A press forming method includes: press forming a press formed product including a top portion, a side wall portion continuous from the top portion through a punch shoulder portion, and a flange portion continuous from the side wall portion through a die shoulder portion, the press formed product including a curved portion that is concave and curved in a top view; and increasing a bending radius of the punch shoulder portion in the curved portion from a center of a curve toward an end side of the curve.

A controlled thermal coefficient product manufacturing system and method is disclosed. The disclosed product relates to the manufacture of metallic material product (MMP) having a thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) in a predetermined range. The disclosed system and method provides for a first material deformation (FMD) of the MMP that comprises at least some of a first material phase (FMP) wherein the FMP comprises martensite randomly oriented and a first thermal expansion coefficient (FTC). In response to the FMD at least some of the FMP is oriented in at least one predetermined orientation. Subsequent to deformation, the MMP comprises a second thermal expansion coefficient (STC) that is within a predetermined range and wherein the thermal expansion of the MMP is in at least one predetermined direction. The MMP may be comprised of a second material phase (SMP) that may or may not transform to the FMP in response to the FMD.

A welded steel part obtained by welding a first sheet with a second sheet, at least one with a coating of aluminum alloy. The welding uses a welding wire which, after melting and cooling, constitutes a weld bead connecting the first sheet to the second sheet and being part of said welded steel part. The respective peripheral edge of the first and second sheets are in a joggled edge type configuration in which the peripheral edge of the first sheet is arranged above, and on or near the upper face of an end portion of the peripheral edge of the second sheet which is extended by an inclined junction portion, at least one part of the upper face of the inclined junction portion delimits at least laterally with the edge of the peripheral edge of the first sheet a groove receiving the weld bead, the inclined joining portion extending by a welding portion in longitudinal continuity with the peripheral edge of the first sheet.

The invention relates to an elongate steel structure (10) for a vehicle comprising:—first steel sheet element (11), and a second steel sheet element (12), said first and second steel sheet elements constituting opposite ends of the elongate steel structure and said first and second steel sheet elements overlapping each other in a mid-portion of said elongate steel structure, wherein the first and the second steel sheet elements have an overlapping hat profile including a central portion (17), two webs (18), and two flanges (19), wherein at least one of the first and second steel sheet elements include cut-outs (13) along the flanges (19) such that the overlap is interrupted along said flanges (19).

A forming device is configured to form metal laminated sheet material into a tray-shaped case half while allowing the material to form pleats in the corners of the recess during the forming process while preventing formation of pleats along the flange. The device forms the flange so that excess material in the corners of the case halves is arranged in an undulating shape. As a result, the flange has a waved or ruffled configuration at each corner. Two such case halves are sealed together along the flange to form a reliably sealed package. A method of forming pouch cell is also described.

A forming device is configured to form metal laminated sheet material into a tray-shaped case half while allowing the material to form pleats in the corners of the recess during the forming process while preventing formation of pleats along the flange. The device forms the flange so that excess material in the corners of the case halves is arranged in an undulating shape. As a result, the flange has a waved or ruffled configuration at each corner. Two such case halves are sealed together along the flange to form a reliably sealed package. A method of forming pouch cell is also described.

A process for manufacturing a metal part (10), is described said part extending in a first direction (Y) and having a section comprising a central member (14) and at least a first side member (16) extending in a second direction. The process comprises the following steps: supply of a metal blank (30); removing material from the blank so as to form an intermediate part (32) comprising the central member (14), a junction zone (12) and at least first (116) and second (118) intermediate side members, with a space (34) between the first and second intermediate side members; and hot forming (104) the intermediate part, including spreading the first and second intermediate side members apart by inserting a first punch (212) between said members.

A hot press-forming method includes a forming step that clamps a steel sheet heated to a temperature not less than an austenite transformation temperature and press-forms the steel sheet into a desired shape by causing a forming concave of a die and a convex of a punch to be close to each other. A formed portion has side and top portions that merge. The side portion rises up from an inner circumferential edge of a flange portion having been clamped by the die and the blank holder. A cooling step cools a region of the steel sheet after the heating step has been completed and before the forming step is completed. The particular region is along an inter-edge area formed between an opening circumferential edge of the forming concave and a top circumferential edge of the forming convex before the forming step is completed.

A hot press-forming method includes a forming step that clamps a steel sheet heated to a temperature not less than an austenite transformation temperature and press-forms the steel sheet into a desired shape by causing a forming concave of a die and a convex of a punch to be close to each other. A formed portion has side and top portions that merge. The side portion rises up from an inner circumferential edge of a flange portion having been clamped by the die and the blank holder. A cooling step cools a region of the steel sheet after the heating step has been completed and before the forming step is completed. The particular region is along an inter-edge area formed between an opening circumferential edge of the forming concave and a top circumferential edge of the forming convex before the forming step is completed.

A forming tool stamps sheet metal blanks into a desired shape. A contoured surface is defined for the forming tool so that respective portions of the metal blank flow over the contoured surface during forming. An intrinsic material flow pattern resulting from the contoured surface is compared to a desired flow in order to identify regions of the contoured surface having an insufficient flow that creates areas in the formed metal blank receiving less than a desired amount of metal. A surface microtexture is applied onto the contoured surface in a pattern selected to increase metal flow along the identified regions by providing a coefficient of friction in the identified regions that is reduced relative to adjacent regions of the contoured surface.