A.o. Smith Corporation

R. J. Tower Corporation

Richard J Behrmann

Phillip C Ruehl

Stephen L Kretschmer

Robert J Heideman

John F Hinrichs

Jianzhong Xie

A method of welding together a motor vehicle structural assembly is available. The vehicle structural assembly includes a boxed member including an outboard wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and an inboard wall spaced from the outboard wall. The inboard wall has an opening therein. The motor vehicle structural assembly also includes a cylindrical support including a first end and a shoulder spaced from the first end at least the distance the boxed member inboard wall is spaced from the boxed member outboard wall. The method comprises spinning the support and advancing the support through the inboard wall opening so that the support first end is friction welded to the outboard wall and so that the support shoulder is friction welded to the inboard wall.

Method of friction welding a support to a boxed vehicle structural

A method for forming a structural member, the method comprising the steps of placing a first sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in a press, placing a second sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in the press, the second member only partially overlapping the first member, the first member only partially overlapping the second member, and the direction of the length dimension of the second member being angled relative to the direction of the length dimension of the first member, and closing the press to shape the first member and the second member.

Method of manufacturing engine cradles

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Colgate, WI, United States of America

Richard J Behrmann