An apparatus that manufactures a closed-structure part includes a bottom portion and left and right side wall portions, including a press-forming die that form a plurality of first out-of-plane deformed portions and bent portions, the first out-of-plane deformed portions being formed in a region of a workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion and arranged along a longitudinal direction, each of the first out-of-plane deformed portions having a recessed shape or a protruding shape; a pad and a punch that squash the first out-of-plane deformed portions by clamping the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion therebetween, a cross-sectional shape of a pressing portion of the punch being curved along the longitudinal direction; and bending dies that bend the bent portions by pressing the punch into a space therebetween while the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion is clamped between the pad and the punch.

A method manufactures a closed-structure part by forming a flat plate-shaped workpiece into a closed structure including a bottom portion curved along a longitudinal direction. The method includes a first forming step of forming a plurality of first out-of-plane deformed portions and a bent portion, the first out-of-plane deformed portions being formed in a region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion and arranged along the longitudinal direction, each of the out-of-plane deformed portions having a recessed shape or a protruding shape; and a second forming step of squashing the first out-of-plane deformed portions between a pad and a punch such that the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion is curved and bending bent portions by pressing the punch into a space between dies while the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion is clamped between the pad and the punch.

A method of manufacturing a tubular member for an automotive application that includes providing a flat workpiece of a material; forming at least one lance in the flat workpiece; roll-forming the flat workpiece into a tubular configuration; induction welding a seam of the tubular workpiece after the roll-forming; and trimming the tubular workpiece through the lance after welding the seam.

A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

A folded tube for a heat exchanger is disclosed. The tube includes first and second ends for connection to first and second headers of the heat exchanger. An outer wall of the tube provides at least two channels for carrying a heat exchange fluid between the first and second headers. At least one seam is formed in the outer wall extending the length of the tube, the seam including a pair of opposed flanges extending into the tube to form the two channels, the outer wall joined together along the seam. The tube further includes a first end region and a second end region, and an intermediate region. The tube flattened along its length to form at least two flattened lobes, each lobe including one of the channels, and the lobes in the intermediate region being flatter than the lobes in at least one of the end regions.

An extruded material includes a peripheral wall having a closed loop-shaped cross-section and defining a hollow, and a middle rib connected to an inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall and dividing the hollow. The extruded material is provided with a corrected portion set at a predetermined portion in a longitudinal direction and subjected to correction processing, and an uncorrected portion not subjected to the correction processing. The peripheral wall is expanded outward with respect to an original shape of the uncorrected portion in the corrected portion. While the middle rib is curved with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting connecting portions connected with the peripheral wall at both end portions of the middle rib in the uncorrected portion, the middle rib has a smaller degree of curvature than the original shape of the uncorrected portion in the corrected portion.

A method of manufacturing a tubular member for an automotive application that includes providing a flat workpiece of a material; forming at least one lance in the flat workpiece; roll-forming the flat workpiece into a tubular configuration; induction welding a seam of the tubular workpiece after the roll-forming; and trimming the tubular workpiece through the lance after welding the seam.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for the continuous and progressive shaping of metal strips to produce a formed metal strip whose cross sectional dimensions vary along a longitudinal axis thereof. The apparatus includes a device for shaping the metal strips, wherein the device has at least one tool set with at least two rotatably mounted and mutually associated tools, wherein the tools each have a pressure face disposed along an outer circumference thereof with a contour configured to shape the workpieces. The contour of the pressure face of at least one tool is not axially symmetric. In order to be able to cost-effectively produce workpieces or profiles with a variable cross section, in particular profiles with a closed cross section, it is proposed that the contours of the pressure faces of all tools, but at least of one tool set, are concave in order to generate a profile having a closed cross section.

A wiring member includes a laminated flat conductor and an insulating layer provided around the laminated flat conductor. The laminated flat conductor includes a plurality of flat conductors laid on each other in a thickness direction of the laminated flat conductor, and insulating sheet members each of which is interposed between and electrically insulate adjacent ones of the plurality of flat conductors.

A swept beam for a vehicle body structure includes a structural portion and a flange. The structural portion has at least a first wall and a second wall angled relative to each other along a longitudinal length of the structural portion. The structural portion also has a curved shape at least partially along the longitudinal length. A flange extends integrally from the structural portion along a compression side of the curved shape. The flange has a wave edge opposite the structural portion and exhibits a minimum of buckling.