Method for producing a hybrid leaf spring

A method of making a hybrid leaf spring comprising the steps of:

• providing a primary leaf having an initial camber;
• providing at least one layer of composite material;
• providing a mold having an interior cavity defined by at least one cavity wall, the interior cavity having a curvature for receiving the primary leaf therein at a depressed camber relative to that of the initial camber;
• providing heating means for independently controlling the temperature of the primary leaf;
• positioning the layer of composite material and the primary leaf adjacent to one another in the interior cavity;
• providing a layer of adhesive between, and in engagement with, the layer of composite material and the primary leaf;
• providing a controller having heating data stored therein for generating command signals to the heating means;
• actuating the heating means in response to commands generated by the controller, thereby causing thermal energy to conduct into the layer of adhesive and the layer of composite material;
• and
• curing the layer of adhesive by operating the heating means in accordance with the heating data for bonding together the primary leaf and the layer of composite material at the depressed camber so as to generally eliminate bond line shear stress when the camber of the hybrid leaf spring is at the curb height.