets, metal or fiber flanges extending from edges of the hard point, and a fastener arranged on the hard point. The fastening inclusion can be incorporated into a fiber reinforced polymer structure by interleaving the flanges with fiber reinforced resin plies, and then curing the fiber reinforced plies to form a composite structure. The fastener on the hard point may be used for mechanically connecting the composite structure to a separate component, such as a metal component on a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle roof stiffener includes at least one fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) portion and at least one metal or metal alloy portion. The FRP portion includes at least one transition structure including a metal or a metal alloy. At least some of the fibers of the FRP portion are embedded in the transition structure. The metal or metal alloy portion is secured to the transition structure of the FRP portion. In an example vehicle roof stiffener, the metal portion extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle, and the FRP portion extends transverse to the longitudinal axis. The example vehicle roof stiffener may include a front FRP portion, a rear FRP portion, and two metal side portions. The metal side portions and the FRP portions may be joined by welding the transition structures to the metal portions.

Abstract: A composite component includes a reinforcement bonded to a base component by a bond formed by, or reinforced with, a localized coupling in the base component. The bond may be formed by ultrasonic additive manufacturing. The localized coupling may include a compression of the base component, a weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld. Where the bond is formed by the localized coupling, the localized coupling encompasses the reinforcement. Where the bond is reinforced with the localized coupling, the localized coupling may encompass the reinforcement, or be arranged at an inside radius of a turn in the reinforcement. The reinforcement results in the composite component having enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, stiffness, or energy absorption capabilities.

Abstract: A reusable mold for injection molding and molding method includes a reusable mold member, a mold cavity defined in the mold member, and at least one heat sink recess defined in the mold member for accommodating a heat sink material therein for rapidly removing heat from the mold cavity when the mold member is used to injection mold a molded part. The reusable mold injection molds a molded part and rapidly removes heat from the mold cavity via a heat sink material accommodated in the at least one heat sink recess.

Abstract: A method of adding a reinforcement to a metal blank prior to a forming process. The reinforcement is attached via ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) to create a composite blank which is then subjected to a forming process to bend and deform the composite blank and form a reinforced vehicle component. The reinforcement is placed on the metal blank such that after being subjected to the forming process, there is reinforcement in key areas of the formed vehicle component. The reinforcement results in the final formed vehicle component having enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, stiffness, or energy absorption capabilities.

Abstract: A vehicle body assembly is described herein, including a first structural component and a second structural component. The first structural component may be a roof component or a side panel, and include a first part including a first metal and a second part including a second metal different than the first metal. The second part is formed on a peripheral edge portion of the first part and defines a mounting flange for the first structural component. The second part is joined to the first part via an ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) interface. The second structural component is including the second metal and is joined to the second part at the mounting flange via a resistance spot weld (RSW) joint.

Abstract: A manually operated wheeled machine includes a housing and an engine mounted to the housing via a mounting structure. The mounting structure includes a tubular spacer defining a through hole. The spacer has a first end directly abutting the engine and a second end inserted in a mounting hole extended through the housing. The second end of the spacer is offset axially inwardly from a lower surface of the housing. A damping element axially mounted to the spacer is directly engaged to the first end of the spacer. A washer axially mounted to the spacer is interposed between and directly contacts each of the damping element and an upper surface of the housing. A fastener is extended through mounting hole and the spacer from the lower surface of the housing for connection with the engine.

Abstract: A vehicle hood includes a unitary metallic hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings. The vehicle hood includes a metallic reinforcement material welded to a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the metallic hood frame. The vehicle hood includes a hood skin attached to the hood frame. The selective placement of metallic reinforcement material may reduce deflection of the vehicle hood while reducing weight compared to metal supports or a thicker metallic hood frame.

Abstract: Welded assemblies and related methods of making the welded assemblies include a first component of a first metal material, a second component of a second metal material that is different from the first metal material, and a transition material including one or more of a high entropy alloy, a pure element, and an alloy that is not a high entropy alloy, and that is arranged between and contacting the first component and the second component. An ultrasonic weld joins the transition material to the first component, and a fusion weld joins the first component to the second component. The fusion weld contact the first component, the second component, and the transition material. The amount or level of one or more of galvanic corrosion, intermetallic compounds, and solidification cracking in the fusion weld is less than if the first component was fusion welded directly to the second component.

Abstract: A method of making a hybrid composite component, the method including interleaving one or more metallic mesh laminae with two or more interleaved laminae of a first fiber reinforced composite material, wherein at least a first portion of the one or more metallic mesh laminae extends past a first edge of the two or more interleaved laminae of the first fiber reinforced composite material, and wherein at least a second portion of the two or more interleaved laminae of the first fiber reinforced composite material extends past a second edge of the one or more metallic mesh laminae; and providing one or more abutting laminae of a second fiber reinforced composite material in a position abutting the second edge of the one or more metallic mesh laminae, wherein the one or more abutting laminae of the second fiber reinforced composite material are interleaved with the second portion of the two or more interleaved laminae of the first fiber reinforced composite material.

Abstract: A method for making a joint structure including embedding a portion of at least two layers of a third component into a first component and interleaving at least one layer of a second component with an unembedded portion of the at least two layers of the third component, wherein the third component inhibits galvanic corrosion between the first and second components, the first component has a first CTE, the second component has a second CTE that is different from the first CTE, the third component has a third CTE that is between the first CTA and the second CTE, and the third component comprises a mesh component.

Abstract: A manually operated wheeled machine includes a housing and an engine mounted to the housing via a mounting structure. The mounting structure includes a tubular spacer defining a through hole. The spacer has a first end directly abutting the engine and a second end inserted in a mounting hole extended through the housing. The second end of the spacer is offset axially inwardly from a lower surface of the housing. A damping element axially mounted to the spacer is directly engaged to the first end of the spacer. A washer axially mounted to the spacer is interposed between and directly contacts each of the damping element and an upper surface of the housing. A fastener is extended through mounting hole and the spacer from the lower surface of the housing for connection with the engine.

Abstract: A vehicle roof stiffener includes a metal or metal alloy frame defining a central opening and at least one corner. The vehicle roof stiffener also includes a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) portion including at least one transition structure comprising a metal or a metal alloy. At least some of the fibers of the FRP portion are embedded in the transition structure. The FRP portion is located in the at least one corner. In some examples, the frame includes an opening in the at least one corner, and the FRP portion spans the opening. In other examples, the FRP portion overlaps the frame at the at least one corner. The FRP portion located at the corner may improve rigidity of the roof stiffener to increase resistance to a racking motion and increase the overall stiffness of the vehicle.

Abstract: A composite component includes a reinforcement bonded to a base component by a bond formed by, or reinforced with, a localized coupling in the base component. The bond may be formed by ultrasonic additive manufacturing. The localized coupling may include a compression of the base component, a weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld. Where the bond is formed by the localized coupling, the localized coupling encompasses the reinforcement. Where the bond is reinforced with the localized coupling, the localized coupling may encompass the reinforcement, or be arranged at an inside radius of a turn in the reinforcement. The reinforcement results in the composite component having enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, stiffness, or energy absorption capabilities.

Abstract: Welded assemblies and related methods of making the welded assemblies include a first component of a first metal material, a second component of a second metal material that is different from the first metal material, and a transition material including one or more of a high entropy alloy, a pure element, and an alloy nthat is not a high entropy alloy, and that is arranged between and contacting the first component and the second component. An ultrasonic weld joins the transition material to the first component, and a fusion weld joins the first component to the second component. The fusion weld contact the first component, the second component, and the transition material. The amount or level of one or more of galvanic corrosion, intermetallic compounds, and solidification cracking in the fusion weld is less than if the first component was fusion welded directly to the second component.

Abstract: A forming tool including an additive manufactured polymer shell defining a first side and an opposite second side. The forming tool includes a support structure mechanically connected to the second side of the shell. The support structure may be formed by pouring a molten backfill material into the shell, and solidifying the backfill material. The backfill material includes a low melting temperature metal, fusible alloy, or other element. The solidified backfill material has a strength and rigidity greater than the polymer used to make the shell. The first surface of the shell includes a complex surface for bringing into contact with a material in a stamping process to form a stamped part.

Abstract: A vehicle hood includes a unitary metallic hood frame including a plurality of embosses having respective curved surfaces and a plurality of openings. The vehicle hood includes a metallic reinforcement material welded to a subset of the respective curved surfaces of the metallic hood frame. The vehicle hood includes a hood skin attached to the hood frame. The selective placement of metallic reinforcement material may reduce deflection of the vehicle hood while reducing weight compared to metal supports or a thicker metallic hood frame.