A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The device provides a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation, lower bearing member having a lower cup having at least one protruding indexation element. The device also provides a damping element made of resilient material and interposed between the lower cup and the suspension spring. The indexation element is made of a different material than that of the lower cup, the lower cup being made of a rigid plastic material and the indexation element being made of a resilient material.

A structural component, comprising at least two organo-sheet pieces which at least sectionally lie one on top of the other and which each include a fiber layer, wherein at least in the fiber layers of the organo-sheet pieces at least one pair of mutually aligned holes is formed, at which the organo-sheet pieces are positively connected to each other. There is furthermore proposed a method for manufacturing a structural component.

An insulating material for insulating a structural element in a vehicle including a support element with a first surface and a second surface, and an expandable material which is arranged on the support element. The expandable material is arranged here on a first sub-region of the first surface of the support element, and a second sub-region of the first surface is free from expandable material. The first sub-region is configured here in such a manner that the first surface of the support element is completely covered with expanded material after expansion of the expandable material.

A method for manufacturing a vehicle knuckle is provided. The method includes preparing a die for forming the vehicle knuckle, locating at least one busing in the die, filling the die with carbon chip materials, hot press forming the carbon chip materials filled in the die at high temperature and high pressure environment, separating the formed vehicle knuckle from the die, and trimming and removing surplus materials attached to the separated vehicle knuckle.

Methods of bonding a first object to a second object, including the steps of: providing the second object having a protrusion; providing the first object having a thermoplastic material; positioning the first object relative to the second object such that an assembly of the first and the second object is formed; applying a relative force between the second and first objects and applying mechanical vibration to the assembly of the first and the second object until at least a flow portion of the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the protrusion; and causing the thermoplastic material to re-solidify. The first object may be a connecting element including a feedthrough, wherein the second object has a corresponding opening. The protrusion may be deformed such that the protrusion has an undercut relative to an axis along which the first and second objects are pressed against each other.

A method for the production of a vehicle body element is disclosed, wherein the vehicle body element is provided as a component composite comprised of at least one carrier profile part having a hollow structure, and a lightweight material, for example plastic. A liquid starting component of the lightweight construction material is introduced into the hollow structure of the carrier profile part and is then cured to forms the component composite.

A body member (1; 41) has at least one outer sheet (2), an inner sheet (3) and a reinforcing structure (10) in a cavity (6) bounded by the inner sheet (3) and the outer sheet (2). The reinforcing structure (10) has at least three ribs (11-15) that extend from the outer sheet (2) toward the inner sheet (3). An expanded structural foam connects at least one of the two outer ribs (11, 15) to the inner sheet (3).

Disclosed are an integrated structure of different kinds of materials formed by integrating a steel material and a fiber reinforced composite material, and a method of integrating different kinds materials. An integrated structure of different kinds of materials may be formed by integrating different kinds of materials that are a steel material and a fiber reinforced composite material. The integrated structure includes: a first plate including a steel material; and a second plate facing the first plate and including a fiber reinforced composite material, which may be formed by impregnating resin in a reinforced fiber. In particular, a thermal bonding layer may be formed at an interface of the first plate and the second plate and include the resin of the second plate which is thermally bonded on a surface of the first plate.

A final injection molded assembly and process for making same that eliminates paint and reduces areas of wasted chrome material. The final injection molded assembly has at least one first injection molded part of a non-plateable first material, at least one overmolded part of plateable second material, at least one pathway through the assembly and integrated features operable for selectively applying an electric current. The pathway creates a predetermined surface path arrangement for applying chrome to desired predetermined plateable areas. A shot of each material is delivered to an injection molding rotary device to produce the injection molded assembly which is then affixed to a chroming process line where electric current is applied. As the electric current is applied and chrome is delivered only the plateable second material will accept the chrome.

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.