A crash box of a vehicle includes a back-beam laterally mounted to a front side of the vehicle. A first panel is longitudinally mounted to a rear side of the back-beam and combined with the back-beam. A second panel is longitudinally mounted to the rear side of the back-beam, is combined with the back-beam, and faces the first panel.

A bumper beam system is provided that includes a bumper beam that is cast from metal and has at least a first portion comprised of a first alloy and a second portion comprised of a second alloy that is different than the first alloy. Furthermore, a crash box is provided that comprises a first portion comprised of a first alloy and a second portion comprised of a second alloy that is different than the first alloy. Additionally, a bumper beam system is provided that has a bumper beam and a crash box. The bumper beam includes at least a first bumper beam portion that is comprised of a first bumper beam alloy, and the crash box includes at least a first crash box portion that is comprised of a first crash box alloy. Methods of manufacturing the bumper beam system and crash boxes are also provided.

A plate is continuously press-bent, into a shaped member having a recess opening at one surface (i.e., lower surface). Then, the plate is bent back by pressing, at the front and rear ends, covering the openings of the recess and a side frame having open cross sections, each with a gap, is thereby formed. In the forming step, the side frame is not welded and has open cross sections, each with a gap. The side frames are then subjected to the next step (i.e., step of assembling the seat frame). In the step of assembling the seat frame, the side frames and coupling members are welded together, constituting a substantially rectangular seat frame. As the side frames are so welded in step of assembling the seat frame, a rigid structure each having closed cross sections with no gaps is formed.

The object of the invention is a connecting structure for mechanically connecting steel pipe profiles (1, 2, 3) to each other to form a truss structure, comprising at least one elongated frame beam (1) with a rectangular cross-section, to which several cross struts (2, 3) with a rectangular cross-section forming a truss structure and extending diagonally and/or perpendicularly with respect to the frame beam are connected. According to the invention, receiving openings (4, 5) are formed on one side (6) of the frame beam (1) for receiving one end (2a, 3a) of each cross strut (2, 3) into the frame beam. Fastening holes (12) and/or outlines thereof are formed in the region of the end (2a, 3a) of the cross strut (2, 3) extending into the frame beam (1), and corresponding fastening holes (12) and/or outlines thereof are formed on the sides (7, 8) of the frame beam (1) perpendicular to the side (6) having the receiving openings (4, 5). Guide holes (9, 9) are formed on the sides (7, 8) of the frame beam perpendicular to the side (6) having the receiving openings (4, 5) and equipped with at least one guide pin (10, 10) extending in the transverse direction of the frame beam. A guide groove (11, 11) extending in the longitudinal direction of the cross strut (2, 3) is formed at the end (2a, 3a) of the cross strut, which, in cooperation with said at least one guide pin (10, 10), positions the fastening holes (12) of the cross strut (2, 3) and the corresponding fastening holes (12) of the frame beam (1) in exact alignment, enabling fastening means (13) to be inserted precisely through the fastening holes (12, 12), thereby rigidly connecting the pipe profiles (1, 2, 3) to each other. A further object of the invention is a truss structure (16) utilizing the connecting structure.

A hat profile (11) has a tensile strength exceeding 1400 MPa and it has soft bands (20) with a tensile strength below 1100 MPa on its side flanges (15,16). The profile is welded to a cover (17) by single rows of weld dots (18). The side flanges have high strength zones (21,22) on both sides of the soft bands (20).

There is provided a welded structure that can reduce fractures at welded portions. The welded structure includes two or three steel sheets and a lapped portion in which the steel sheets are overlapped and joined by spot welding at a plurality of locations, the welded structure including a spot weld portion, and, when a diameter of a nugget is d.sub.ng (mm), a tip diameter of an electrode used by the spot welding is d (mm), and an average thickness per steel sheet of the steel sheets at the lapped portion is t.sub.ave (mm), the spot weld portion satisfies d.sub.ng>d(t.sub.ave).sup.1/2 when 0.5 mmt.sub.ave<1.1 mm and d.sub.ng>1.05d when 1.1 mmt.sub.ave2.6 mm, in accordance with the average thickness t.sub.ave (mm).

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an additively manufactured transport structure. The transport structure includes cavities into which components that use an external interface are inserted. A plurality of components are assembled and integrated into the vehicle. In an embodiment, the components and frame are modular, enabling reparability and replacement of single parts in the event of isolated failures.

A method for producing a welded I-beam profile includes providing a first flat material as a first flange of the I-beam profile, providing a second flat material as a second flange of the I-beam profile, and providing a third flat material as a web of the I-beam profile. The method includes aligning and guiding the first flange between first flange guiding rollers, aligning and guiding the second flange between second flange guiding rollers, and aligning and guiding the web between web guiding rollers. The web is arranged between the flanges in a plane that is perpendicular to the flanges for forming the I-beam. The method includes connecting the first flange to a first longitudinal edge of the web by a first welding operation in a welding station, and connecting the second flange to a second longitudinal edge of the web by a second welding operation in the welding station.

A method is provided for transporting flat materials to be welded together, specifically a first flange and/or a second flange and a web for producing a beam through a welding station. The flat materials are aligned and guided by rollers. A slide is arranged upstream of the welding station in the run-through direction and a gripper is arranged downstream of the welding station. The slide introduces the flat materials into the welding station and moves them as far as a first position by means of a pushing movement at an advancement speed. The gripper grips the flat materials at the first position, and pulls the flat materials out of the welding station at the pulling speed and moves them as far as a second position by means of a pulling movement. The slide is arranged upstream of the welding station and the gripper is arranged downstream of the welding station.

A welding spatter protection device has a support structure, a movable structure delimiting a first internal cavity by internal side walls and movable by a first actuator between a lowered position, in which the first internal cavity is placed astride a welding zone, and a raised position, in which the first internal cavity is moved away from the welding zone, and a cleaning system having a scraper. Two second internal side walls interconnect two first internal side walls defining two concentric cylindrical surfaces. The scraper is connected to the movable structure by a support arm actuatable by a second actuator. Circumferential ends of the concentric cylindrical surfaces at an inlet mouth and at an internal stop position are radially aligned so that the scraper is always in contact with the concentric cylindrical surfaces, oriented so that a radially outermost cylindrical surface extends beyond the bottom wall, defining a shielding appendage.