STRUCTURAL PANEL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING

Abstract

A method for producing a structural plate assembly comprises providing at least a first material, a second material, and a third material positioned between the first and second materials. The method includes shaping the third material into a wave-like form and observing the wave-like form of the third material using a sensor. The method also includes controlling the movement of a welding device relative to the first or second material using a processor, based on this observation, to weld the first and second materials to the third material.

Description

introduction

[0001] The technical field relates generally to a structural panel assembly and a method of manufacturing the structural panel assembly, and more particularly to a vehicle having a structural panel assembly and the method of manufacturing the structural panel assembly.

[0002] Generally, vehicles comprise a body connected to a frame that encloses the vehicle's components. In battery-powered vehicles, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, one or more parts of the body may be used to enclose and / or support one or more batteries connected to the vehicle. For example, a floor pan may serve to support the occupants and enclose one or more batteries associated with the vehicle. In these cases, additional supports may be required to reinforce the floor pan.

[0003] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a structural panel assembly and a method for manufacturing the structural panel assembly that reduces the need for additional supports. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. Description

[0004] According to various embodiments, a method for manufacturing a structural panel assembly is provided. The method includes providing at least a first material, a second material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The method includes forming the third material to have a wave-like shape and observing, by means of a sensor, the wave-like shape of the third material. The method includes controlling, by means of a processor, movement of a welding device relative to the first material or the second material based on the observation to weld the first material and the second material to the third material.

[0005] Providing the first material, the second material, and the third material further comprises providing a first coil of the first material, a second coil of the second material, and a third coil of the third material. Forming the third material into the undulating shape further comprises forming a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys in the third material using a forming roller. The first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis, and forming the third material to have the undulating shape further comprises forming the third material to have at least one peak extending along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.The first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis, and forming the third material to have the wave-like shape further comprises forming the third material to have at least one peak extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The method includes piercing the third material with at least one piercing roller prior to forming.The first material, the second material, and the third material extend along a longitudinal axis, and controlling, by means of the processor, the movement of the welding device further comprises: determining, by means of the processor, a speed for the welding device; determining, based on observing, a position of the undulating shape relative to an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis; determining, by means of the processor, a position of the welding device relative to the axis based on position data associated with the welding device; calculating, by means of the processor, an error value based on a difference between the position of the undulating shape and the position of the welding device; adjusting, by means of the processor, the speed of the welding device based on the error value; and outputting, by means of the processor, one or more control signals to an actuator to move the welding device at the speed.Determining the speed of the welding device further comprises: calculating, by the processor, an inclination angle for a welding path of the welding device; and calculating, by the processor, the speed based on the inclination angle and a speed associated with a feed of the first material, the second material, and the third material. Calculating the inclination angle is based on a distance of the wave-like shape, a width of the first material, and a parameter of the welding device.Adjusting the speed of the welder further comprises: applying, by the processor, a proportional, integral, and derivative algorithm to determine a correction term for the speed of the welder; adding, by the processor, the correction term to the speed of the welder to obtain a new speed; and outputting, by the processor, one or more control signals to the actuator to move the welder at the new speed. Welding the first material and the second material to the third material further comprises: forming, with the welder, a plurality of intermittent welds between the first material and the third material; and forming, with the welder, a second plurality of intermittent welds between the second material and the third material.

[0006] According to various embodiments, a method for manufacturing a structural plate assembly is also provided. The method includes providing at least a first coil of a first material, a second coil of a second material, and a third coil of a third material, wherein the third material is fed from the third coil such that the third material is positioned between the first material and the second material, and the third material is formed to have a wavy shape having a peak and a valley. The method includes observing the peak and / or valley of the third material using a sensor and controlling movement of a first welding device relative to the first material using a processor based on the observation of the peak to weld the first material to the peak of the third material.The method includes controlling, with the processor, movement of a second welding device relative to the first material based on observing the valley to weld the second material to the valley of the third material.

[0007] Forming the third material to have the wave-like shape further comprises forming a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys in the third material using a pair of forming rolls. The first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis, and forming the third material to have the wave-like shape further comprises forming the third material to have the peak and the valley each extending along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis, and forming the third material to have the wave-like shape further comprises forming the third material such that the peak and the valley each extend along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The method includes piercing the third material with a pair of piercing rolls prior to forming. The first material,the second material and the third material extend along a longitudinal axis, and controlling the movement of the first welding device by means of the processor further comprises: determining a speed for the first welding device by means of the processor; determining a position of the tip relative to an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis based on the observation; determining a position of the first welding device relative to the axis based on position data associated with the first welding device by means of the processor; calculating an error value by means of the processor based on a difference between a position of the tip and the position of the first welding device; adjusting the speed of the first welding device by means of the processor based on the error value; and outputting one or more control signals by means of the processor to an actuator to move the first welding device at the speed,to weld the first material to the tip of the third material. Determining the speed of the first welding device further comprises: calculating, by means of the processor, an inclination angle for a weld path of the first welding device; and calculating, by means of the processor, the speed based on the inclination angle and at least one speed associated with a feed of the third material. The wave-like shape includes a plurality of peaks, and calculating the inclination angle is based on a distance between adjacent peaks, a width of the first material, and a parameter of the first welding device. Adjusting the speed of the first welding device further comprises: applying, by means of the processor, a proportional, integral, and derivative algorithm,to determine a correction term for the speed of the first welding device; adding the correction term to the speed of the first welding device by means of the processor to obtain a new speed; and outputting one or more control signals by means of the processor to the actuator to move the first welding device at the new speed.

[0008] According to various embodiments, a vehicle is also provided. The vehicle includes a frame defining an opening, and a structural panel assembly is connected to the opening. The structural panel assembly includes a first material, a second material opposite the first material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The third material has a wave-like shape having a peak and a valley, and the first material is connected to the peak and the second material is connected to the valley.

[0009] The first material, the second material, and the third material are made of a metal or a metal alloy. The first material is welded to the peak and the second material is welded to the valley. The first material is welded to the peak via a plurality of intermittent welds, and the second material is welded to the valley via a second plurality of intermittent welds. The structural plate assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The structural plate assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The third material includes a plurality of openings. The plurality of openings are defined along a wall connecting the peak to the valley.The opening separates a passenger compartment from a storage compartment for one or more batteries connected to the vehicle.

[0010] According to various embodiments, a vehicle is also provided. The vehicle includes a frame defining an opening separating a passenger compartment from a storage space. The vehicle includes a structural panel assembly connected to the opening to enclose the opening. The structural panel assembly includes a first material, a second material opposite the first material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The third material has a wave-like shape having a peak and a valley. The first material, the second material, and the third material are made of a metal or a metal alloy, and the first material is welded to the peak and the second material is welded to the valley.

[0011] The first material is welded to the peak via a plurality of intermittent welds, and the second material is welded to the valley via a second plurality of intermittent welds. The structural plate assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The structural plate assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The third material includes a plurality of openings. The plurality of openings are defined along a wall connecting the peak to the valley.

[0012] According to various embodiments, a system for manufacturing a structural panel assembly for a vehicle is also provided. The system includes a first material, a second material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material. The system includes a pair of forming rollers configured to receive the third material to impart a wave-like shape to the third material including a peak and a valley, and a sensor that observes at least one of the peaks and valleys. The system includes a controller having a processor configured to: output one or more control signals to control movement of a welding device relative to the first material based on the observation of the peak to weld the first material to the third material at the peak.

[0013] The structural plate assembly extends along a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The structural plate assembly extends along a longitudinal axis, and the peak and valley each extend along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The system includes at least one perforating roller configured to form a plurality of openings in the third material. The controller is further configured to determine a speed for the welder, determine a position of the peak based on observation of the peak, determine a position of the welder based on position data associated with the welder, calculate an error value based on a difference between the position of the peak and the position of the welder, and adjust the speed of the welder based on the error value. Brief description of the drawings

[0014] The exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements and wherein: Fig. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a vehicle having an exemplary structural panel assembly according to various embodiments; Fig. 1A a simplified side view of the vehicle from Fig. 1, which includes the structural panel assembly coupled to a frame of the vehicle according to various embodiments; Fig. 1B is a simplified perspective top view of the vehicle of Fig. 1, including the structural panel assembly connected to the vehicle frame according to various embodiments; Fig. 2 an end view of the structural plate arrangement of Fig. 1 is; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another exemplary structural panel assembly for use with the vehicle; Fig. 4 a perspective view of the structural plate structure of Fig. 3, in which a first upper plate is shown in phantom lines to illustrate the underlying structure; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another exemplary structural panel assembly for use with the vehicle; Fig. 6 a schematic representation of a manufacturing system for producing the structural plate assembly of the Fig. 1-5 is; Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of at least one forming roller for use with the manufacturing system of Fig. 6, to the structural plate arrangement of Fig. 5 is to be formed; Fig. 8 a schematic plan view of part of the manufacturing system of Fig. 6 is; Fig. 9 is a data flow diagram illustrating a control module connected to a manufacturing control system of the manufacturing system in accordance with various embodiments; and Fig. 10-12 are flowcharts illustrating a control method performed by the manufacturing control system in accordance with various embodiments. Detailed description

[0015] The following detailed description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any express or implied theories set forth in the foregoing introduction, the brief summary, or the following detailed description. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and / or processor device, individually or in any combination, including, but not limited to: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), an electronic circuit, a processor (collectively, dedicated, or as a group), and memory executing one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. Such block components may be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure may utilize various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, or the like, capable of performing a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in connection with any number of systems and that the systems described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control, machine learning models, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) are not described in detail here. Furthermore, the connecting lines depicted in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] As used herein, the term "axial" refers to a direction that is generally parallel to or coincident with an axis of rotation, an axis of symmetry, or the centerline of one or more components. For example, for a cylinder or disc with a centerline and generally circular ends or opposite faces, the "axial" direction may refer to the direction generally parallel to the centerline between the opposite ends or faces. In certain cases, the term "axial" may be used relative to components that are not cylindrical (or otherwise radially symmetric). For example, for a rectangular housing containing a rotating shaft, the "axial" direction may be considered a direction generally parallel to or coincident with the shaft's axis of rotation.In addition, the term "radial" as used herein can refer to a direction or relationship of components relative to a line extending outward from a common centerline, axis, or similar datum, for example, in a plane of a cylinder or disk that is perpendicular to the centerline or axis. In certain cases, components may be considered to be oriented "radially" even if one or both components are not cylindrical (or otherwise radially symmetric). In addition, the terms "axial" and "radial" (and any derivatives thereof) can also encompass directional relationships that are not precisely aligned with (for example, oblique to) the actual axial and radial dimensions, provided the relationship is predominantly in the respective nominal axial or radial direction.As used herein, the term "approximately" means within 10% to allow for manufacturing tolerances. Furthermore, the term "substantially" means a variation of less than 10% to allow for manufacturing tolerances.

[0019] With reference to Fig. 1, a structural panel assembly 100 is shown connected to a frame 12 of a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 will be described below as a hybrid or electric vehicle that includes one or more batteries. However, it should be understood that the structural panel assembly 100 may also be used with other vehicles and in other non-vehicle applications. Furthermore, while the vehicle 10 may comprise a passenger car, it should be recognized that any other vehicle, including motorcycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), watercraft, and aircraft, may include one or more of the structural panel assembly 100. In one example, with additional reference to the Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the structural panel assembly 100 is a floor panel separating a passenger compartment, generally designated 14, from a battery storage compartment, generally designated 16. In this example, the frame 12 includes a pair of opposed longitudinal rails 18 extending along an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis L of the vehicle 10, and a pair of crossbars 20 connected to each of the longitudinal rails 18 to define a substantially rectangular floor area. The structural panel assembly 100 is connected to a first surface 22 of each of the longitudinal rails 18 and the crossbars 20 to form the floor panel of the passenger compartment 14 of the vehicle 10 and to enclose one end of the battery storage compartment 16. In one example, the structural panel assembly 100 is welded to the first surface 22 of each of the longitudinal rails 18 and the crossbars 20.The structural panel assembly 100 supports the occupants of the passenger compartment 14 while providing impact resistance to protect one or more batteries in the battery storage compartment 16.

[0020] In Fig. 2, the structural panel assembly 100 is shown in more detail. In one example, the structural panel assembly 100 includes a first, upper panel 102, a second, lower panel 104, and a third, middle panel 106. In this example, the upper panel 102, the lower panel 104, and the intermediate panel 106 are each made of a metal or metal alloy, or material 402a, 404a, 406a, including, but not limited to, aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel, and so on. The upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 have substantially the same thickness T. The thickness T is about 0.7 millimeters (mm) to about 1.1 millimeters (mm), and in one example, about 0.9 millimeters (mm). The intermediate panel 106 may have a thickness T1 that differs from and is less than the thickness T, for example, to save weight.The thickness T1 is about 0.3 millimeters (mm) to about 0.7 millimeters (mm), and in one example, about 0.5 millimeters (mm). In other examples, the thickness T, T1 of the upper plate 102, the lower plate 104, and the intermediate plate 106 may be about the same. The thickness T, T1 is substantially uniform across the upper plate 102, the lower plate 104, and the intermediate plate 106, respectively. The upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 are each planar or flat and each extend along an axis A1, A2 in the Y direction (. Fig. 6). The axis A1 is essentially parallel to the axis A2, and in the example of Fig. 1, the axes A1, A2 are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. The upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 also extend along the longitudinal axis L in an X-direction ( Fig. 6). In general, both the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 can be trimmed or cut along an axis parallel to the axes A1, A2 to form the structural plate assembly 100 with a predefined length L1 along the longitudinal axis L or X-direction ( Fig. 6), which in the example of vehicle 10 is approximately 1.5 meters (m) to approximately 2.5 meters (m). It should be noted that the structural panel assembly 100 can be cut to different lengths depending on the size of the vehicle 10. The structural panel assembly 100 also has a predefined width W, which in this example is approximately 1.3 meters (m) to approximately 2.0 meters (m). The structural panel assembly 100 has a predefined panel thickness PT, which in this example is approximately 20 millimeters (mm) to approximately 50 millimeters (mm).

[0021] In one example, the plate thickness PT is defined by the intermediate plate 106. In this example, the intermediate plate 106 has a wave-like shape 110 that extends the length L1 of the structural plate assembly 100. In one example, the wave-like shape 110 includes a plurality of peaks 112 alternating with a plurality of valleys 114. The peaks 112 are spaced apart by a peak distance PD, which in one example is about 40 millimeters (mm) to about 100 millimeters (mm). A plurality of walls 116 interconnect the peaks 112 and the valleys 114. In this example, each of the walls 116 extends at an angle α of approximately 45 degrees relative to the upper plate 102. Additionally, each of the walls 116 extends at an angle α of approximately 45 degrees relative to the lower plate 104. In this example, each of the walls 116 is solid or free of openings.Generally, each of the walls 116 is defined to extend at an angle of approximately 45 degrees between the top plate 102 and the bottom plate 104 to define a plurality of closed sections or triangles 118 in cross-section when the intermediate plate 106 is connected to the top plate 102 and the bottom plate 104. The triangles 118, defined by the undulating shape 110, act as a truss and distribute the received loads radially and / or axially across an area of ​​the structural plate assembly 100. The formation of the closed sections or triangles 118 also contributes to energy absorption and resists buckling and flexion of the structural plate assembly 100. The distribution of loads due to the undulating shape 110 of the intermediate plate 106 protects the components housed in the battery storage compartment 16 (Fig. Fig. 1) and also allows the structural plate assembly 100 to support the weight of the occupants in the passenger compartment 14 ( Fig. 1) to withstand.

[0022] In one example, the peaks 112 are connected to the upper plate 102 and the valleys 114 are connected to the lower plate 104, such that the triangles 118 are shaped to extend along the axes A1, A2. In this example, the peaks 112 and the valleys 114 are respectively connected to the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 via a series of welds to form the closed sections or triangles 118. Generally, the upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 are each welded to the intermediate panel 106 by stitch welding or a plurality of line welds 120 that are intermittently spaced or along the X-direction ( Fig. 6). It should be noted that in other examples, the upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 may each be welded to the intermediate panel 106 by spot welding or a plurality of spot welds that are intermittent or spaced along the X direction. Furthermore, it should be noted that the stitch or line welds 120, depicted here as linear welds, may also be formed with an oscillating pattern, such as a sinusoidal pattern, if desired. The line welds 120 are defined to extend in the direction of the axis A1 along the upper plate 102 at each of the tips 112 to weld the tips 112 to the upper plate 102. The line welds 120 are defined to extend in the direction of the axis A1 along the bottom plate 104 at each of the valleys 114 to weld the valleys 114 to the bottom plate 104.The line welds 120 rigidly and securely connect the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to the intermediate plate 106. Generally, the line welds 120 are spaced apart along the axis A1 such that the line welds 120 are discrete or discontinuous along the respective peaks 112 and valleys 114. Because the welds 120 are discontinuous or spaced apart, a problem with one of the welds 120 does not necessarily propagate to another of the welds 120. In other words, the end of each individual "seam" or weld 120 serves as a stopping point in the event of a problem with the weld 120. In this example, each of the peaks 112 and valleys 114 includes at least one or more of the welds 120.It should be noted that in other embodiments, one or more of the peaks 112 and / or valleys 114 may not include line welds 120, and furthermore, other types of welds may be used to connect the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to the intermediate plate 106.

[0023] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the structural plate assembly 100 may be configured differently to provide support and shock resistance. Fig. 3, for example, a structural plate assembly 200 is shown. Since the structural plate assembly 200 includes components that are the same as or similar to the components of the structural plate assembly 100, which are arranged relative to the Fig. 1-2, the same reference numbers are used to refer to the same or similar components. In one example, the structural panel assembly 200 is shown in more detail. The structural panel assembly 200 may be connected to the first surface 22 of each of the longitudinal rails 18 and the cross members 20 to form the floor panel of the passenger compartment 14 of the vehicle 10 and to enclose one end of the battery storage compartment 16 ( Fig. 1). The structural panel assembly 200 provides support to the occupants of the passenger compartment 14 while also providing shock resistance to protect one or more batteries contained within the battery storage compartment 16.

[0024] In one example, the structural panel assembly 200 includes the first, upper panel 102, the second, lower panel 104, and a third, middle panel 206. In this example, the intermediate panel 206 is made of material 406a. The intermediate panel 206 has a thickness T1 that is substantially uniform across the intermediate panel 206. The upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 are each planar or flat and extend along the respective axis A1, A2. The axis A1 is substantially parallel to the axis A2, and in the example of Fig. 3, the axes A1, A2 are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis L2 of the structural panel assembly 200. In general, the upper panel 102, the lower panel 104, and the intermediate panel 206 can be trimmed or cut along an axis parallel to the axes A1, A2 to define the structural panel assembly 200 with the predefined length L1. The structural panel assembly 200 also has the predefined width W. The structural panel assembly 200 has the predefined panel thickness PT.

[0025] In one example, the plate thickness PT is defined by the intermediate plate 206. In this example, the intermediate plate 206 has a wave-like shape 210 that extends the length L1 of the structural plate assembly 200. In one example, the wave-like shape 210 includes a plurality of peaks 212 alternating with a plurality of valleys 214. The peaks 212 are spaced apart from each other by the peak distance PD. A plurality of walls 216 interconnect the peaks 212 and the valleys 214. In this example, each of the walls 216 extends at an angle α of approximately 45 degrees relative to the upper plate 102. Additionally, each of the walls 216 extends at an angle α of approximately 45 degrees relative to the lower plate 104.Generally, each of the walls 216 is defined to extend at an angle of approximately 45 degrees between the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to define a plurality of closed sections or triangles 218 in cross-section when the intermediate plate 206 is connected to the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104. The triangles 218 defined by the undulating shape 210 act as a truss and distribute the received loads radially and / or axially across a surface of the structural plate assembly 200. The formation of the closed sections or triangles 218 also aids in energy absorption and resists buckling and flexion of the structural plate assembly 200. The distribution of loads due to the undulating shape 210 of the intermediate plate 206 protects the components housed in the battery storage compartment 16 (Fig. Fig. 1) and also allows the structural plate assembly 200 to support the weight of the occupants in the passenger compartment 14 ( Fig. 1) to withstand.

[0026] With reference to Fig. 4, in one example, each of the walls 216 includes at least one or a plurality of openings 220 defined to extend through the wall 216 from a first surface 216a of the wall 216 to an opposite second surface 216b of the wall 216. In this example, the plurality of openings 220 comprise a plurality of alternating isosceles triangles defined to extend along an axis parallel to the axes A1, A2. In other words, the plurality of openings 220 are defined such that a vertex 222 of a first one of the openings 220 is adjacent to a base 224 of an adjacent second one of the openings 220. Generally, the openings 220 are defined such that the wall 216 has a plurality of legs 226 connecting the respective vertex 212 to the respective valley 214.The plurality of legs 226 are defined to extend at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the respective depression 214. The openings 220 allow for mass savings for the structural panel assembly 200. It should be noted that although the openings 220 are illustrated and described herein as a plurality of alternating isosceles triangles, the openings 220 may have any desired shape and may be formed in any predetermined pattern.

[0027] The peaks 212 are connected to the upper plate 102, and the valleys 214 are connected to the lower plate 104, such that the triangles 218 are shaped to extend along the axes A1, A2. In this example, the peaks 212 and the valleys 214 are each connected to the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 via a series of welds. Generally, the upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 are each welded to the intermediate panel 206 by stitch welding or the plurality of line welds 120 that are intermittent or spaced apart in the Y direction ( Fig. 6). It should be noted that in other examples, the upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 may each be welded to the intermediate panel 206 by spot welding or a plurality of spot welds that are intermittent or spaced apart in the X direction. Furthermore, it should be noted that the stitch or line welds 120, depicted here as linear welds, may also be formed with an oscillating pattern, such as a sinusoidal pattern, if desired. The line welds 120 are defined to extend in the direction of the axis A1 along the upper plate 102 at each of the tips 212 to weld the tips 212 to the upper plate 102. The line welds 120 are defined to extend in the direction of the axis A1 along the bottom plate 104 at each of the valleys 214 to weld the valleys 214 to the bottom plate 104.The line welds 120 rigidly and securely connect the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to the intermediate plate 206. Generally, the line welds 120 are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the axis A1 such that the line welds 120 are discrete or discontinuous along the respective peaks 212 and valleys 214. In this example, each of the peaks 212 and valleys 214 includes at least one or a plurality of the weld lines 120. It should be noted that in other embodiments, one or more of the peaks 212 and / or valleys 214 may not include line welds 120, and furthermore, other types of welds may be used to connect the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to the intermediate plate 206.

[0028] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the structural plate assembly 100 may be configured differently to provide support and shock resistance. Fig. 5, for example, a structural plate assembly 300 is shown. Since the structural plate assembly 300 includes components that are the same as or similar to the components of the structural plate assembly 100, which are arranged relative to the Fig. 1-2, the same reference numbers are used to refer to the same or similar components. In one example, the structural panel assembly 300 is shown in more detail. The structural panel assembly 300 may be connected to the first surface 22 of each of the longitudinal rails 18 and the cross members 20 to form the floor panel of the passenger compartment 14 of the vehicle 10 and to enclose one end of the battery storage compartment 16 ( Fig. 1). The structural panel assembly 300 provides support to the occupants of the passenger compartment 14 while also providing shock resistance to protect one or more batteries contained within the battery storage compartment 16.

[0029] In one example, the structural panel assembly 300 includes the first, upper panel 102, the second, lower panel 104, and a third, middle panel 306. In this example, the intermediate panel 306 is made of material 406a. The intermediate panel 306 has a thickness T1 that is substantially uniform across the intermediate panel 306. The upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 are each planar or flat and extend along the respective axis A1, A2. The axis A1 is substantially parallel to the axis A2, and in the example of Fig. 5, the axes A1, A2 are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis L3 of the structural panel assembly 300. In general, the upper panel 102, the lower panel 104, and the intermediate panel 306 can be trimmed or cut along an axis parallel to the axes A1, A2 to define the structural panel assembly 300 with the predefined length L1. The structural panel assembly 300 also has the predefined width W. The structural panel assembly 300 has the predefined panel thickness PT.

[0030] In one example, the plate thickness PT is defined by the intermediate plate 306. In this example, the intermediate plate 306 has a wave-like shape 310 that extends the length L1 of the structural plate assembly 300. In one example, the wave-like shape 310 includes a plurality of peaks 312 alternating with a plurality of valleys 314. The peaks 312 are spaced apart from each other by the peak distance PD. A plurality of walls 316 connect the peaks 312 and the valleys 314. In this example, each of the walls 316 extends at an angle α relative to the upper plate 102. Furthermore, each of the walls 316 extends at an angle α relative to the lower plate 104. In this example, each of the walls 316 is solid.Generally, each of the walls 316 is defined to extend at an angle of approximately 45 degrees between the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to define a plurality of closed sections or triangles 318 in cross-section when the intermediate plate 306 is connected to the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104. The triangles 318, defined by the undulating shape 310, act like trusses, distributing the radially or axially absorbed loads over an area of ​​the structural plate assembly 300. The formation of the closed sections or triangles 318 also contributes to energy absorption and resists buckling and flexion of the structural plate assembly 300. The distribution of loads due to the undulating shape 310 of the intermediate plate 106 protects the components housed in the battery storage compartment 16 (Fig. Fig. 1) and allows the structural plate assembly 300 to support the weight of the occupants in the passenger compartment 14 ( Fig. 1) to withstand.

[0031] In one example, peaks 312 are connected to upper plate 102 and valleys 314 are connected to lower plate 104 such that triangles 318 are shaped to extend along longitudinal axis L3. In this example, peaks 312 and valleys 314 are each connected to upper plate 102 and lower plate 104, respectively, via a series of welds. Generally, upper panel 102 and lower panel 104 are each welded to intermediate panel 306 by stitch welding or a plurality of line welds 320 that are intermittent or spaced apart in the X direction ( Fig. 6). It should be noted that in other examples, the upper panel 102 and the lower panel 104 may each be welded to the intermediate panel 306 by spot welding or a plurality of spot welds that are intermittent or spaced apart in the X direction. Furthermore, it should be noted that the stitch or line welds 320, depicted here as linear welds, may also be formed with an oscillating pattern, such as a sinusoidal pattern, if desired. The line welds 320 are defined to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis L3 along the upper plate 102 at each of the tips 312 to weld the tips 312 to the upper plate 102. The line welds 320 are defined to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis L3 along the bottom plate 104 at each of the valleys 314 to weld the valleys 314 to the bottom plate 104.Welds 320 rigidly and securely connect upper plate 102 and lower plate 104 to intermediate plate 306. Generally, line welds 320 are spaced along longitudinal axis A3 such that line welds 320 are discrete or discontinuous along respective peaks 312 and valleys 314. Because welds 320 are intermittent or spaced, a problem with one of welds 320 does not necessarily propagate to another of welds 320. In other words, the end of each individual "seam" or weld line 320 serves as a stopping point in the event of a problem with weld line 320. In this example, each of peaks 312 and valleys 314 includes at least one or more of welds 320.It should be noted that in other embodiments, one or more of the peaks 312 and / or valleys 314 may not include line welds 320, and furthermore, other types of welds may be used to connect the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104 to the intermediate plate 306.

[0032] In one example, with reference to Fig. 6 shows a manufacturing system 400 for forming or manufacturing the structural panel assembly 100, 200, 300. In this example, the manufacturing system 400 includes a first, upper material reel 402, a second, lower material reel 404, a third, middle material reel 406, at least one forming roll 408, 508, at least one orientation roll 410, at least one thickness adjustment system 412, a welding system 414, a sensor system 416, and a controller 418. The manufacturing system 400 may also include a cutting system 420. In the example of the structural panel assembly 200, the manufacturing system 400 also includes at least one perforating roll 422.The upper material spool 402, the lower material spool 404, the middle material spool 406, the at least one thickness adjustment system 412, the welding system 414, the sensor system 416, and the cutting system 420 may communicate with the controller 418 via a suitable communication architecture that supports the transfer of power, data, and so forth, including, but not limited to, a communication bus. It should be noted that in certain embodiments, the manufacturing system 400 may also include a press or at least one pair of press rolls in communication with the upper material spool 402 and / or the lower material spool 404 to receive the respective material 402a, 404a. The press or the at least one pair of press rolls may be used to add holes or other openwork features to facilitate the subsequent mounting of the material 402a, 404a to the frame 12 (Fig. Fig. 1). The press or the at least one pair of press rolls may also communicate with the controller 418 via a suitable communication architecture that supports the transfer of power, data, and so forth, including, but not limited to, a communication bus.

[0033] The facestock spool 402 includes the material 402a for forming the top plate 102. In this example, the facestock spool 402 includes the material 402a formed as a flat or planar continuous web and wound into a coil to form a cylinder. The facestock spool 402 may have a first central bore 424 that receives a shaft 426 or the like to allow the facestock spool 402 to rotate. For example, the facestock spool 402 may be coupled to the shaft 426 and driven by a motor in communication with the controller 418 and responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to rotate at a predetermined speed to feed the material 402a for the top plate 102 to the at least one alignment roller 410.The upper material spool 402 may also be supported by a frame or the like connected to the shaft 434 to support the upper material spool 402 during rotation. In one example, the upper material spool 402 has a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300. The Y direction is perpendicular to an X direction and a Z direction in a coordinate system 435. The X direction is parallel to the direction of movement D of the material 402a, 404a, 406a through the manufacturing system 400, and the Z direction is perpendicular to the direction of movement D and the X direction.

[0034] The flooring material spool 404 includes the material 404a for forming the floor panel 104. In this example, the flooring material spool 404 includes the material 404a formed as a flat or planar continuous web and wound into a coil to form a cylinder. The flooring material spool 404 may have a second central bore 428 that receives a shaft 430 or the like to enable rotation of the flooring material spool 404. For example, the flooring material spool 404 may be coupled to the shaft 430 and driven by a motor that is in communication with the controller 418 and responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to rotate at a predetermined speed to feed the material 404a for the floor panel 104 to the at least one alignment roller 410.The lower material spool 404 may also be supported by a frame or the like connected to the shaft 434 to support the lower material spool 404 during rotation. In one example, the lower material spool 404 has a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0035] The intermediate material spool 406 includes the material 406a for forming the intermediate plate 106. In this example, the intermediate material spool 406 includes the material 406a formed as a flat or planar continuous web and wound into a coil to form a cylinder. The intermediate material spool 406 may have a third central bore 432 that receives a shaft 434 or the like to enable rotation of the intermediate material spool 406. For example, the intermediate material spool 406 may be coupled to the shaft 434 and driven by a motor that is in communication with the controller 418 and responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to rotate at a predetermined speed to feed the material 406a for the intermediate plate 106 to the at least one forming roller 408.The intermediate material coil 406 may also be supported by a frame or the like connected to the shaft 434 to support the intermediate material coil 406 during rotation. In one example, the intermediate material coil 406 has a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0036] In one example, the at least one forming roller 408 comprises a first forming roller 408a and a second forming roller 408b. The first forming roller 408a is opposite the second forming roller 408b and is positioned in front of the second forming roller 408b in the direction of travel of the material 406a for the intermediate plate 106, 206. In this example, the first forming roller 408a is offset from the second forming roller 408b. The forming rollers 408a, 408b each have a plurality of toothings 436a, 436b. The toothing 436a of the first forming roller 408a is shaped to mesh with the toothing 436b of the second forming roller 408b.In this example, an upper land TL connected to each of the gear teeth 436a, 436b extends along an axis transverse to a direction of the material 406a of the intermediate material coil 406, such that the undulating shape 110, 210 includes peaks 112, 212 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the structural plate assembly 100, 200 (. Fig. 1 and Fig. 3). The forming rollers 408a, 408b may each have a central roller bore 438 that receives a shaft 440 or the like to allow each of the forming rollers 408a, 408b to rotate.

[0037] As the material 406a of the intermediate material coil 406 passes through the forming rollers 408a, 408b, the forming rollers 408a, 408b rotate, and the gears 436a, 436b cooperate to form the wave-like shape 110, 210 in the material 406a of the intermediate plate 106, 206. Generally, the gear teeth 436a, 436b are defined around the circumference of the respective forming roller 408a, 408b with a pitch that defines the peaks 112, 212 and the valleys 114, 214 at an angle α. The forming rollers 408a, 408b may also be supported by a frame or the like coupled to the respective shaft 440 to support the forming rollers 408a, 408b during rotation. In one example, the forming rollers 408a, 408b have a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200.

[0038] It should be noted that in the case of the intermediate plate 306, the forming rollers 408a, 408b can be configured differently. Fig. 7, for example, at least one forming roller 508 is shown. The at least one forming roller 508 comprises a first forming roller 508a and a second forming roller 508b. The first forming roller 508a is opposite the second forming roller 508b and is positioned in front of the second forming roller 508b in the running direction of the material 406a for the intermediate plate 306. In this example, the first forming roller 508a is offset from the second forming roller 508b. The forming rollers 508a, 508b each have a plurality of toothings 536a, 536b. The toothing 536a of the first forming roller 508a is shaped such that it meshes with the toothing 536b of the second forming roller 508b.In this example, an upper land TL1 connected to each of the gear teeth 536a, 536b extends along an axis parallel to a direction of the material 406a of the intermediate material coil 406, such that the undulating shape 310 includes the peaks 312 that are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L3 of the structural plate assembly 300 (. Fig. 5). The forming rollers 508a, 508b may each have a central roller bore 538 that receives a shaft 540 or the like to allow each of the forming rollers 508a, 508b to rotate. As the material 406a of the intermediate material coil 406 passes through the forming rollers 508a, 508b, the forming rollers 508a, 508b rotate, and the gears 536a, 536b cooperate to form the wave-like shape 310 in the material 406a of the intermediate plate 306. Generally, the gear teeth 536a, 536b are defined around the circumference of the respective forming roller 508a, 508b with a pitch that defines the peaks 312 and valleys 314 at an angle α. The forming rollers 508a, 508b may also be supported by a frame or the like coupled to the respective shaft 540 to support the forming rollers 508a, 508b during rotation. In one example, the forming rollers 508a, 508b have a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 300.

[0039] Back to Fig. 6: The at least one alignment roller 410 comprises a first alignment roller 410a and a second alignment roller 410b. The first orientation roller 410a is opposite the second orientation roller 410b and is spaced apart from the first orientation roller 410a to allow the material 402a of the upper plate 102, that of the lower plate 104, and the wave-shaped shape 110, 210, 310 in the material 406a of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 to be aligned. In general, the alignment rollers 410a, 410b ensure that the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104, respectively, is axially aligned with the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306. The alignment rollers 410a, 410b also ensure that the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104, respectively, is substantially flat and smooth before reaching the welding system 414.In other words, the orientation rollers 410a, 410b can eliminate the curvature caused by the material 402a of the upper plate 102 or the material 404a of the lower plate 104 when wound into the coil.

[0040] The alignment rollers 410a, 410b may each have a second central roller bore 442 that receives a shaft 444 or the like to allow each of the alignment rollers 410a, 410b to rotate. The alignment rollers 410a, 410b have a substantially smooth outer periphery that assists in aligning the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104, respectively, while ensuring that the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104 are substantially flat before reaching the welding system 414.As the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104 pass through the alignment rollers 410a, 410b, the alignment rollers 410a, 410b rotate, and the outer periphery of the alignment rollers 410a, 410b cooperates to axially align the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104, respectively, with the wave-like shape 110, 210, 310 in the material 406a of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306. The alignment rollers 410a, 410b may also be supported by a frame or the like coupled to the respective shaft 444 to support the alignment rollers 410a, 410b during rotation. In one example, the alignment rollers 410a, 410b have a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0041] In one example, the at least one thickness adjustment system 412 includes a first thickness adjustment system 412a and a second thickness adjustment system 412b. The first thickness adjustment system 412a is located upstream of the second thickness adjustment system 412b in the direction D of material flow 402a, 404a, 406a through the manufacturing system 400. Both the first thickness adjustment system 412a and the second thickness adjustment system 412b include a first pressure roller 446, a second pressure roller 448, and a friction plate 450. The first pressure roller 446 and the second pressure roller 448 may each have a third roller center bore 452 that receives a shaft 454 or the like to allow each of the pressure rollers 446, 448 to rotate.The pressure rollers 446, 448 have a substantially smooth outer periphery and are controlled, for example, via the controller 418, to apply pressure to the respective material 402a for the upper plate 102 and the material 402b for the lower plate 104. It should be noted that in other examples, the pressure rollers 446, 448 may be fixed relative to the friction plate 450 at the predetermined plate thickness PT and supported on a frame or the like to allow rotation. In one example, the pressure rollers 446, 448 have a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0042] The friction plate 450 is rectangular and has a Y-direction width equal to or greater than the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300. The friction plate 450 has an X-direction axial length FL that is approximately one to five times the peak-to-peak distance PD, which in one example is approximately 50 millimeters (mm) to approximately 500 millimeters (mm). Generally, the axial length FL is predetermined to allow the welding system 414 to bond the material 402a bonded to the upper plate 102 to the material 406a bonded to the lower plate 104. The friction plate 450 is substantially planar and cooperates with the pressure rollers 446, 448 to ensure that the material 402a, 404a, 406a is welded by the welding system 414 to form the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 to the predetermined plate thickness PT.In addition, the friction plate 450 cooperates with the pressure rollers 446, 448 to press the material 402a of the upper plate 102 and the material 404a of the lower plate 104 against the material 406a of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 to ensure sufficient contact for the formation of the welds 120, 320.

[0043] In the example of the first thickness adjustment system 412a, the pressure rollers 446, 448 are positioned to contact the material 402a of the upper platen 102, and the friction plate 450 is positioned to contact the material 404a of the lower platen 104. In the example of the second thickness adjustment system 412b, the pressure rollers 446, 448 are positioned to contact the material 404a bonded to the lower platen 104, and the friction plate 450 is positioned to contact the material 402a bonded to the upper platen 102. Note that in other examples, the arrangement may be reversed.

[0044] In the example of the first thickness adjustment system 412a, the first pressure roller 446 is located upstream of the second pressure roller 448 in the direction D of material flow 402a, 404a, 406a through the manufacturing system 400. The pressure rollers 446, 448 of the first thickness adjustment system 412a are positioned opposite the friction plate 450 of the first thickness adjustment system 412a. The pressure rollers 446, 448 are spaced apart such that the first pressure roller 446 is opposite a first end of the friction plate 450 and the second pressure roller 448 is opposite a second end of the friction plate 450. The pressure rollers 446, 448 and the friction plate 450 of the first thickness adjustment system 412a cooperate to ensure that the material 402a, 404a, 406a used to form the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 is welded to the predetermined plate thickness PT.In one example, the pressure rollers 446, 448 apply a pressure of about 1.0 pounds per square inch (psi) to about 20 pounds per square inch (psi) to the material 402a of the upper platen 102 to compress the material 402a, 404a, 406a toward the friction plate 450 of the first thickness adjustment system 412a to the plate thickness PT and to ensure contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a during welding. The given values ​​for the pressure are merely examples, since the pressure exerted by the pressure rollers 446, 448 is predefined based on the thickness T1 of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 and the predetermined amount of compression to achieve contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a during welding.

[0045] In the example of the second thickness adjustment system 412b, the first pressure roller 446 is located in front of the second pressure roller 448 in direction D of the material flow 402a, 404a, 406a through the production system 400. The pressure rollers 446, 448 of the second thickness adjustment system 412b are positioned opposite the friction plate 450 of the second thickness adjustment system 412b. The pressure rollers 446, 448 are spaced apart such that the first pressure roller 446 is positioned opposite a first end of the friction plate 450 and the second pressure roller 448 is positioned opposite a second end of the friction plate 450. The pressure rollers 446, 448 and the friction plate 450 of the second thickness adjustment system 412b cooperate to ensure that the material 402a, 404a, 406a used to form the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 is welded to the predetermined plate thickness PT.In one example, the pressure rollers 446, 448 apply a pressure of about 1.0 pounds per square inch (psi) to about 20 pounds per square inch (psi) to the material 404a of the lower platen 104 to compress the material 402a, 404a, 406a toward the friction plate 450 of the second thickness adjustment system 412b to the plate thickness PT and to ensure contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a during welding. The given values ​​for the pressure are merely examples, since the pressure exerted by the pressure rollers 446, 448 is predefined based on the thickness T1 of the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, the width W of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 and the predetermined amount of compression to achieve contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a during welding.

[0046] As the material 402a of the upper platen 102, the material 406a of the intermediate platens 106, 206, 306, and the material 404a of the lower platen 104 pass through the first thickness adjustment system 412a, the first pressure roller 446 applies pressure to the material 402a connected to the upper platen 102 while rotating to move the material 402a toward the friction plate 450 and thereby the material 406a connected to the intermediate platens 106, 206, 306 and the material 404a connected to the lower platen 104. As will be discussed, the welding system 414 welds the material 402a bonded to the upper plate 102 to the material 406a bonded to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 as the arrangement of materials 402a, 404a, 406a continues to move in direction D.The second pressure roller 448 applies pressure to the material 402a bonded to the upper platen 102 while rotating to maintain the arrangement of the materials 402a, 404a, 406a at the predetermined plate thickness PT and to ensure contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a. As the material 402a of the upper platen 102, the material 406a of the intermediate plates 106, 206, 306, and the material 404a of the lower platen 104 continue to move in direction D, the material 402a, 404a, 406a passes through the second thickness adjustment system 412b. The first pressure roller 446 exerts pressure on the material 404a of the lower plate 104 as it rotates to move the material 404a toward the friction plate 450, and thereby also the material 406a of the intermediate plates 106, 206, 306 and the material 402a of the upper plate 102.As will be discussed later, the welding system 414 welds the material 404a bonded to the bottom plate 104 to the material 406a bonded to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 as the assembly of materials 402a, 404a, 406a continues to move in direction D. The second pressure roller 448 applies pressure to the material 404a bonded to the bottom plate 104 as it rotates to maintain the assembly of materials 402a, 404a, 406a at the predetermined plate thickness PT and to ensure contact between the materials 402a, 404a, 406a.

[0047] In one example, the welding system 414 includes a first welding subsystem 414a and a second welding subsystem 414b. The first welding subsystem 414a cooperates with the first thickness adjustment system 412a, while the second welding subsystem 414b cooperates with the second thickness adjustment system 412b. Both the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b include at least one or more laser welding machines or laser welders 460. Each of the laser welders 460 is responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to output a laser beam that joins or welds the top plate 102 or the bottom plate 104 to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, respectively.

[0048] In general, Fig. 8 shows a schematic representation of the first welding subsystem 414a and the first thickness adjustment system 412a. Since the first welding subsystem 414a and the first thickness adjustment system 412a are identical to the second welding subsystem 414b and the second thickness adjustment system 412b, respectively, but are rotated 180 degrees to weld the material 404a connected to the base plate 104 to the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, the second welding subsystem 414b and the second thickness adjustment system 412b are not explained in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0049] In this example, the first welding device subsystem 414a includes three laser welders 460 controlled by the controller 418 to move substantially in unison to join or weld the material 402a to the material 406a. Each of the laser welders 460 includes a light source 462, a reflector 464, optics 466, and a power supply 468. The light source 462 is powered and controlled by the power supply 468 and the controller 418 to generate light in a resonant cavity 470. The light is expanded and reflected by the reflector 464, the optics 466, and exits as a concentrated laser beam 472 focused on a spot in the material 402a of the top plate 102.Each laser welder 460 is configured to apply the laser beam 472 to a weld location to form a weld joining the material 402a connected to the top plate 102 to the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306. In general, the laser welders 460 can be controlled by the controller 418 to produce a predetermined type of weld at the weld location, including, but not limited to, the stitch weld or the line weld 120, 320. It should be noted that the illustration of the laser welders 460 in FIG. Fig. 8 is merely exemplary, as the light source 462 may be configured as a standalone, floor-standing device, with glass fibers guiding the laser beam 472 from the light source 462 to the optics 466 for laser welding.

[0050] In general, the movement of the laser welders 460 is substantially linear, and the laser welders 460 have only one degree of freedom, namely the position of the laser welders 460 along their respective linear path. In one example, a carriage assembly supported by linear rails and / or linear bearings may be used to move each of the laser welders 460 along the linear path. The carriage assembly supporting the laser welders 460 may be moved along the linear rails and / or linear bearings by a motor responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418. The motor communicates with the controller 418 via a suitable communication architecture supporting the transfer of power, data, and so forth, including, but not limited to, a communication bus.In one example, the motor is a servo motor, a stepper motor, or other motor, and the rotational power of the motor can be converted into linear motion of the carriage assembly by a lead screw and nut, a ball screw, a chain and pinion, a timing belt and pulleys, or the like. Alternatively, an industrial manufacturing robot can be coupled to the carriage assembly and respond to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to move the laser welders 460.

[0051] In the example of the stitch or line welding 120, 320, as in the Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 8, the laser welders 460 are controlled to move the laser beam 472 across the material 402a along a predetermined weld path P. In this example, the laser welders 460 include an actuator 474 that responds to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to move the laser welders 460 along the weld path P. The actuator 474 is any suitable actuator, including, but not limited to, a servo motor, a stepper motor, and so on. In this example, the weld path P is defined transversely or obliquely to the direction of movement D of the material 402a, 404a, 406a through the manufacturing system 400. In one example, the weld path P of the laser welders 460 is defined with an inclination angle θ relative to the Y direction. The inclination angle θ is defined by the following equation: θ=atanPDNW

[0052] Where PD is the predetermined peak pitch defined between adjacent peaks 112, 212, 312; N is the number of laser welders 460; and W is the predefined width W of the resulting structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300. In general, the tilt angle defines the weld path P of the laser welders 460 relative to the transverse or Y direction. As the laser welders 460 move along the weld path P, they are controlled by the controller 418 to emit the laser beam 472 to weld the material 402a bonded to the top plate 102 to the material 406a bonded to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306. Generally, the position of each of the laser welders 460 in the X direction (x coordinate) and the Y direction (y coordinate) is known from a position sensor connected to the actuator 474, including, but not limited to, an encoder.Each of the laser welders 460 is also connected to the controller 418 to transmit the position of the laser welders 460 in (x, y) coordinates to the controller 418.

[0053] Back to Fig. 6: The sensor system 416 includes one or more sensing devices 416a-416n that sense observable conditions of the manufacturing system 400. In various embodiments, the sensor devices 416a-416n include, among others, optical cameras (e.g., front-facing, 360-degree, rear-facing, side-facing, stereo cameras, and so on), displacement sensors (e.g., encoders), and / or other sensors that may be used in connection with systems and methods according to the present subject matter. In one example, the sensing devices 416a-416n include a first optical camera 416a and a second optical camera 416b. Generally, the first optical camera 416a and the second optical camera 416b are each a stereo camera assembly capable of acquiring stereo images with depth information.For example, the first optical camera 416a and the second optical camera 416b may each comprise a stereo camera with two or more lenses and image sensors positioned to capture stereoscopic images of the manufacturing system 400 with depth information. In this example, the first optical camera 416a is a stereo camera assembly for capturing images of the assembly of the material 402a, 404a, 406a while the material is being welded by the first welding subsystem 414a. Generally, the first optical camera 416a is mounted over a frame or other support structure to observe the tips 112, 212, 312 and the laser welders 460 while the laser welders 460 weld the material 402a connected to the top plate 102 to the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306.The second optical camera 416b is a stereo camera assembly for capturing images of the assembly of the material 402a, 404a, 406a while the material is being welded by the second welding subsystem 414b. Generally, the second optical camera 416b is mounted over a frame or other supporting structure to observe the valleys 114, 214, 314 and the laser welders 460 as the laser welders 460 weld the material 404a connected to the bottom plate 104 to the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306.By observing the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 of the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 and the laser welders 460 of the welding system 414, the image data from the optical cameras 416a, 416b can be used to determine whether the laser welders 460 are welding the material 402a, 404a connected to the upper plate 102 and the lower plate 104, respectively, to the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 of the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, respectively. Images may be captured by optical cameras 416a, 416b depending on various timings or other considerations. In certain examples, optical cameras 416a, 416b may capture images continuously as material 402a, 404a, 406a moves through manufacturing system 400 (based on one or more control signals from controller 418).

[0054] It should be noted that although two optical cameras 416a, 416b are shown and described here, the sensor system 416 may include any number of optical cameras for observing the manufacturing system 400. Furthermore, the optical cameras 416a, 416b, although described here as stereo camera assemblies, may also include mono camera assemblies or another type of sensor capable of providing real-time information about the position of the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 of the material 406a to synchronize the movement of the laser welders 460 with the movement of the material 406a.It should also be noted that the sensor system 416 can also be used to confirm the quality of the manufacturing process or as a quality control to ensure that the final positions of the line welds 120 relative to the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 are uniform and consistent.

[0055] The manufacturing system 400 may also include a cutting system 420. Once the material 402a, 404a, 406a is welded to the predetermined plate thickness PT by the welding system 414, the cutting system 420 may be used to cut the material 402a, 404a, 406a into the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 having a desired length for connection to the vehicle 10 ( Fig. 1). Generally, the cutting system 420 is any suitable mechanical cutting system, including, but not limited to, scissors, a saw, an abrasive cutter, a waterjet cutter, a laser cutter, a plasma cutter, or a CNC mill. The cutting system 420 cuts the continuous output of assembled material 402a, 404a, 406a exiting the second thickness adjustment system 412b into individual structural panel assemblies 100, 200, 300 suitable for installation in the vehicle 10. In one example, the cutting system 420 is responsive to one or more control signals from the controller 418 to actuate and cut through the material 402a, 404a, 406a to define the structural panel assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0056] In the example of the structural plate assembly 200, the manufacturing system 400 also includes at least one perforating roller 422. The at least one perforating roller 422 can be synchronized with the at least one forming roller 408. In one example, the at least one perforating roller 422 includes a first perforating roller 422a and a second perforating roller 422b. The first perforating roller 422a is opposite the second perforating roller 422b and is positioned in front of the second perforating roller 422b in the running direction D of the material 406a for the intermediate plate 206. In this example, the first perforating roller 422a is offset from the second perforating roller 422b. The perforating rollers 422a, 422b each include a plurality of perforating teeth 480a, 480b. The hole teeth 480a of the first hole roller 422a are shaped to cooperate with the hole teeth 480b of the second hole roller 422b, and for example, the hole teeth 480a may comprise male hole teeth while the hole teeth 480b may comprise female hole teeth.In this example, each of the hole teeth 480a, 480b extends along an axis that is transverse to a direction of the material 406a of the intermediate material coil 406, such that the openings 220 extend along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the structural plate assembly 200 (. Fig. 3). The piercing rollers 422a, 422b may each have a central piercing bore 482 that receives a shaft 484 or the like to allow each of the piercing rollers 422a, 422b to rotate. As the material 406a of the intermediate material spool 406 passes through the piercing rollers 422a, 422b, the piercing rollers 422a, 422b rotate, and the piercing teeth 480a, 480b cooperate to form the openings 220 in the material 406a bonded to the intermediate plate 206. Generally, the piercing teeth 480a, 480b are defined around the circumference of the respective piercing rollers 422a, 422b. The perforating rollers 422a, 422b may also be supported by a frame or the like coupled to the respective shaft 484 to support the perforating rollers 422a, 422b during rotation. In one example, the perforating rollers 422a, 422b have a width in the Y direction that is at least equal to the width W of the structural plate assembly 200.

[0057] The controller 418 includes at least one processor 490 and a computer-readable storage device or medium 492. The processor 490 may be any custom or off-the-shelf processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (for example, a custom ASIC implementing a neural network), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an auxiliary processor among multiple processors connected to the controller 418, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), any combination thereof, or generally any device for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or storage media 492 may include volatile and non-volatile memory, for example, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM).KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 490 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device(s) 492 can be implemented using any number of known storage devices such as PROMs (programmable read-only memory), EPROMs (electrically PROM), EEPROMs (electrically erasable PROM), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage devices capable of storing data, some of which represent executable instructions used by the controller 418 in controlling the manufacturing system 400. In various embodiments, the controller 418 is configured to implement instructions of a manufacturing control system 600, as explained in detail below.In various embodiments, the instructions, when executed by processor 490, receive and process sensor data from sensor system 416 and data received from other modules connected to manufacturing system 400 to control at least laser welders 460.

[0058] As in Fig. 9 and with continued reference to Fig. 1-8, a data flow diagram shows one embodiment of a control module 602 of the manufacturing control system 600, which may be implemented by or integrated with the controller 418 and / or the processor 490. In various embodiments, the control module 602 may be implemented as one or more sub-modules. Various embodiments of the control module 602 according to the present disclosure may include any number of sub-modules embedded in the controller 418. As can be seen, the Fig. 9 can be combined and / or further subdivided to control the laser welding devices 460. Data inputs to the control module 602 can be from the sensor system 416 ( Fig. 6 and Fig. 8), received from other control modules (not shown) connected to the manufacturing system 400, and / or determined / modeled by other sub-modules (not shown) within the controller 418. In various embodiments, the control module 602 includes an interposer monitoring module 610, a welder speed determination module 612, a speed data storage module 613, and a laser welder control module 614.

[0059] The intermediate screen module 610 receives sensor data 616 as input. In one example, the sensor data 616 includes the image data from the first optical camera 416a and the second optical camera 416b. The intermediate monitoring module 610 processes the sensor data 616 and determines a position of the tips 112, 212, 312 and the laser welders 460 in the image data from the first optical camera 416a. For example, based on the image data, the intermediate screen module 610 determines the position of the tips 112, 212, 312 in (x, y) coordinates and the position of the laser welders 460 in (x, y) coordinates. The intermediate screen module 610 sets the position of the tips 112, 212, 312 in the (x, y) coordinates as tip position data 618 for the welding speed determination module 612.The tip position data 618 is the observed position of the tips 112, 212, 312 of the material 406a bonded to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 in the X-direction and the Y-direction, or in (x, y) coordinates. The intermediate plate monitoring module 610 processes the sensor data 616 and determines a position of the laser welding device 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a from the image data of the first optical camera 416a. The intermediate screen module 610 sets the position of the laser welder 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a in the (x, y) coordinates as first welder position data 619 for the welder speed determination module 612. The first welder position data 619 is the observed position of the laser welder 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a in the X direction and Y direction or in (x, y) coordinates.

[0060] The intermediate screen module 610 also processes the sensor data 616 and determines a position of the valleys 114, 214, 314 and the laser welders 460 in the image data from the second optical camera 416b. For example, based on the image data, the intermediate screen module 610 determines the position of the valleys 114, 214, 314 in (x, y) coordinates and the position of the laser welders 460 in (x, y) coordinates. The position of the valleys 114, 214, 314 in the (x, y) coordinates is predetermined by the intermediate monitoring module 610 as valley position data 620 for the welder speed determination module 612. The valley position data 620 is the observed position of the valleys 114, 214, 314 of the material 406a connected to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 in the X-direction and the Y-direction or in (x, y) coordinates.The intermediate plate monitoring module 610 processes the sensor data 616 and determines a position of the laser welding device 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b from the image data of the second optical camera 416b. The intermediate screen module 610 sets the position of the laser welding device 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b in the (x, y) coordinates as second welding device position data 621 for the welding device speed determination module 612. The second welding device position data 621 is the observed position of the laser welding device 460 of the second welding device subsystem 414b in the X direction and Y direction, or in (x, y) coordinates.In one example, the position of the tips 112, 212, 312 and the laser welders 460 in the images captured by the first optical camera 416a and the second optical camera 416b may be determined by pattern recognition algorithms that identify the differences in brightness, color, and / or saturation between adjacent groups of pixels in the captured images to derive the position of the tips 112, 212, 312 and the laser welders 460, but other methods may be used.

[0061] The speed data storage 613 stores data of a current speed of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b, and in one example, the speed data storage 613 stores current speed data 623. In one example, the current speed data 623 is populated by the welder speed determination module 612.

[0062] The welding speed determination module 612 receives sheet data 622 as input. The sheet data 622 is data associated with the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 manufactured by the manufacturing system 400. The sheet data 622 includes, for example, the predetermined peak pitch PD defined between adjacent peaks 112, 212, 312 and the predetermined width W of the resulting structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300. The sheet data 622 may be received from another module connected to the control module 602 and / or may be received via an input at a human-machine interface connected to the manufacturing system 400. The sheet data 622 may also be predefined or factory-set values ​​stored in a data store connected to the control module 602.

[0063] The welding speed determination module 612 receives as input laser welding device data 624. The laser welding device data 624 is data associated with the laser welding devices 460 of the first welding device subsystem 414a and the second welding device subsystem 414b.In one example, the laser welder data 624 includes N, or the number of laser welders 460, each connected to the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b; a position of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a from the position sensor connected to each of the laser welders 460; a position of the laser welders 460 of the second welder subsystem 414b from the position sensor connected to each of the laser welders 460; an initial start position for the laser welders 460 of both the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b; and a maximum position for the laser welders 460 of both the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b.The number of laser welders 460 each connected to the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b may be received from another module connected to the control module 602 and / or may be received via an input at a human-machine interface connected to the manufacturing system 400. The number of laser welders 460 each connected to the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b may also be predefined or factory-set values ​​stored in a data store connected to the control module 602.The position of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the position of the laser welders 460 of the second welder subsystem 414b may be received from the position sensor of the actuator 474 connected to the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b. The starting position and the maximum position for each of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b may be received from another module connected to the control module 602 and / or may be received via an input to a human-machine interface connected to the manufacturing system 400.The starting position and the maximum position for each of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b may also be predefined or factory-set values ​​stored in a data memory connected to the control module 602. In one example, the starting position of the first welding device subsystem 414a and the starting position for the second welding device subsystem 414b is approximately 10 millimeters (mm) in the Y direction for the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 with width W (or Y=10), with Y=0 at an edge E of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300. In one example, the maximum position of the first welding device subsystem 414a and the maximum position of the second welding device subsystem 414b is approximately at width W minus 10 millimeters (mm) in the Y direction for the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 with width W (or W-10).

[0064] Based on the position of the laser welders 460 connected to the first welder subsystem 414a, the welder speed determination module 612 determines whether the laser welders 460 are in the start position. Based on the position of the laser welders 460 connected to the second welder subsystem 414b, the welder speed determination module 612 determines whether the laser welders 460 are in the start position for the second welder subsystem 414b. Based on the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b being in the start position, the welder speed determination module 612 determines or calculates the inclination angle θ of the welding path P of the laser welders 460 of both the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b using the above equation (1).The welding speed determination module 612 receives line data 626 as input. The line data 626 is data associated with the manufacturing system 400 and, in one example, includes a rotational speed of the upper material spool 402, the lower material spool 404, and the middle material spool 406. Generally, the upper material spool 402, the lower material spool 404, and the middle material spool 406 rotate at the same speed, such that the material 402a, 404a, 406a is fed to the thickness adjustment system 412 and the welding system 414 at substantially the same speed. In one example, the line data 626 is approximately one foot per second. The line data 626 may be received from another module associated with the control module 602 and / or may be received via input to a human-machine interface associated with the manufacturing system 400.The line data 626 may also be a predefined or factory set value stored in a data memory connected to the control module 602.

[0065] Based on the determined inclination angle θ and the line data 626, the welding speed determination module 612 determines or calculates a base speed for the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b. In one example, the base speed for the laser welders 460 is calculated using the following equation: BaseSpeed=ssinθ

[0066] Where BaseSpeed ​​is the base speed of the laser welders 460; S is the rotation speed of the upper material spool 402, the lower material spool 404, and the middle material spool 406 provided by the line data 626; and θ is the tilt angle determined according to equation (1). The welder speed determination module 612 sets the base speed determined using equation (2) as speed data 628 for the laser welder control module 614 and stores the speed data 628 as the current speed data 623. The speed data 628 is the speed at which the actuators 474 move the laser welders 460 along the welding path P.

[0067] Based on the position of the laser welders 460 connected to the first welder subsystem 414a, the welder speed determination module 612 determines whether the laser welders 460 are in the maximum position. Based on the position of the laser welders 460 connected to the second welder subsystem 414b, the welder speed determination module 612 determines whether the laser welders 460 are in the maximum position for the second welder subsystem 414b. If the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a are not in the maximum position, the welder speed determination module 612 receives as input the peak position data 618 and the first welder position data 619.The welding device speed determination module 612 subtracts the determined X position (or x coordinate) of the tip 112, 212, 312 from the tip position data 618 from the X position (or x coordinate) of the position of the laser welding devices 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a to determine an error value. Generally, the error value indicates whether there is an error between the position of the tip 112, 212, 312 and the position of the laser welding devices 460 in the X direction, such that the laser welding devices 460 are in front of the tip 112, 212, 312 (or in front of the material 406a; negative error value) or the laser welding devices 460 are behind the tip 112, 212, 312 (or behind the material 406a; positive error value).If the laser welders 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b and the second welding subsystem 414b are not in the maximum position, the welder speed determination module 612 receives the valley position data 620 and the second welder position data 621 as input. The welder speed determination module 612 subtracts the determined X position (or x coordinate) of the valley 114, 214, 314 from the valley position data 620 from the X position (or x coordinate) of the position of the laser welders 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b to determine an error value.In general, the error value indicates whether there is an error between the position of the valley 114, 214, 314 and the position of the laser welders 460 in the X direction, such that the laser welders 460 are in front of the valley 114, 214, 314 (or in front of the material 406a; negative error value) or the laser welders 460 are behind the valley 114, 214, 314 (or behind the material 406a; positive error value).

[0068] Based on the determination that there is an error in the position of the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and / or the second welder subsystem 414b, the weld speed determination module 612 applies a proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) algorithm to determine a correction term. In one example, the PID algorithm is defined by the following equation: u(t)=Kpe(t)+Ki∫e(t)dt+Kddedt Where u(t) is the correction term; K pis the proportional gain, which is a predefined, factory-set value; K i is the integral gain, which is a predefined, factory-set value; e(t) is the error value between the X-position of the peak 112, 212, 312 and the X-position of the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a, or the X-position of the valley 114, 214, 314 and the X-position of the laser welders 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b; t is the time that can be obtained from the sensor data 616 or from another module connected to the control module 602; and K d is the derivative gain, which is a predefined, factory-set value.

[0069] The welder speed determination module 612 queries the speed data memory 613 and retrieves the current speed data 623. The welder speed determination module 612 adds the correction term determined by the PID algorithm to the current speed to determine a new speed for the actuators 474 for moving the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and / or the second welder subsystem 414b. The welder speed determination module 612 sets the new speed for the actuators 474 for moving the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and / or the second welder subsystem 414b as speed data 628 for the laser welder control module 614.The welding machine speed determination module 612 stores the new speed in the speed data memory 613 as current speed data 623 for the laser welding machines 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b.

[0070] The laser welding device control module 614 receives as input the speed data 628 for the actuators 474 to move the laser welding devices 460 of the respective first welding device subsystem 414a and the second welding device subsystem 414b. Based on the received speed data 628 for the laser welding devices 460 of the first welding device subsystem 414a, the laser welding device control module 614 outputs first control data 632. The first control data 632 is data of one or more control signals for the actuator 474 of the first welding device subsystem 414a to move the laser welding devices 460 of the first welding device subsystem 414a at the determined speed. Based on the received speed data 628 for the laser welders 460 of the second welder subsystem 414b, the laser welder control module 614 outputs second control data 634.The second control data 634 is data of one or more control signals for the actuator 474 of the second welding device subsystem 414b to move the laser welding devices 460 of the second welding device subsystem 414b at the determined speed.

[0071] With reference to Fig. 10 and with continued reference to the Fig. 1-9 shows a flowchart of a method 700 performed by the manufacturing control system 600 of Fig. 9 according to the present disclosure. In one example, the method 700 is executed by the processor 490 of the controller 418. As is apparent from the disclosure, the order of operations within the method 700 is not limited to the Fig. 10, but may be performed in one or more varying orders consistent with the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the method 700 may be scheduled to execute based on one or more predetermined events and / or may be executed continuously during operation of the manufacturing system 400.

[0072] The method begins at 702. At 704, the method 700 receives and processes the sensor data 616. For example, the method 700 receives and processes the image data from the optical cameras 416a, 416b. At 706, the method 700 determines whether the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b are in the initial start position. If so, the method 700 continues to 708. Otherwise, the method 700 continues in a loop to 704.

[0073] At 708, the method 700 determines the base speed for the actuators 474 to move the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b using a method 800 related to Fig. 11. At 710, the method 700 outputs one or more control signals to the actuators 474 to move the laser welders 460 at the base speed. At 712, the method 700 receives and processes the image data from the optical cameras 416a, 416b. At 714, the method 700 determines whether the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and the second welder subsystem 414b have reached the maximum position. If so, the method 700 exits at 716.

[0074] Otherwise, at 718, the method 700 determines the position of the peak 112, 212, 312 and the valley 114, 214, 314 based on the sensor data 616. At 720, the method 700 adjusts the speed for the actuators 474 to move the laser welders 460 of the first welder subsystem 414a and / or the second welder subsystem 414b based on the position of the peak 112, 212, 312 and the valley 114, 214, 314, respectively, using a method 900 that is relative to Fig. 12. The method 700 results in loops 714.

[0075] With reference to Fig. 11 and continued reference to the Fig. 1-9, a flowchart illustrates the method 800 performed by the manufacturing control system 600 of Fig. 9 according to the present disclosure. In one example, the method 800 is executed by the processor 490 of the controller 418. As is apparent from the disclosure, the order of operations within the method 800 is not limited to the order in Fig. 11, but may be performed in one or more varying orders, as applicable and consistent with the present disclosure.

[0076] In one example, the method 800 begins by determining the base speed at 810. At 812, the method 800 receives and processes the laser welder data 624 and the line data 626. At 814, the method 800 determines or calculates the tilt angle θ of the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b using equation (1). At 816, the method calculates the base speed for the actuators 474 to move the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a and the second welding subsystem 414b using equation (2). At 818, method 700 stores the calculated base velocity as the current velocity for actuators 474 to move laser welders 460 of first welder subsystem 414a and second welder subsystem 414b. Method 800 ends at 820.

[0077] With reference to Fig. 12 and with continued reference to Fig. 1-9, a flowchart illustrates the method 900 performed by the manufacturing control system 600 of Fig. 9 according to the present disclosure. In one example, the method 900 is executed by the processor 490 of the controller 418. As is apparent from the disclosure, the order of operations within the method 900 is not limited to the order in Fig. 12, but may be performed in one or more varying orders and in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0078] The method 900 begins the speed adjustment for the laser welders 460 at 902. At 904, the method 900 determines the X-position of the peak 112, 212, 312 and the valley 114, 214, 314 from the sensor data 616. At 906, the method 900 subtracts the X-position of the peak 112, 212, 312 from the X-position of the laser welders 460 of the first welding subsystem 414a to determine the error value of the first welding subsystem 414a, and subtracts the X-position of the valley 114, 214, 314 from the X-position of the laser welders 460 of the second welding subsystem 414b to determine the error value of the second welding subsystem 414b. At 908, the method determines whether the error value for the respective weld subsystems 414a, 414b is zero. If so, the method 900 ends at 910.

[0079] Otherwise, at 912, the method 900 applies the PID algorithm of equation (3) to determine or calculate the correction term for the welding subsystem 414a, 414b for which the error value was non-zero. At 914, the method 900 retrieves the current velocity for the respective actuator 474 to move the laser welders 460 and adds the correction term to the current velocity to calculate a new velocity for the actuator 474 to move the respective laser welders 460. At 916, the method 900 stores the new velocity for the actuator 474 to move the respective laser welders 460 as the current velocity. The method 900 ends at 910.

[0080] In this manner, the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 provides support to the occupants while also providing protection for one or more batteries associated with the vehicle 10. In this regard, the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 comprises or acts as a truss structure in both a longitudinal direction (along the longitudinal axis L) and a transverse direction, or a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Furthermore, the structural plate assembly 200 provides reduced weight while still providing support and protection. The structural plate assembly 300 enables the use of the structural plate assembly 300 on vehicles having a greater width due to the longitudinal arrangement of the peaks 312 and valleys 314. The manufacturing system 400 enables the efficient manufacture of the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.Furthermore, by using the optical cameras 416a, 416b, the movement of the laser welders 460 is synchronized with the position of the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 to ensure that the material 402a, 404a, 406a is properly welded together. Furthermore, because the manufacturing system 400 produces the structural panel assembly 100, 200, 300 in a continuous process (rather than a batch process), the manufacturing system 400 is more efficient. Furthermore, the voids between the peaks 112, 212, 312 and the valleys 114, 214, 314 can be easily filled with a material, such as expanding foam, to improve sound attenuation, strength, and / or thermal insulation.Furthermore, the ability to maintain a constant force using the first thickness adjustment system 412a and the second thickness adjustment system 412b to close gaps between the material 402a, 404a, 406a during laser welding by the laser welders 460 increases the robustness of manufacturing the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300.

[0081] It should be noted that while the laser welders 460 have been described herein for welding the structural plate assembly 100, 200, 300 together, in other embodiments, resistance spot welding may be used to weld two of the top plate 102 and the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306 or the bottom plate 104 and the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306, and the laser welders 460 may be used to weld the other of the top plate 102 or the bottom plate 104 to the intermediate plate 106, 206, 306. While the fabrication of the structural plate assembly 300 is described herein using the sensor system 416 to synchronize the laser welders 460, in other embodiments, the structural plate assembly 300 may be fabricated without the sensor system 416, if desired.

[0082] Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that numerous variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description is intended to provide one skilled in the art with a convenient guide for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes in the function and arrangement of elements may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

[1] A method of manufacturing a structural panel assembly comprising: Providing at least a first material, a second material, and a third material positioned between the first material and the second material; Shaping the third material so that it takes on a wavy shape; Observing, by means of a sensor, the wave-like shape of the third material; and Controlling, by means of a processor, a movement of a welding device relative to the first material or the second material based on the observation to weld the first material and the second material to the third material. [2] The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first material, the second material and the third material further comprises: Providing a first coil made of the first material, a second coil made of the second material, and a third coil made of the third material. [3] The method of claim 2, wherein shaping the third material to obtain the wave-like shape further comprises: forming a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys in the third material using a forming roller; and Perforating the third material with at least one perforating roller before forming. [4] The method of claim 1, wherein the first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis and forming the third material to have the undulating shape further comprises forming the third material to have at least one peak extending along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. [5] The method of claim 1, wherein the first material and the second material extend along a longitudinal axis and forming the third material to obtain the wave-like shape further comprises forming the third material to obtain at least one tip extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. [6] The method of claim 1, wherein the first material, the second material and the third material extend along a longitudinal axis and controlling, by means of the processor, the movement of the welding device further comprises: Determining, by means of the processor, a speed for the welding machine; Determining, based on the observation, a position of the wave-like shape relative to an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis; Determining, by means of the processor, a position of the welding device relative to the axis based on position data associated with the welding device; Calculating, by means of the processor, an error value based on a difference between the position of the wave-shaped shape and the position of the welding device; Adjusting, by means of the processor, the speed of the welding machine based on the error value; and Output, via the processor, one or more control signals to an actuator to move the welding machine at the appropriate speed. [7] The method of claim 6, wherein determining the speed of the welding device further comprises: Calculating, by means of the processor, an inclination angle for a welding path of the welding device; and Calculating, by means of the processor, the speed based on the inclination angle and a speed associated with a feed of the first material, the second material and the third material. [8] The method of claim 7, wherein the wave-like shape comprises a plurality of peaks and calculating the angle of inclination is based on a distance between adjacent peaks, a width of the first material and a parameter of the welding device. [9] The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the speed of the welding device further comprises: Applying, by means of the processor, a proportional, integral and derivative algorithm to determine a correction term for the speed of the welding machine; Adding, by means of the processor, the correction term to the speed of the welder to obtain a new speed; and Output, via the processor, one or more control signals to the actuator to move the welder at the new speed. [10] The method of claim 1, wherein welding the first material and the second material to the third material further comprises: Forming, with the welding device, a plurality of intermittent welds between the first material and the third material; and Forming, with the welding device, a second plurality of intermittent welds between the second material and the third material.

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