A prosthetic valve assembly includes an annular frame having an inner radial surface, an outer radial surface, and defining an inner lumen. The prosthetic valve assembly further includes a leaflet assembly including at least one leaflet having an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface. The at least one leaflet is disposed at least partially within the inner lumen of the annular frame. The prosthetic valve assembly includes a crimping accessory device having a handle and at least one shielding member removably disposed between the outer radial surface of the at least one leaflet and the inner radial surface of the annular frame. The at least one shielding member is configured to reduce physical contact between the at least one leaflet and the inner radial surface of the annular frame.

A method is for manufacturing a core plate having an annular core back and teeth extending from the core back toward the center. The core plate is obtained by performing a punching step, a winding step, a straining step and an annealing step. At the straining step, compressive strain is applied to the core back or the band-shaped core back that is to be the core back after winding. At the annealing step, the core back or the band-shaped core back is annealed to be recrystallized after the applying of strain.

The disclosure relates to a downholding press for producing a semi-finished product from sheet-metal material having thickness-reduced regions, wherein the semi-finished product after forming has regions with mutually dissimilar wall thicknesses and the downholding press has an upper tool and a lower tool as well as a downholding element, and a convexity on the sheet-metal material is generated between the upper tool and the lower tool such that the sheet-metal material is reduced in thickness in regions by elongation, wherein a blocking cam is configured on the downholding element in such a manner that a follow-on of the sheet-metal material is impeded.

An apparatus for cutting a profile, including: a cutter configured to make cuts on the profile having a first surface and a second surface, and having at least one rib on the first surface, wherein the cuts are made on the first surface of the profile; a first drive unit to drive the cutter forward and backward to and from the first surface of the profile; and a second drive unit to drive the cutter up and down along the first surface of the profile.

An apparatus for cutting a profile, including: a cutter configured to make cuts on the profile having a first surface and a second surface, and having at least one rib on the first surface, wherein the cuts are made on the first surface of the profile; a first drive unit to drive the cutter forward and backward to and from the first surface of the profile; and a second drive unit to drive the cutter up and down along the first surface of the profile.

An underbody panel for a motor vehicle is composed of a lightweight sandwich material and is configured as a single part with at least one continuous folding connection (12) that is arranged between first and second portions of the underbody panel (14). The first and second portions can be folded together via the folding connection (12) and, in the folded state, are substantially parallel to each other to reduce a size of the underbody panel during transport and storage. Additionally, the underbody panel is gap-free when installed on a motor vehicle.

A blank steel plate is planar and used for producing a press-formed product that has an open cross-section including a bent portion. The blank steel plate is homogeneous in its entirety and includes a belt-shaped thick area that has an increased thickness, thin areas that are adjacent to both sides of the thick area and have a thickness smaller than the thickness of the thick area. On the front surface of a front surface and a back face of the blank steel plate, a step height in thickness is formed along one of both side portions of the thick area, and on the back face, a step height a thickness is formed along the other of both side portions of the thick area. By using the blank steel plate in producing the press-formed product, it is possible to optimizing the strength of the press-formed product, and suppress manufacturing costs.

A blank steel plate is planar and used for producing a press-formed product that has an open cross-section including a bent portion. The blank steel plate is homogeneous in its entirety and includes a belt-shaped thick area that has an increased thickness, thin areas that are adjacent to both sides of the thick area and have a thickness smaller than the thickness of the thick area. On the front surface of a front surface and a back face of the blank steel plate, a step height in thickness is formed along one of both side portions of the thick area, and on the back face, a step height a thickness is formed along the other of both side portions of the thick area. By using the blank steel plate in producing the press-formed product, it is possible to optimizing the strength of the press-formed product, and suppress manufacturing costs.

A press forming method includes portions of a blank corresponding to straight portions of product is press formed to a hat or channel cross-sectional shape prior to a portion of the blank corresponding to a curved portion of the product at an approached state of the both ends to thereby leave a surplus in a length of the portion of the blank corresponding to the curved portion of the product as compared to a length of the curved portion; then the portion of the blank corresponding to the curved portion of the product is press formed to a longitudinal curved shape at a state of leaving the surplus while forming the hat or channel cross-sectional shape to thereby apply a longitudinal compression stress to the portion of the blank corresponding to curved portion of the product.

A press forming method includes portions of a blank corresponding to straight portions of product is press formed to a hat or channel cross-sectional shape prior to a portion of the blank corresponding to a curved portion of the product at an approached state of the both ends to thereby leave a surplus in a length of the portion of the blank corresponding to the curved portion of the product as compared to a length of the curved portion; then the portion of the blank corresponding to the curved portion of the product is press formed to a longitudinal curved shape at a state of leaving the surplus while forming the hat or channel cross-sectional shape to thereby apply a longitudinal compression stress to the portion of the blank corresponding to curved portion of the product.