Vehicle Side Frame Aluminum Steel Hybrid Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle body structures face challenges in achieving a lightweight, rigid, and crash-safe design with suitable joining technologies for large-scale production, as they often rely on either heavy steel or complex and costly aluminum materials.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body structure featuring a tubular extruded aluminum front longitudinal member and a closed longitudinal hollow beam cabin member with a hot-formed steel closing part, utilizing an overlapping section for optimal force flow and a cost-effective joining technology involving self-tapping screws and adhesive for connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional sheet steel construction with welding is used, then structural strength and rigidity are achieved, but weight increases and fuel consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining aluminum extrusion profiles for the front vehicle longitudinal member with steel sheet metal for the cabin longitudinal member. This material mix optimizes the weight-strength trade-off: aluminum reduces weight in the front section while steel provides necessary strength in the cabin area, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by using different materials (aluminum vs. steel) and different cross-sectional profiles (tubular vs. sheet metal) in different regions of the vehicle body. The front section uses lightweight aluminum tubing where weight reduction is prioritized, while the cabin section uses stronger steel construction where structural integrity is critical, thus resolving the weight-strength contradiction locally.
2Weight of moving object
If aluminum material is used exclusively to reduce weight, then fuel consumption decreases, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using aluminum extrusion profiles specifically for the front vehicle longitudinal member where weight reduction is beneficial, while maintaining conventional steel sheet metal construction for the cabin longitudinal member. This localized application of aluminum reduces overall weight and fuel consumption without requiring complete aluminum construction, thereby avoiding excessive manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining aluminum and steel components in a mixed construction approach. This allows the vehicle to achieve weight reduction benefits from aluminum while maintaining the proven manufacturing processes and cost-effectiveness of steel, thus resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and manufacturing simplicity.
3Weight of moving object
If different materials are used for front and cabin longitudinal members, then weight is reduced, but joining technology complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by using an overlapping section as a mediator between the aluminum front vehicle longitudinal member and the steel cabin longitudinal member. This overlap section facilitates the connection between dissimilar materials, enabling weight reduction through material differentiation while maintaining ease of manufacture through a straightforward overlapping and joining approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials with an overlapping joint design that connects aluminum and steel components. This approach enables weight reduction through material optimization while maintaining manufacturing simplicity by using a conventional overlapping joint technique that is easier to implement than alternative joining methods for dissimilar materials.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional hat profiles are used, then manufacturing is simple, but the profile becomes jagged and aerodynamic performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the longitudinal member into two distinct sections: the front vehicle longitudinal member with a smooth tubular profile and the cabin longitudinal member with a conventional sheet metal construction. This segmentation allows each section to have optimized characteristics - smooth aerodynamic profile where needed and simple manufacturing where appropriate - resolving the contradiction between profile quality and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing the front vehicle longitudinal member with a smooth tubular extrusion profile specifically in the aerodynamically critical front section, while allowing the cabin longitudinal member to use conventional construction. This localized optimization improves aerodynamic performance where it matters most without requiring complex manufacturing throughout the entire structure.
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 configuration ensures the required rigidity and high crash safety while enabling a scalable production process, with the material mix and joining technology providing a seamless force flow without rigidity jumps and offering corrosion protection and structural stability.
Implementation Method 1
a longitudinal member steel closing part made of hot-formed steel
Implementation Method 2
connected by screw connections together with adhesive
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The rail has a cabin-side rail part (3) formed as a closed longitudinal hollow bearer by a bottom aluminum plate and as a side rail-stainless steel part (5SW) at an upper side by a side rail-angle profile. A front end-side rail part (2AP) and the cabin-side rail part are aligned in a vertical longitudinal plane. The end-side rail part is fixed on an end wall at a rear side. The cabin-side rail part is guided with an overlapping portion (10SW) at a front side by the end wall such that the cabin-side rail part rests at the end-side rail part and connected with screw joints (13). The cabin-side rail part is made of thermoformed steel.