Abstract:
A method is provided for reducing the corrosion rate of surfaces of formed magnesium or magnesium alloy articles in which the formed surface contains small embedded particles of iron. By exposing the iron particle-containing formed surface to an acidic, aqueous solution comprising alkali metal fluoride ions at a temperature of between 20° C. and 30° C., an adherent passivating layer of MgF2 is formed. Further, such exposure to the acidified, aqueous, fluoride ion-containing solution reduces or eliminates the concentration of cathodic, corrosion-promoting, iron-containing particles on the article surface as the magnesium fluoride layer is being formed. The development of the passivating layer reduces corrosion in a water-containing environment, and even if the passivating MgF2 layer is breached, the reduction in surface iron-containing particles reduces the inherent corrosion rate of the article.
Abstract:
In various aspects, a lightweight connecting rod for an internal combustion engine is provided. The lightweight connecting rod has one or more of: hollow regions, lattice regions, or weight reduction apertures. The connecting rod may be made via an additive manufacturing process. The connecting rod includes a first end, a second end, and an arm. The first end is configured to be pivotally connected to a piston. The second end is configured to be pivotally connected to a crankshaft. The arm extends between the first end and the second end. The arm includes a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has an outer surface, an inner surface, and an interior region. The interior region is defined be the inner surface. The interior region includes at least one void space. The void space is a lattice structure or a hollow region.
Abstract:
A method of resistance spot welding a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece, and a welding electrode used therein. In one step of the method a workpiece stack-up is provided. The workpiece stack-up includes a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece. Another step of the method involves contacting the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece with a weld face of the welding electrode. The welding electrode has a body and an insert. The insert is composed of a material having an electrical resistivity that is greater than an electrical resistivity of the material of the body. The weld face has a first section defined by a surface of the insert and has a second section defined by a surface of the body. Both the first and second sections make surface-to-surface contact with the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece amid resistance spot welding.
Abstract:
Methods of forming a high-strength metal alloy precursor by tailor-casting strips having a tailored thickness across a width of a strip material are provided. The tailor-cast strips have varying thickness throughout the width, which can then be further tailor rolled to a final required thickness profile/tailored thickness. Such tailor-casting method can be conducted by contacting a patterned surface of a casting roller or a casting block with a liquid high-strength metal alloy in a continuous casting process. The present disclosure provides methods of continuously casting a strip having varying thickness across the width allows for improved product in subsequent processing, like tailor rolling. Methods of making a high-strength metal alloy structural automotive component from a tailor-cast blank having a tailored thickness are also provided.
Abstract:
A cover covering an object includes an inner surface of the cover facing the object and spaced from the object, and an outer surface of the cover opposite the inner surface. A local energy absorber is operatively attached to the inner surface of the cover. The local energy absorber includes an energy absorbing core layer operatively attached to the inner surface of the cover and a frangible face sheet layer attached to the energy absorbing core layer facing the object. The frangible face sheet layer is to initiate fracture of the frangible face sheet layer during an impact applied to the outer surface defining an impact event having a duration of less than 20 milliseconds.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a non-planar magnet includes extruding a precursor material including neodymium iron boron crystalline grains into an original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet having an original shape, wherein the original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet has at least about 90 percent neodymium iron boron magnetic material by volume. The original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet is heated to a deformation temperature. The original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet is deformed into a reshaped anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet having a second shape substantially different from the original shape using heated tooling to apply a deformation load to the original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet. The original anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet and the reshaped anisotropic neodymium iron boron permanent magnet each have respective magnetic moments substantially aligned with a respective local surface normal corresponding to the respective magnetic moment.
Abstract:
Methods for casting high strength, high ductility lightweight metal components are provided. The casting may be die-casting. A molten lightweight metal alloy is introduced into a cavity of a mold. The molten lightweight metal alloy is solidified and then a solid component is removed from the mold. The solid component is designed to have a thin wall. For example, the solid component has at least one dimension of less than or equal to about 2 mm. In this way, a chill zone microstructure is formed that extends across the at least one dimension of the solid lightweight metal alloy component. The solid component thus may be substantially free of dendritic microstructure formation, enabling more extensive alloy chemistries than previously possible during casting. Such methods may be used to form high strength, high ductility, and lightweight metal alloy vehicle components.
Abstract:
Sheet metal workpieces are preheated to a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 500° C. for warm forming between press-actuated forming dies. The forming dies are not heated, but are coated with a liquid lubricating material suitable for the forming of the preheated sheet metal workpiece. For example, the liquid lubricating material is suitably a halogenated hydrocarbon that will adhere to unheated die surfaces and serve in the forming of the sheet metal workpiece into a vehicle body panel or other product. But the liquid lubricating material is composed so as to evaporate from surfaces of the formed workpiece at a temperature below about 200° C., so that the workpiece does not have to be cleaned before it is decoratively finished. The lubricant material may be vaporized, for example, into a warm stream of air or nitrogen and carried to a recovery or disposal system.
Abstract:
A breakaway headlamp mounting system is provided for a vehicle subjectable to an external force and having a body structure, a headlamp, and a hood. The breakaway headlamp mounting system has a mounting tab attached to the headlamp and attachable to the body structure and a mounting tab breakaway feature included in one of the hood, the body structure, and the mounting tab. The mounting tab breakaway feature is configured to break the mounting tab in response to the external force when the mounting tab is attached to the body structure.
Abstract:
Sheet metal workpieces are preheated to a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 500° C. for warm forming between press-actuated forming dies. The forming dies are not heated, but are coated with a liquid lubricating material suitable for the forming of the preheated sheet metal workpiece. For example, the liquid lubricating material is suitably a halogenated hydrocarbon that will adhere to unheated die surfaces and serve in the forming of the sheet metal workpiece into a vehicle body panel or other product. But the liquid lubricating material is composed so as to evaporate from surfaces of the formed workpiece at a temperature below about 200° C., so that the workpiece does not have to be cleaned before it is decoratively finished. The lubricant material may be vaporized, for example, into a warm stream of air or nitrogen and carried to a recovery or disposal system.