A hot stamping vehicle floor (1) for a vehicle frame (100) includes a main floor panel (2) stamped out from at least one sheet metal blank. The floor further includes at least one sheet metal reinforcing patch (4), arranged on the main floor panel (2), overlapping the main floor panel (2). The reinforcing patch (4) is more ductile than the main floor panel (2). The at least one reinforcing patch (4) is joined to at least one area (6) of the main floor panel (2) conceived to withstand compressive crash forces in case of a crash situation of the vehicle and the main floor panel (2) and the at least one reinforcing patch (4) are joined to each other before said vehicle floor (1) is stamped out. The invention also refers to a method for producing the vehicle floor.

A spline connection having a hub with a toothing profile on the inner circumference, an axle journal having a toothing profile on an outer circumferential portion, a shoulder for axial support and/or abutment against the hub, and a tensioning device for axially bracing the axle journal with the hub. The hub has a constant toothing profile and the axle journal has a first portion and a second portion with different toothing profiles. The first portion is arranged on the insertion side to be further away from the shoulder than the second portion and has a constant toothing profile with play with respect to the toothing profile of the hub. The second portion is arranged on the shoulder side and has a toothing profile which has reduced tooth spaces compared with the first portion and which is play-free with respect to the toothing profile of the hub.

A spline connection having a hub with a toothing profile on the inner circumference, an axle journal having a toothing profile on an outer circumferential portion, a shoulder for axial support and/or abutment against the hub, and a tensioning device for axially bracing the axle journal with the hub. The hub has a constant toothing profile and the axle journal has a first portion and a second portion with different toothing profiles. The first portion is arranged on the insertion side to be further away from the shoulder than the second portion and has a constant toothing profile with play with respect to the toothing profile of the hub. The second portion is arranged on the shoulder side and has a toothing profile which has reduced tooth spaces compared with the first portion and which is play-free with respect to the toothing profile of the hub.

Exemplary vehicle structures include a frame component that provides greater strength and/or other desired properties to a vehicle structure. The frame component includes a first wall (6) and a second wall (7). The first and second walls each comprise at least one metal sheet. The first and second walls bound a sealed interior gap (28). Pressurized fluid is introduced into the sealed interior gap through at least one of the walls via a fluid connector (8). In some arrangements the gap includes a hermetically sealed pocket (110) that is bounded by a pocket wall (36). The pressurized fluid is delivered into the pocket interior area that is bounded by the pocket wall. The fluid delivered to the sealed interior gap and/or the pocket interior area may be operative to cause controlled permanent deformation thereof to produce desired wall configurations which have increased strength. The fluid housed within the sealed interior gap may provide increased strength or other desired properties. Vehicle structures such as vehicle side frames, vehicle floor members and vehicle frame longitudinal members may each include one or more of the frame components integrated in the vehicle structure.

Exemplary vehicle structures include a frame component that provides greater strength and/or other desired properties to a vehicle structure. The frame component includes a first wall (6) and a second wall (7). The first and second walls each comprise at least one metal sheet. The first and second walls bound a sealed interior gap (28). Pressurized fluid is introduced into the sealed interior gap through at least one of the walls via a fluid connector (8). In some arrangements the gap includes a hermetically sealed pocket (110) that is bounded by a pocket wall (36). The pressurized fluid is delivered into the pocket interior area that is bounded by the pocket wall. The fluid delivered to the sealed interior gap and/or the pocket interior area may be operative to cause controlled permanent deformation thereof to produce desired wall configurations which have increased strength. The fluid housed within the sealed interior gap may provide increased strength or other desired properties. Vehicle structures such as vehicle side frames, vehicle floor members and vehicle frame longitudinal members may each include one or more of the frame components integrated in the vehicle structure.

A process of producing a partially hardened metallic formed part comprises: heating a semi-finished product of hardenable hot-formable steel sheet to a hardening temperature; hot-forming the heated semi-finished product in a combined hot-forming cutting device into a three-dimensional formed part; cutting the formed part in the combined hot-forming cutting device; pressure-hardening the formed part in the hot-forming cutting device into a hardened formed part such that a first partial region is hardened by rapid cooling and that a second partial region of the formed part is heat-treated so as to comprise a greater ductility and a lower strength than the first partial region, wherein the operation of cutting the formed part takes place at least in one of the first and second partial region. A combined hot-forming cutting device can be used to produce a metallic formed part.

A process of producing a partially hardened metallic formed part comprises: heating a semi-finished product of hardenable hot-formable steel sheet to a hardening temperature; hot-forming the heated semi-finished product in a combined hot-forming cutting device into a three-dimensional formed part; cutting the formed part in the combined hot-forming cutting device; pressure-hardening the formed part in the hot-forming cutting device into a hardened formed part such that a first partial region is hardened by rapid cooling and that a second partial region of the formed part is heat-treated so as to comprise a greater ductility and a lower strength than the first partial region, wherein the operation of cutting the formed part takes place at least in one of the first and second partial region. A combined hot-forming cutting device can be used to produce a metallic formed part.

A hot forming tool includes a top tool and a bottom tool, both of which can be moved towards each other. When the hot forming tool is closed, a mold cavity is formed between the top tool and the bottom tool, with the top tool and/or the bottom tool being divided into at least two segments. The hot forming tool has one segment designed as a heating segment. The heating segment includes a compensating element on a side thereof opposite the mold cavity, to compensate for a thermal expansion of the heating segment in the press stroke direction.

A hot forming tool includes a top tool and a bottom tool, both of which can be moved towards each other. When the hot forming tool is closed, a mold cavity is formed between the top tool and the bottom tool, with the top tool and/or the bottom tool being divided into at least two segments. The hot forming tool has one segment designed as a heating segment. The heating segment includes a compensating element on a side thereof opposite the mold cavity, to compensate for a thermal expansion of the heating segment in the press stroke direction.

A system for assembling a vehicle platform includes a robotic assembly system having at least two robotic arms, a vision system capturing images of an assembly frame, and a control system configured to control the robotic assembly system to assemble the vehicle platform based on images from the vision system, force feedback from the at least two robotic arms, and a component location model. The control system is further configured to identify assembly features of a first component and a second component of the vehicle platform from the images, operate the robotic arms to orient the first component and the second component to respective nominal positions based on the images and the component location model, and operate the robotic arms to assemble the first component to the second component based on the force feedback.