Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Joshua D Lasceski

Paul Edward Krajewski

Jon T Carter

Ravi Verma

Michael J Walker

The formability of coiled and annealed (O-temper) magnesium alloy sheet material in high temperature forming operations is sometimes adversely affected by small amounts of cold work introduced into the fine grained material during handling of the coil and unwinding it to obtain blank workpieces for hot stamping, hot blow forming, or the like. When necessary, the formability of the sheet material with regions of hard worked microstructure may be improved by predetermining a recovery heat treatment using small portions of the material in formability tests. The recovery heat treatment, determined for the specific coiled stock, may then be applied to the material of the coil as it is used in making vehicle body panels or the like.

Recovery heat treatment to improve formability of magnesium alloys

A method of supporting a metal tube during an overcasting process includes radially supporting the metal tube from within an interior opening of the metal tube with a compressed granular material. The compressed granular material is held in place by a first stop and a second stop positioned at opposite axial ends of the metal tube. A tensile connector, such as a rod or a cable, interconnects and attaches the first stop and the second stop. Compressive radial forces exerted onto the metal tube during the overcasting process are transferred through the granular material and resisted by a tensile force in the tensile connector.

Method of supporting tubing structures during overcasting

Magnesium and other metal alloy sheet materials are deformed at hot forming temperatures into vehicle body panels and other articles. Many such hot forming operations are improved in speed and product quality by predetermining a static recrystallization temperature of the sheet material. As the sheet material is being heated to its hot forming temperature, deformation is commenced below the static recrystallization temperature. As heating and deformation are continued, dynamic recrystallization of the workpiece occurs and deformation may proceed faster and to a greater extent.

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Harrison Township, MI, United States of America

Joshua D Lasceski