A method for electrohydraulic forming a material blank includes: a material blank to be shaped is placed between a mould and a blank holder; a tight cavity containing electrodes is filled with liquid up to a predetermined liquid level; the material blank is brought into contact with the liquid of the cavity; the material blank is hydraulically preformed; and the material blank is electrohydraulically formed. The liquid of the cavity is pressurised for the hydraulic preforming by moving all or part of one of the walls of the cavity.

A method for electrohydraulic forming a material blank includes: a material blank to be shaped is placed between a mould and a blank holder; a tight cavity containing electrodes is filled with liquid up to a predetermined liquid level; the material blank is brought into contact with the liquid of the cavity; the material blank is hydraulically preformed; and the material blank is electrohydraulically formed. The liquid of the cavity is pressurised for the hydraulic preforming by moving all or part of one of the walls of the cavity.

The present invention concerns a method for production of a supporting member with an at least partially closed cross-section, having at least a first metal shell and a second metal shell which are connected together at least in portions in the longitudinal direction. The method includes a provision of at least a first and a second metal blank. At least a first and a second metal shell are produced from the respective first and second metal blanks. The first and second metal shells each have at least one floor with two protruding uprights spaced apart from each other and integrally connected to the floor. The first and second metal shells are positioned such that the uprights of the metal shells come into overlapping contact.

The present invention concerns a method for production of a supporting member with an at least partially closed cross-section, having at least a first metal shell and a second metal shell which are connected together at least in portions in the longitudinal direction. The method includes a provision of at least a first and a second metal blank. At least a first and a second metal shell are produced from the respective first and second metal blanks. The first and second metal shells each have at least one floor with two protruding uprights spaced apart from each other and integrally connected to the floor. The first and second metal shells are positioned such that the uprights of the metal shells come into overlapping contact.

A metal sheet with attachment points for attaching the metal sheet to a support structure has a contour cut introduced in a sheet surface of the metal sheet, wherein the contour cut extends transversely to a connection line extending between a first and a second one of the attachment points. The contour cut is positioned relative to the first attachment point such that a vibration line extending as far as the first attachment point when the contour cut is not present is interrupted by the contour cut.

A metal sheet with attachment points for attaching the metal sheet to a support structure has a contour cut introduced in a sheet surface of the metal sheet, wherein the contour cut extends transversely to a connection line extending between a first and a second one of the attachment points. The contour cut is positioned relative to the first attachment point such that a vibration line extending as far as the first attachment point when the contour cut is not present is interrupted by the contour cut.

A low frequency torsional vibration damper has an annular inertia member defining an annular recess for receiving an elastomeric O-ring in a radial outer surface or a radial inner surface thereof and defining opposing annular recesses for receiving elastomeric O-rings, one each, in the top and bottom surfaces thereof, an elastomeric O-ring seated in each annular recess, and a hub defining an annular receptacle with opposing sidewalls that each comprise a plurality of spaced apart tabs permanently deformed against the plurality of elastomeric O-rings, thereby operatively coupling the hub to the inertia member for rotation together. When the inertia member defines the outer diameter of the torsional vibration damper, the hub is mountable on a shaft, and when the inertia member defines the inner diameter of the torsional vibration damper, the hub is mountable inside a shaft.

A component is formed by welding a plurality of sheets of metal to form a blank with a number of weld nuggets, placing the blank between a die section and a lid section, heating the die section to heat the blank, and introducing a pressurized gas between the lid section and the die section to press the blank into a mold in the die section to form a component. The number of weld nuggets has a desired thickness ratio between about 1.1 to about 1.25 such that the plurality of sheets of metal and the component formed have a number of characteristics that are substantially the same.

A component is formed by welding a plurality of sheets of metal to form a blank with a number of weld nuggets, placing the blank between a die section and a lid section, heating the die section to heat the blank, and introducing a pressurized gas between the lid section and the die section to press the blank into a mold in the die section to form a component. The number of weld nuggets has a desired thickness ratio between about 1.1 to about 1.25 such that the plurality of sheets of metal and the component formed have a number of characteristics that are substantially the same.

A component of a vehicle structure is obtained by a hot forming operation on a hybrid panel having a sheet element of light alloy and a sheet of plastic material. The hybrid panel is hot formed by pressing it against a forming surface of a mould element by a pressurized gas or by a second mould element. Following this operation, the hybrid panel assumes a configuration corresponding to the forming surface, whereas the light alloy sheet element and the plastic material sheet constituting the hybrid panel adhere to each other following softening by heat of the plastic material. Before the hot forming step, a surface of said light alloy sheet element which must contact the plastic material sheet is subjected to a roughening treatment, thereby defining surface asperities between which the plastic material of the plastic material sheet is inserted when it is softened by heat.