Forming sheet metal part for a vehicle frame and corresponding production method
A forming sheet metal part ( 1 ) for a vehicle frame includes: a first portion ( 2 ) being locally heat-softened after the sheet metal part ( 1 ) has been formed out. The part ( 1 ) further includes a dedicated three-dimensional distortion-absorbing area ( 4 ), defining an internal boundary ( 6 ) within which the first portion ( 2 ) is to be locally heat-softened after the sheet metal part ( 1 ) has been formed out. The distortion-absorbing area ( 4 ) is dimensioned such that once said locally heat-softening step has been performed, the internal boundary ( 6 ) is adjacent to the first portion ( 2 ) and encloses the first portion ( 2 ) to absorb the dimensional distortions induced by the locally heat-softened first portion. The invention further relates to a method for producing a forming sheet metal part ( 1 ).
1. A forming sheet metal part for a vehicle frame comprising:
a first portion of said sheet metal part being locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out,
wherein the sheet metal part further comprises:
a dedicated three-dimensional distortion-absorbing area, defining an internal boundary within which said first portion is to be locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out, and
said distortion-absorbing area being dimensioned such that once said locally heat-softening step has been performed, said internal boundary is adjacent to said first portion and encloses said first portion to absorb the dimensional distortions induced by said locally heat-softened first portion, and wherein
said distortion-absorbing area ( 4 ) has a height between 2 and 20 mm.
2. The sheet metal part of claim 1 , wherein said sheet metal part has a thickness between 0.5 and 8 mm.
3. The sheet metal part of claim 2 , wherein said sheet metal part has a thickness between 0.5 and 6 mm.
4. The sheet metal part of claim 3 , wherein said sheet metal part has a thickness between 0.5 and 3 mm.
5. The sheet metal part of claim 4 , wherein said sheet metal part has a thickness between 0.8 and 2.5 mm.
6. The sheet metal part according to claim 1 , wherein said distortion-absorbing area comprises rounded edges and said internal boundary is defined by the inner tangency line of said rounded edges.
7. The sheet metal part according to claim 6 , wherein said rounded edges have a radius between 2 and 20 mm.
8. The sheet metal part according to claim 7 , wherein said rounded edges have a radius between 2 and 10 mm.
9. The sheet metal part according to claim 1 , wherein said locally heat-softened first portion is distanced between 0 and 50 mm to said internal boundary.
10. The sheet metal part according to claim 9 , wherein said locally heat-softened first portion is distanced between 0 and 10 mm to said internal boundary.
11. The sheet metal part according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion has an area between 100 mm 2 and 50,000 mm 2 .
12. The sheet metal part according to claim 11 , wherein said first portion has an area between 100 mm 2 and 15,000 mm 2 .
13. The sheet metal part according to claim 1 , wherein said distortion-absorbing area is one of the group formed by a projection, a recess or a surrounding bump and in that said distortion-absorbing area encloses a flat portion for performing said locally heat-softened first portion.
14. The sheet metal part according to claim 13 , wherein when said distortion-absorbing area is a surrounding bump, it further comprises a plateau of greater than 0 to 20 mm wide.
15. The sheet metal part according to claim 1 , wherein said internal boundary is a closed boundary such as to completely enclose said locally heat-softened first portion.
16. A forming sheet metal part for a vehicle frame comprising:
a first portion of said sheet metal part being locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out,
wherein the sheet metal part further comprises:
a dedicated three-dimensional distortion-absorbing area, defining an internal boundary within which said first portion is to be locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out, and
said distortion-absorbing area being dimensioned such that once said locally heat-softening step has been performed, said internal boundary is adjacent to said first portion and encloses said first portion to absorb the dimensional distortions induced by said locally heat-softened first portion, and wherein
said distortion-absorbing area comprises rounded edges and said internal boundary is defined by the inner tangency line of said rounded edges.
17. The sheet metal part according to claim 16 , wherein said rounded edges have a radius between 2 and 20 mm.
18. The sheet metal part according to claim 17 , wherein said rounded edges have a radius between 2 and 10 mm.
19. A forming sheet metal part for a vehicle frame comprising:
a first portion of said sheet metal part being locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out,
wherein the sheet metal part further comprises:
a dedicated three-dimensional distortion-absorbing area, defining an internal boundary within which said first portion is to be locally heat-softened after said sheet metal part has been formed out, and
said distortion-absorbing area being dimensioned such that once said locally heat-softening step has been performed, said internal boundary is adjacent to said first portion and encloses said first portion to absorb the dimensional distortions induced by said locally heat-softened first portion, and wherein
said distortion-absorbing area is one of the group formed by a projection, a recess or a surrounding bump and in that said distortion-absorbing area encloses a flat portion for performing said locally heat-softened first portion.
20. The sheet metal part according to claim 19 , wherein when said distortion-absorbing area is a surrounding bump, it further comprises a plateau of greater than 0 to 20 mm wide.