US2015315666A1PendingUtilityA1

Induction annealing as a method for expanded hydroformed tube formability

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Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECH LLCPriority: Apr 30, 2014Filed: Apr 30, 2014Published: Nov 5, 2015
Est. expiryApr 30, 2034(~7.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Nia R. HarrisonAndrey M. IlinichS. George Luckey, Jr.Stephen Kernosky
C22F 1/05C22C 21/02B21D 35/002C22C 21/00C22F 1/047C22C 21/08C22F 1/043C21D 1/42B21D 26/033C22C 21/14C21D 7/12B62D 65/00C22C 21/18C22F 1/04C21D 1/26C22F 1/057C21D 7/02B21D 7/16B21D 7/162C22C 21/16Y02P10/25B62D 29/008
61
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Claims

Abstract

A method of hydroforming a workpiece includes the steps of bending the workpiece into a first preliminary shape, pre-forming the workpiece into a second preliminary shape, induction annealing the workpiece at a temperature between 120-160° C. and hydroforming the workpiece to a desired shape.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of hydroforming a workpiece, comprising:
 bending said workpiece into a first preliminary shape;   pre-forming said workpiece into a second preliminary shape;   induction annealing said workpiece at a temperature between 120-160° C.; and   hydroforming said workpiece to a desired shape.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , including ramping to said induction annealing temperature in 10-30 seconds. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , including completing said induction annealing between the pre-forming and the hydroforming. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , including completing said induction annealing between the bending and the pre-forming. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , including trimming said workpiece to a desired length. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , including heat treating said workpiece after hydroforming in order to impart desired strength properties. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , including completing said heat treating at 160-200° C. for 4 to 10 hours. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said workpiece is made from AA6XXX aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said workpiece is an A-pillar roof rail. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , including completing said induction annealing to said A-pillar roof rail at a first bend of an A-pillar portion of said workpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , including completing said induction annealing at a temperature of between 130-150° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  including ramping to said induction annealing temperature in 20 to 30 seconds. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , including completing said induction annealing at a temperature of 135-145° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  including ramping to said induction annealing temperature in 20 to 30 seconds. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , including completing said induction annealing at a temperature of 140° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  including ramping to said induction annealing temperature in 25 to 30 seconds. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said workpiece is made from AA6082-T4 aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , including completing said induction annealing between both (a) the bending and pre-forming and (b) the pre-forming and hydroforming. 
     
     
         19 . A method of hydroforming a workpiece, comprising:
 pre-bending said workpiece into a first preliminary shape;   pre-forming said workpiece into a second preliminary shape;   induction annealing said workpiece at a temperature between 120-160° C. to improve formability of said workpiece while not compromising final strength properties of said workpiece;   hydroforming said workpiece to a desired shape; and   heat treating said workpiece at 160-200° C. for about 4 to 10 hours to increase final strength properties of said workpiece.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , including using an induction annealing temperature of about 140° C. with a ramp time of 20-30 seconds.

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