Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Jacob Lyjak

Adrian B Chernoff

Richard Murray Kleber

John E Carsley

John Robert Bradley

Chongmin Kim

Mark G Konopnicki

Stephen R Koshorek

A method for manufacturing a lower body component for a vehicle is provided including forming a one-piece floor pan at least partially defining a vehicle passenger compartment and substantially extending longitudinally at least the entire length thereof, and forming a one piece reinforcement structural member for reinforcing the pan. The method also includes simultaneously forming the pan and one-piece reinforcement structural member by stacking a pair of weldable sheet metal blanks sufficiently close together to define a comon interface, positioning the stacked blanks between moveable profile forming dies, heating the dies so that the blanks reach a superplastic forming temperature, and plastically deforming the stacked blanks into a lower body component having the profile of the dies. The method also includes friction stir welding of the stacked blanks at the common interface.

Automotive lower body component method of manufacture

The superplastic forming of suitable metal alloy sheets into strong components, such as automobile body structures or panels, is improved and accomplished faster by simultaneously forming two or more substantially identical, relatively thin sheets, preferably about 2 mm or less in thickness, rather than a single sheet of the same overall thickness. For example, two or more layers of thin AA5083 sheets can be stretched formed together at about 500&deg; C. with greater deformation and elongation than a single sheet of comparable thickness.

Superplastic multi-layer forming

Growing community of inventors

Washington Township, MI, United States of America

Jacob Lyjak