AUTOTECH ENGINEERING S.L.

Structural members for a vehicle at least partially configured for supporting bending loads and methods for manufacturing such structural members are provided. A structural member includes a main piece with a substantially U-shaped cross-section comprising a bottom, a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein the main piece comprises a region configured for supporting bending loads. The structural member includes a first patch having a first patch edge and an opposite second patch edge, wherein the first patch is attached to the main piece by continuous laser welding inside the first patch substantially along the first patch edge and along the second patch edge at least in the region configured for supporting bending loads.

A spring seat body for connection to a rigid axle of a motor vehicle, including an upper spring seat surface, a lower seat surface, lateral edge surfaces which lie between the spring seat surface and the lower seat surface, and holding means for holding tensioning means for fastening at least one spring to the spring seat body. The lateral edge surfaces include a first edge surface and a second edge surface which face away from one another and, in the mounted state of the spring seat body on the rigid axle, run transversely with respect to the rigid axle, the first edge surface, in the mounted state of the spring seat body on the rigid axle, lying closer to an end of the rigid axle which bears a vehicle wheel than the second edge surface, and the first edge surface having an edge course which, in the mounted state of the spring seat body on the rigid axle, lies in overlap with the rigid axle. In order for the spring seat body to offer improved robustness, in particular increased fatigue strength in its connection to a generic rigid axle and thereby enable a reduction in the overall weight of the rigid axle, the invention provides that said edge course, viewed from above, is at least partially formed as an outwardly projecting, preferably convex edge course, the apex or vertex lies in a region of the first edge surface which runs along a central length range of the upper spring seat surface running transversely to the rigid axle, said central length range being less than one third, preferably less than one quarter, particularly preferably less than one fifth of the length of the upper spring seat surface. In particular, the invention relates to a rigid axle for a motor vehicle, in particular a utility vehicle, with such a spring seat body.

A system configured for deformation compensation in real time during a heat treatment performed on a component. The system comprises a supporting structure; two or more clamping devices arranged with the supporting structure, one or more clamping devices including a clamp, a load cell and a motor; and a processing and control system configured to collect signals from a load cell and to send signals based on the detected loads to a motor to compensate for deformation due to the heat treatment.

The invention relates to a subframe, in particular front axle subframe, for a vehicle, in particular electric vehicle, having a first shell element and a second shell element which is rigidly connected to the first shell element and defines a cavity therewith, At least one of the shell elements has a side wall which, as an outer wall of the subframe, is connected to the other shell element or to another of the shell elements in a materially bonded manner having at least one bushing-like or sleeve-like spacer element for the insertion of a fastening bolt, preferably a screw bolt, for connecting to a body or component. The spacer element is arranged at one of its ends at a through-hole of the first shell element and extending inside the cavity in the direction of a through-hole of the second shell element. In order for the subframe to provide greater stability, in particular improved safety against failure of weld seams at the body connection and/or component connection, e.g. transverse bridge connection, with less or only slightly increased weight, the invention provides that the side wall of the shell element has at least one tab which is welded to the spacer element. This allows at least one additional load path to be implemented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the spacer element.

The present application relates to a reinforcement element ( 30 ) arranged to be attached to a profile ( 10 ) for forming a B-pillar for a vehicle, which profile ( 10 ) is arranged with attachment areas ( 22, 24 ) for door hinges, characterised in that the reinforcement element ( 30 ) is designed with two elongated strips ( 32, 34 ) of material, wherein the strips ( 32, 34 ) are inter-connected at least at one attachment area ( 22 ) for door hinges when the reinforcement element ( 30 ) is attached to profile ( 10 ), wherein the profile ( 10 ) is hat-shaped with a central flange ( 12 ) and two sides ( 14, 6 ), and wherein each strip ( 32, 34 ) is attached to the transition area ( 36, 38 ) between the central flange ( 12 ) and a side ( 14, 16 ). The present application also 10 relates to a B-pillar provided with the reinforcement element as well as a method of manufacturing a B-pillar with the reinforcement element.

Press apparatus and methods for manufacturing hot formed structural components are provided. The apparatus comprise a fixed lower body, and a mobile upper body. The apparatus comprise a cooling tool and a press tool which is arranged downstream from the cooling tool, and a blank transfer mechanism to transfer the blank from the cooling tool to the press tool. The cooling tool has an upper gas cooling tool connected to the mobile upper body and/or a lower gas cooling tool connected to the fixed lower body. The press tool comprises an upper pressing die connected to the upper body and a lower pressing die is connected to the lower body.

The present invention relates to a method for joining a first blank and a second blank, wherein at least one of the first and second blanks comprises at least a layer of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In particular, the method comprises placing the first and second blanks for welding; laser welding the first and second blanks following a welding path thus forming a tailor welded blank, wherein the welding path combines a linear movement along a welding direction and oscillating movements substantially transverse to the welding direction and then hot deforming and quenching the tailor welded blank to form a component, wherein the welding is done without using a filler.

A method for manufacturing a steel component from a blank is provided. Firstly, a blank is placed in a conveyor system. Then, at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated while the blank is retained at a predetermined preheating location. Finally, the blank is conveyed through a furnace. A preheating system for heating blanks in a production line is also provided.

A vehicle structure comprising a portion extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the portion comprises a first member extending in the longitudinal direction and a second member extending in the longitudinal direction. The first member is con-figured to face an inside of a vehicle, and the second member is configured to face an outside of the vehicle. The first and second members are attached to one another to form a substantially closed space between them. The portion comprises a wave-shaped reinforcement member locat-ed in a substantially closed space. The substantially closed space is formed when the first and second members are attached to one another.

The present invention relates to a process for cooling a metal component, the process comprising the step of cooling said component in a confined space, said cooling involving cooling by means of a gas, the gas being cooled by heat exchange with a cooling surface of a heat sink inside said confined space, wherein a low frequency sound wave is provided into said confined space in order to improve heat exchange both between the gas and a cooling surface of the at least one heat sink, and between the gas and the metal component, characterised in that the cooling gas comprises at least one protective inert gas. The invention further relates to an apparatus for performing the process.