Abstract:
A method of resistance spot welding a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece together includes several steps. One step involves inserting a cover between the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece and an adjacent welding electrode. In another step, the adjacent welding electrode is pressed against cover, and another opposed welding electrode is pressed against the steel workpiece at a weld site. In yet another step, electrical current is passed between the welding electrodes, passed through the cover, and passed through the workpieces in order to initiate and grow a molten weld pool within the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece.
Abstract:
A vehicle includes an autonomous driving system and a vehicle entertainment system. The autonomous driving system has an environmental monitoring system that is configured to monitor an object within an external operating environment. The autonomous driving system is configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode. The vehicle entertainment system is configured to output for display, user-selected media via a display system and is configured to output for display, a first indicator indicative of the object within the external operating environment, while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode.
Abstract:
A monolithic rocker arm component includes a first lateral wall defining a first aperture and a first mass reducing feature, an opposing second wall defining a second aperture and a second mass reducing feature, a pushrod receiving member that bridges the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall at a first end of the rocker arm, and a tongue element that bridges the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall at a second end of the rocker arm. The pushrod receiving member routes oil from the first towards the second end. The monolithic rocker arm may have one or more internal regions having lattice structures. Methods for additive manufacturing the monolithic rocker component are also provided.
Abstract:
An inner door panel (30) for a vehicle side door that includes an integrated side impact beam (70) formed as part of the door in a die casting process. The inner door panel (30) includes an outer frame having a top rail (38), a bottom rail (40), an inner side rail (42) and an outer side rail (44) defining a central opening (34). The impact beam (70) includes a main beam portion (72), a first end support portion (74) and a second end support portion (78). The first end support portion is formed to the side rail (42) and the second end support portion (78) is formed to the outer side rail (44), where the main beam portion (72) extends across the opening (34).
Abstract:
An energy absorber according to various embodiments can include a structure having a predetermined cross-sectional profile. A hollow profile is formed within the structure. The pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the structure is configured based on a deceleration-time profile that includes a first period and a second period. The first period is defined by a substantially sharp and linear increase in magnitude of the deceleration of an impact until a maximum deceleration value is achieved. The second period is defined by a rapid decrease in the magnitude of the deceleration.
Abstract:
Methods suitable for forming complex parts from work-hardened sheet materials of limited formability are described. The formability of the work-hardened sheet is enhanced by forming at elevated temperature. The forming temperature is preferably selected to minimally undo the effects of work hardening so that the formed part is of higher strength than a like part formed from an annealed sheet. The method is applicable to age-hardening and non-age-hardening aluminum and magnesium alloys.
Abstract:
An aluminum alloy that can be cast into structural components wherein at least some of the raw materials used to produce the alloy are sourced from secondary production sources. In addition to aluminum as the primary constituent, such an alloy includes 5 to 14% silicon, 0 to 1.5% copper, 0.2 to 0.55% magnesium, 0.2 to 1.2% iron, 0.1 to 0.6% manganese, 0 to 0.5% nickel, 0 to 0.8% zinc, 0 to 0.2% of other trace elements selected from the group consisting essentially of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, molybdenum and cobalt. In a preferred form, most of the aluminum is from a secondary production source. Methods of analyzing a secondary production aluminum alloy to determine its constituent makeup is also disclosed, as is a method of adjusting the constituent makeup of such an alloy in situations where the alloy is out of tolerance when measured against its primary source counterpart.
Abstract:
A method of resistance spot welding a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece together includes several steps. One step involves inserting a cover between the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece and an adjacent welding electrode. In another step, the adjacent welding electrode is pressed against cover, and another opposed welding electrode is pressed against the steel workpiece at a weld site. In yet another step, electrical current is passed between the welding electrodes, passed through the cover, and passed through the workpieces in order to initiate and grow a molten weld pool within the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece.
Abstract:
A vehicle braking component having a composite structure includes a brake core comprising an aluminum alloy, the brake core defining a core surface, a thermal barrier layer comprising a thermally insulating material, and an adhesion layer between the core surface and the thermal barrier layer to facilitate adhesion between the thermal barrier layer and the brake core. The adhesion layer includes a metal. The vehicle braking component includes a wear-resistant layer on the thermal barrier layer. The wear-resistance layer includes an iron-aluminum-silicon-zirconium alloy and defines a friction surface of the vehicle braking component.
Abstract:
A process for making a hollow electrical coil for an electric motor includes forming a sacrificial insert material into a coil shaped insert. The coil shaped insert is placed into a copper plating bath and a copper plated coil shaped member is removed from the copper plating bath. The sacrificial material is removed from within the copper plated coil shaped member to create a hollow passage through a hollow copper coil shaped member. An exterior of the hollow copper coil shaped member is coated with an insulating adhesive material and the copper coil shaped member is compressed until the insulating adhesive material is set.