Vehicle member assembly and method for manufacturing the same
AssigneeMagna International Inc.
InventorStephan KAUFHOLD
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for forming a vehicle member assembly for use in an automobile comprises providing a plurality of vehicle blank members, each vehicle blank member comprising aluminum; welding each of the vehicle blank members to at least an adjacent vehicle blank member by friction stir welding to form weld joints between each of the vehicle blank members and at least the adjacent vehicle blank member so as to form a vehicle blank member assembly; and shaping the vehicle blank member assembly into a desired shape. At least a portion of each weld joint comprises equiaxed, recrystallized grains that are flatter and smaller in comparison with grains of microstructure of portions of the vehicle blank members surrounding the weld joint.
Claims14
A method for forming a vehicle member assembly for use in an automobile, comprising:
- providing a plurality of vehicle blank members, each vehicle blank member comprising aluminum;
- welding each of the vehicle blank members to at least an adjacent vehicle blank member by friction stir welding to form weld joints between each of the vehicle blank members and at least the adjacent vehicle blank member so as to form a vehicle blank member assembly,
- wherein at least a portion of each weld joint comprises equiaxed, recrystallized grains that are flatter and smaller in comparison with grains of microstructure of portions of the vehicle blank members surrounding the weld joint;
- and
- shaping the vehicle blank member assembly into a desired shape.
A vehicle member assembly for use in an automobile, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle blank members, each vehicle blank member including aluminum, and
- weld joints connecting each of the vehicle blank members to at least an adjacent vehicle blank member by friction stir welding to form the vehicle blank member assembly,
- wherein at least a portion of each weld joint comprises equiaxed, recrystallized grains that are flatter and smaller in comparison with grains of microstructure of portions of the vehicle blank members surrounding the weld joint, and
- wherein the vehicle member assembly is formed by shaping the vehicle blank member assembly into a desired shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.