Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Bryan Mikula

James Wayne Lowe

John T Reed

Dean A Gericke

Lawrence Anderson Queener

Lou Ratsos

Ramakrishna P Koganti

Sergio Angotti

A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.

Double hydroformed tube with integral reinforcement

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Dexter, MI, United States of America

Bryan Mikula