Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Sridhar Santi Boyina

Mohamed Ridha Baccouche

Saied Nusier

Raj Sohmshetty

Rohit Telukunta

A vehicle underbody assembly including a pair of rockers, a pair of side rails, a first cross member, a second cross member, and a fuel tank is provided. Each of the pair of side rails is secured to a rearward portion of one of the rockers. The first cross member extends between the side rails and is thermally treated to form a first central hard strength zone between two first soft strength zones. The second cross member is arranged with the pair of side rails and the first cross member to form a rectilinear frame and is thermally treated to form a second central hard strength zone between two second soft strength zones. The fuel tank is secured between the pair of side rails so that the fuel tank is located within a rectilinear frame formed by the pair of side rails and the cross members.

Vehicle underbody component protection assembly

A vehicle underbody assembly may include a pair of front rails, a pair of hinge pillars, a pair of crush cans, a pair of bumper supports, and a bumper. Each of the front rails includes a front portion, a mid-portion, and a backup portion. Each of the hinge pillars may be attached to one of the backup portions. Each of the crush cans may be attached to one of the front portions. Each of bumper supports may be secured to one of the crush cans. The bumper may be attached to the bumper supports. The front portions and the backup portions may be heat treated to have a higher strength than the mid-portions. Each of the front portions and the backup portions may be heated to define a hard strength zone and the mid-portion may be heated to define a medium strength zone.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Sridhar Santi Boyina