Vehicle Body Side Frame Overlap Layout for Crash Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing body side structural frames in vehicles face challenges such as reduced strength due to gaps between inner and outer panels, particularly in areas like the A-pillar and rocker sections, which can compromise the structural integrity during crashes, and the use of aluminum-silicon coatings that degrade weld quality, necessitating additional processing steps or materials to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming a unitary body side structural frame by joining blanks with overlapping regions to create a composite blank, which is then deformed to enhance strength and reduce weight, eliminating the need for additional coating removal or material additions at the weld zone, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If blanks are joined by butt-joining to form a composite blank, then the manufacturing process is simple, but gaps occur between inner and outer panels reducing structural strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one blank inside another to form overlapping regions. The inner blank is positioned within the contour of the outer blank, creating nested overlapping areas that eliminate gaps between panels while maintaining structural integrity. This nested configuration ensures continuous material coverage in critical areas like A-pillar and rocker sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional butt-joining to three-dimensional overlapping configuration. By adding the dimension of overlap depth and creating layered blank arrangements, the solution eliminates the gap problem inherent in flat butt-joining while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through progressive forming steps.
2Reliability
If aluminum-silicon coating is applied to blanks, then corrosion protection is improved, but weld quality deteriorates requiring additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing selective coating removal at the weld zones before joining operations. The aluminum-silicon coating is removed only in the specific areas where welding will occur, preserving the corrosion protection in non-weld areas while enabling high-quality welding in the exposed metal zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different surface conditions in different areas of the blank. The weld zones have removed coating for optimal welding performance, while the remaining areas retain the aluminum-silicon coating for corrosion protection. This localized differentiation optimizes both welding quality and corrosion resistance.
3Strength
If overlapping regions are formed by partially overlapping blanks, then material reduction and gap weaknesses are counteracted, but the joining process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the blank assembly into distinct overlapping regions and non-overlapping regions. Each region serves a specific function: overlapping regions provide strength and gap elimination, while non-overlapping regions maintain manufacturing simplicity. The forming process is segmented into steps that progressively create these regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by creating overlapping regions only in the specific areas where strength enhancement is needed, rather than overlapping the entire blank surfaces. This selective overlapping maintains structural strength in critical areas while minimizing the complexity increase in the joining process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases the structural frame's strength and stiffness by strategically arranging overlapping regions to counteract material reduction and gap-related weaknesses, enhancing the vehicle's crash performance while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
After heating, the blank is hot formed, and may then subsequently be quenched. This process is known as press-hardening. With such a process, a predominantly martensite microstructure may be created. As a result, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength increase noticeably.
Implementation Method 2
deforming the composite blank to form the unitary body side structural frame
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6A
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a unitary body side structural frame (1) for a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of blanks (10, 20), joining the blanks to each other to form a composite blank wherein joining the blanks includes forming one or more overlapping regions (11; 12; 13; 14; 16; 17) formed by partially overlapping two blanks and deforming the composite blank to form the unitary body side structural frame. A unitary body side structural frame as obtained by any of the methods herein described is also provided.