An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.

Several different cross sections of beam having more than four sides are disclosed that may form a central portion of a beam having end portions that have four sides. The end portions of the beams may be received by frame rails. The central portion of the beam between the frame rails may be formed with more than four sides. The additional sides may be recessed beads or protruding ribs. Beams having arcuate recesses or arcuate ribs may be provided on the central portion of the beam. The end portions of the beams may extend outboard of the frame rails. The ribs or beads on the central portion of the beam may provide equivalent performance to four-sided beams having considerably thicker walls. Weight reduction is achieved because the central portion is made of a thinner material while retaining strength by forming beads or ribs in the central portion.

Disclosed is a press forming method press forming a workpiece between a die and a punch, while pushing the punch into the die by means of a relative motion of the die and the punch, the method includes: producing an intermediate molding (100B) having ridges (100d) formed in predetermined parts of the workpiece, and then press forming the intermediate molding (100B) into a final shape, to thereby substantially thicken and work-harden the predetermined parts of the workpiece.

The invention relates to a method for producing a semi-finished product or component (2), in which a hardenable coating (6, 17) with fiber-reinforced plastic is applied to a metal carrier (3), particularly a metal sheet (4), and the coated metal carrier (3) is formed, particularly deep-drawn or bent, in a subsequent step to produce a semi-finished product or component (2). According to the invention, for an improved and cost-effective method, the metal carrier (3) is coated at most only in certain regions and is only subjected to the forming when the coating thereof (6, 17) has hardened to produce at least a block-resistant surface (12), the coated metal carrier (3) being formed such that the plastic changes in shape follow forming radii (21) and are produced substantially, preferably exclusively, in the coating-free regions (15) of the metal carrier.

A method of simultaneously forming a plurality of vehicle parts includes placing a common welded blank having a first portion joined to a second portion via a weld into a die set, and then simultaneously forming a first part in the first portion of the common welded blank and a second part in the second portion of the common welded blank. The first portion of the common welded blank can have a first thickness being different than a second thickness of said second portion and/or comprised of a first material grade being different than a second material grade of the second portion to simultaneously form the first and second parts with different thicknesses and/or different material grades. In an arrangement, each of the first and second portions can be shaped to be approximate halves of the overall common welded blank for simultaneously forming complementary parts.

In the manufacture of a panel body composed of a first panel, which has a structure in which two panel materials of different sheet thicknesses are butted and joined, and a second panel, which is arranged on the outside of the first panel and connected thereto by hemming, the first panel is pressed so that the main surfaces of the two panel materials on the joined portion side form a single plane, and a sloped portion due to the difference in sheet thickness appears on the rear side thereof, the main surface of the first panel on the joined portion side is arranged on the second panel side, and hemming of the second panel is performed against the edge portion of the first panel that includes the sloped portion, thereby achieving good interior and exterior appearance quality of the panel body.

In the manufacture of a panel body composed of a first panel, which has a structure in which two panel materials of different sheet thicknesses are butted and joined, and a second panel, which is arranged on the outside of the first panel and connected thereto by hemming, the first panel is pressed so that the main surfaces of the two panel materials on the joined portion side form a single plane, and a sloped portion due to the difference in sheet thickness appears on the rear side thereof, the main surface of the first panel on the joined portion side is arranged on the second panel side, and hemming of the second panel is performed against the edge portion of the first panel that includes the sloped portion, thereby achieving good interior and exterior appearance quality of the panel body.

The present disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing a unitary a bumper beam assembly of a vehicle. The method comprises providing a plurality of blanks, joining the blanks to each other to form a combined blank, and deforming the combined blank to form the unitary bumper beam assembly. The unitary bumper beam assembly includes a bumper beam, a pedestrian beam and at least one bracket connecting the bumper beam to the pedestrian beam. The plurality of blanks comprises a bumper beam blank and a pedestrian beam blank, and joining the blanks comprises forming one or more overlapping regions formed by partially overlapping the blanks with each other. The present disclosure further relates to unitary bumper beam assemblies obtainable by such methods.

The method comprises the following steps: providing a semi-finished product (11); hot forging by upsetting the semi-finished product (11) to form a blank (13) with a developed surface greater than that of the semi-finished product (11) and less than the developed surface of the wall (3) of the dome; hot forming of the blank (13) to create a preform (15) having a developed surface less than or equal to the developed surface of the wall (3), the preform (15) comprising at least two consecutive portions (19, 21) extending radially in the continuation of one another away from the central axis (A-A), such that for all the portions (19, 21), the average thicknesses and/or convexities of two consecutive portions (19, 21) are distinct; hot deformation of the preform (15) under a press between a die and a punch to form the wall (3).