WARM FORMING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSVERSE BENDING OF AN EXTRUDED ALUMINUM BEAM TO WARM FORM A VEHICLE STRUCTURAL COMPONENT

摘要

A method for warm forming an aluminum beam, such as an aluminum component for a vehicle, includes providing an extruded aluminum beam with a hollow cross-sectional shape. A portion of a forming die is heated to a desired temperature, so as to heat a portion of the aluminum beam in the die to a temperature below the artificial aging temperature of the aluminum beam. The heated aluminum beam is deformed to a desired shape with the die in a direction transverse to a length of the aluminum beam.