Variable Thickness Crossmember for Engine Mount Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crossmember manufacturing methods using metal sheets with uniform thickness dimensions result in unnecessarily large thickness in areas with smaller loads, limiting weight reduction while increasing complexity and manufacturing costs due to the need for multiple panels and extensive welding.
Innovation Solution
A crossmember design featuring a single metal sheet with varying thickness dimensions, where a thick portion is used under the engine mount and surrounding areas for high loads, and a thin portion elsewhere, reducing unnecessary thickness and eliminating the need for multiple panels and extensive welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal sheet with uniform thickness dimension is used to manufacture the crossmember, then the strength at the engine mount attaching portion is sufficient, but the weight of the crossmember increases due to unnecessarily large thickness in other regions
Solution Approach 1:
The crossmember is designed with varying thickness dimensions in different regions. The engine mount attaching portion has a larger thickness dimension to provide sufficient strength for high loads, while other regions have smaller thickness dimensions to reduce weight. This local differentiation of thickness allows the structure to have optimal strength where needed while minimizing material usage elsewhere.
2Weight of moving object
If multiple panels with different thickness dimensions are welded together to reduce weight, then the weight of the crossmember is reduced, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple separate panels with different thicknesses that would require welding and assembly, the invention uses a single metal sheet that is formed into different thickness regions through shaping processes. This merging of multiple potential components into one integrated piece eliminates the need for welding joints, reduces assembly complexity, and simplifies manufacturing while achieving the same weight reduction goal.
3Weight of moving object
If multiple panels are welded together to create varying thickness, then weight reduction is achieved, but heat damage and rust occur at welding locations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or eliminates the welding process from the manufacturing method. By forming varying thickness regions in a single metal sheet through shaping rather than assembling multiple panels, the harmful welding operations are completely removed. This eliminates heat damage to the material, prevents rust at welding joints, and avoids the creation of weak points that would compromise structural integrity.
4Device complexity
If a single metal sheet with varying thickness is used, then the structure is simplified and weight is reduced, but manufacturing precision is required to maintain strength
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thickness dimension parameter of the metal sheet in different regions through forming processes. By controlling the shaping parameters during manufacturing, the sheet is transformed to have larger thickness at the engine mount attaching portion and smaller thickness in other regions. This parameter differentiation is achieved through precision forming rather than assembly, maintaining structural integrity while simplifying the overall design.
Data Source
AI summary
A crossmember and a manufacturing method for a crossmember is disclosed. The crossmember is made of a metal sheet having a given sectional shape, configures a part of a vehicle body frame, extends along a vehicle width direction, and has an engine mount attaching portion provided in a part of an upper plate portion. The crossmember has an upper crossmember that is made of a single metal sheet extending along the vehicle width direction, the upper crossmember having a larger thickness in a region including the engine mount attaching portion of the upper plate portion and a surrounding area of the engine mount attaching portion compared to a thickness of a remaining region.