Vehicle underbody and method of forming thereof

1. A method of forming an underbody of a vehicle, comprising:

positioning a flat floorpan defining a part of an assembly;

slidably engaging a first rocker at a first side, and a second rocker at a second side, of the floorpan, such that the rockers do not traverse a first bend axis;

slidably engaging a first rail and a second rail with the floorpan such that the rails do traverse a second bend axis; and

forming the assembly with respect to the first and the second bend axis.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying an adhesive between at least two parts of the assembly; and

forming the assembly in the presence of the adhesive that is partially cured and in the absence of a welded joint.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

at least one of the floorpan, the rocker, and the rail, comprises a tubular shaped extruded component;

the rockers and the rails are slidably engaged with the floorpan via channels and tabs; and

longitudinal axes of the rockers and longitudinal axes of the rails are disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the floorpan.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming further comprises:

forming to assembly such that the first and the second bend axis are each perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the assembly.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

inserting at least one of a reinforcement rib, a spacer, and a foam, into at least one of the tubular shaped extruded component wherein the reinforcement rib; the spacer, and the foam, have a longitudinal length that is less than the longitudinal length of the tubular shaped extruded component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises roll-forming and further comprising:

constraining an end of the assembly sufficiently to prevent buckling during the roll-forming.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

welding at least two components of the assembly subsequent to the forming.

8. A method of forming an underbody of a vehicle, comprising:

positioning a floorpan defining a part of an assembly, the floorpan having a longitudinal axis;

slidably engaging a rocker with the floorpan in the direction of the longitudinal axis such that the rocker does not traverse a first bend axis, the first bend axis oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis;

slidably engaging a rail with the floorpan in the direction of the longitudinal axis such that the rail does traverse a second bend axis, the second bend axis oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

subsequent to slidably engaging the rocker and the rail, forming the assembly with respect to the first and the second bend axes.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises:

forming the assembly in a first direction with respect to the first bend axis, and in a second opposite direction with respect to the second bend axis.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the rails are slidably engaged with the floorpan inboard of the rockers.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

constraining an end of the assembly while forming the assembly in a manner to prevent buckling thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

in response to the assembly being constrained and formed, stretch forming the assembly.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

prior to the forming, applying an adhesive between parts of the assembly; and

wherein the forming further comprises forming the assembly in the absence of a welded joint between the puts of the assembly.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

welding together parts of the assembly subsequent to the forming.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

prior to the forming, inserting reinforcement ribs and/or spacers into the rocker and/or rail.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

injecting a structural foam into the rocker and/or rail subsequent to the welding.