The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 14, 2009
John E. Carsley, Clinton Township, MI (US);
Chih-cheng Hsu, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Susan E. Hartfield-wunsch, Livonia, MI (US);
Theresa M Lee, Lake Orion, MI (US);
James G. Schroth, Troy, MI (US);
John E. Carsley, Clinton Township, MI (US);
Chih-Cheng Hsu, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Susan E. Hartfield-Wunsch, Livonia, MI (US);
Theresa M Lee, Lake Orion, MI (US);
James G. Schroth, Troy, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of accomplishing precipitation hardening of a selected portion of an aluminum panel is disclosed herein. The method includes identifying at least one area of the aluminum panel that experiences thermal stress above a threshold value during a bake cycle, thereby identifying the selected portion. Prior to the bake cycle, the method further includes locally heating the selected portion at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time sufficient to increase a local yield strength of the selected portion such that the increased local yield strength ranges from 150 MPa to 300 MPa.