Post-process interface development for metal-matrix composites

A composite component includes a reinforcement bonded to a base component by a bond formed by, or reinforced with, a localized coupling in the base component. The bond may be formed by ultrasonic additive manufacturing. The localized coupling may include a compression of the base component, a weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld. Where the bond is formed by the localized coupling, the localized coupling encompasses the reinforcement. Where the bond is reinforced with the localized coupling, the localized coupling may encompass the reinforcement, or be arranged at an inside radius of a turn in the reinforcement. The reinforcement results in the composite component having enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, stiffness, or energy absorption capabilities.

BACKGROUND

Metal parts for manufacturing are often produced from a substantially flat blank material (e.g. sheet metal) by subjecting the blank to a forming process (e.g. stamping, extruding, etc.) so that the blank is formed into a formed component with a desired contoured shape. In an effort to reduce the weight of these formed components, the gauge (i.e. thickness) of material used in these formed components is reduced. However, in reducing the gauge of the material used in the formed component, the strength and other characteristics of the formed component are reduced or otherwise compromised. In order to address the reduction in strength associated with the reduction in gauge, several methods are used to reinforce the formed components.

Conventional reinforced formed components include adhesive patches (both non-reinforced and reinforced) placed on the component after it is formed; secondary reinforcing structures of dissimilar composition fastened or welded to the blank or to the formed component; or similar materials welded to the blank prior to forming. Examples of reinforcing strategies include adhesive patches used in metal vehicle door outer panels, spot-welded stiffeners in vehicle frame components, tailor welded and tailor rolled blanks in automobile door inner structures, and patches of reinforcing steel that are spot welded to steel blanks prior to forming. Bolt attachment points for high stress components, like door hinges, are often reinforced using thicker sheet material in tailor welded blanks or reinforcement metal plates attached after forming. Other methods for generating formed vehicle components with spatially variable properties include variable quench hot stamping and selective post-forming heat treatments.

To date, a key method of reducing the weight of vehicles has been the use of “down-gauging” sheet metal components or changing to a “lightweight” material such as aluminum from steel. With respect to formed metal components, reducing the gauge of a sheet metal blank has an inherent limitation based upon strength, stiffness, energy absorption, or fatigue properties required for the formed metal component. Although lightweight materials may be less dense than steel, they often have lower strength and are less stiff.

In a similar manner, extruded metal components have a uniform wall thickness, and therefore a uniform strength and stiffness, along the extrusion direction, such that the wall thickness is based on the requirements of the most highly loaded region of the component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

According to one aspect, a composite component includes a base component, a reinforcement, and a localized coupling reinforcing, or forming, a bond between the base component and the reinforcement. The localized coupling is arranged only at a discrete location on the base component, and includes a compression of the base component, a fusion weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld.

In another aspect, a method of making a composite component includes providing a base component and a reinforcement. A localized coupling is formed in the base component to reinforce, or form, a bond between the base component and the reinforcement. The localized coupling is arranged only at a discrete location on the base component. The localized coupling includes a compression of the base component, a fusion weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A composite component is provided that has spatially varying material properties. Because of this, the composite component can have reduced mass, yet meet overall requirements with respect to strength, stiffness, and energy absorption. The composite component addresses barriers present in current manufacturing processes relating to forming, fixity (location stability during the manufacturing process), joining, and thermal expansion. In this regard, spatial variation of various material properties within the formed component is only coarsely possible with conventional manufacturing technology.

The present subject matter provides a composite component2including a base component4and a reinforcement6bonded to the base component by a mechanical/friction or metallurgical bond8. As shown, the composite component2includes only one reinforcement6. However, it should be understood that the composite component2can include more than one reinforcement6, which can be arranged in various orientations with respect to each other, and may be included at predetermined locations on the base component4to provide a desired enhancement in a particular characteristic of the base component or composite component2. The composite component2includes a localized coupling10arranged only at a discrete location on the base component4. The localized coupling10reinforces the already formed bond8between the base component4and the reinforcement6, or forms the bond8between the base component4and the reinforcement6.

FIGS. 5-9depict the localized coupling10being used to form the bond8at discrete locations along the reinforcement6, which anchors the reinforcement6to the base component4.

FIGS. 1-4depict the localized coupling10being used to reinforce an already formed bond8. InFIGS. 1-4, the reinforcement6may have a strength that exceeds the already formed bond8, which has not yet been reinforced with the localized coupling10, thus possibly resulting in an inadequate structural performance for the composite component2. To address this concern, the already formed bond8may be reinforced at discrete locations along the reinforcement6with the localized coupling10. As used herein, “reinforce” or cognate terms means that the localized coupling10strengthens the bond8itself (FIGS. 1-3, i.e. “direct reinforcement” of the bond8), or that the localized coupling10provides support to the bond8without strengthening the bond8itself (FIG. 4, i.e. “indirect reinforcement” of the bond8).

The localized coupling10may be formed in the base component4to encompass a portion of the reinforcement6, and may include a compression22, a weld20(e.g. a resistance spot weld, RSW) with or without a heat affected zone24, or only the heat affected zone (HAZ)24apart from the weld20.

Where the localized coupling10is used to directly or indirectly reinforce the already formed bond8(e.g. inFIGS. 1-4), the localized coupling10may be formed by post-processing steps, i.e. processing steps performed after the bond8is formed between the reinforcement6and the base component4. The localized coupling10is included to reinforce the bond8, at least at discrete locations along the reinforcement6, thus increasing the structural performance of the composite component2as compared to a situation where no localized coupling10is included. The localized coupling10may directly reinforce the already formed bond8by strengthening the bond8itself. This may be accomplished by the localized coupling10encompassing a portion of the bond8and thereby anchoring the reinforcement6to the base component4at discrete locations, and/or by promoting grain growth and diffusion across, as well as relieving stress in, the already formed bond8at discrete locations.

The localized coupling10may directly reinforce the already formed bond8by increasing the interface strength of a portion of the bond8encompassed by the localized coupling10by encouraging grain growth and diffusion across the various interfaces of the composite component2. The localized coupling10may increase ductility or strain to failure in the composite component2. The local increase in interface strength may increase the structural integrity of the composite component2. The number of sites at which the localized coupling10is to be formed, may be determined by the tensile or compressive strength of the reinforcement6.

The post-processing steps to form the localized coupling10may be performed after a forming operation that is used to form contours in the base component4/composite component2into a desired configuration. In a non-limiting example, the forming operation may include cold stamping, rolling, die forming, forging, etc.

The benefit of forming the localized coupling10after a forming operation may be to provide a lower initial interface strength between the base component4and the reinforcement6during the forming operation, thus allowing for easier relative movement between reinforcement6and the base component4during the forming operation. Forming the localized coupling10after a forming operation provides a higher final interface strength that provides a stronger composite component having the desired shape. This reinforcement6helps the composite component2to have a desired performance characteristic in its final shape. If the localized coupling10were formed first, follow by the forming operation, then the reinforcement6may undesirably fracture during the forming operation, and thus offer less reinforcement to the final composite component2.

The base component4may comprise a first metal material. The first metal material is not particularly limited, and may comprise aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy. Other metals and metal alloys may be used as, or included in, the first metal material.

The reinforcement6includes material that is similar or dissimilar in composition to that of the base component4. That is, the composition of the reinforcement6is either the same or different than the composition of the base component4. The reinforcement6may include a second metal material having a composition the same as, or different from the first metal material; and may be a single continuous fiber.

If the reinforcement6is made from a material that is different from the base component4, the material of the reinforcement6may be at least one of stronger, stiffer, have greater energy absorption, and have increased fatigue life than the material of the base component4.

The material of the reinforcement6is not particularly limited and may comprise steel or a steel-based alloy or a steel-based composite, a stack of one or more metal layers that are UAM welded to each other, a discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composite (DRx), a continuous fiber, tows, threads, wire, cables, meshes, fabrics, and/or veils, the composition of which is not particularly limited and may be chosen to modify a particular performance characteristic of the final composite component2as desired. As used herein, a “continuous fiber” is a single elongated continuous piece of a given material or combinations of material which may have a circular, flat (such as a ribbon), or other cross-sectional shape; a tow is an untwisted bundle of fibers; a thread is a twisted bundle of fibers; meshes and fabrics can include fibers, tows, and threads; veils are non-woven mats or substantially randomly placed fibers; a wire is a continuous metal fiber; and a cable is a twisted bundle of metal fibers. The reinforcement may include for example, structural metals such as steel, titanium, magnesium, or aluminum, as well as ceramic such as silicon carbide or alumina, and organic polymers such as carbon fiber, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) such as Zylon®, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) such as Dyneema®, etc., to increase strength and stiffness.

The reinforcement6may be mechanically, chemically, thermally, or metallurgically bonded to the base component4in such a way that, after forming, the reinforcement6is located in key areas/regions of the composite component2for enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, increased stiffness, control of thermal deformation, or increased energy absorption capabilities as compared to the base component4without the reinforcement6.

The reinforcement6is attached discretely to the base component4prior to forming operations that bend and otherwise deform the base component4to include contours. The reinforcement6thus reinforces the base component4. As used herein, “reinforce” and cognate terms means to increase one or more metrics of strength, stiffness, energy absorption, and fatigue life for the formed composite component2as compared to a similar base component not including the reinforcement6. The process of reinforcing the base component4with the reinforcement6allows thinner gauge material to be used as the base component4, which results in a corresponding reduction in weight, yet the formed composite component2still maintains the required performance characteristics as if made from a uniformly thicker sheet metal material. The current methods are beneficial because thinner gauge base components4and lower strength materials are easier to form than thicker gauge base components, giving the possibility of reduced manufacturing costs.

The present subject matter enables lightweight construction, higher performance (e.g. strength, stiffness, energy absorption, and fatigue life) than homogenous sheet material, tailored spatially variable properties, more robust attachment of reinforcements to the base component, reduced part count, and reduced manufacturing costs by eliminating ultra-high strength blanks, hot formed blanks, and tailor welded/tailor rolled blanks.

FIGS. 1 and 2depict a composite component2including a base component4and a reinforcement6. The base component4includes the first metal material. The reinforcement6may include the second metal material or may include a single continuous fiber.

The base component4may include a first layer4A and a second layer4B as shown inFIG. 1. However, this is not required, and the base component4may include more or less layers, such as being a single layer having the reinforcement6attached thereto. The first layer4A and second layer4B may each include a metal material. The metal material of the first layer4A may have a composition that is the same as, or different than, the metal material of the second layer4B. Although depicted as having the same size (i.e. width, length, and height), it should be understood that the first and second layers4B may have different sizes in one or more of width, length, and height.

The reinforcement6may be arranged at an interface12between the first layer4A and second layer4B, and the first layer4A may then be ultrasonically welded to the second layer4B at the interface12in an Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) process to thereby form a UAM weld (i.e. ultrasonic weld) at the interface12. The first and second layers4A,4B may also be roll bonded together with the reinforcement6being arranged at the interface12.

This bond8between the reinforcement6and the first and second layers4A,4B may be formed by the UAM process (FIGS. 1-4). Ultrasonically welding the reinforcement6to the first and second layers4A,4B to form the bond8may result in the reinforcement6being embedded in both of the first and second layers4A,4B as shown. Where the reinforcement6includes metal, the bond8may be a UAM formed metallurgical bond. Where the reinforcement6does not include metal, the bond8may be a UAM formed mechanical/friction bond.

The UAM weld at the interface12may be formed to encompass the entire interface12, and thus encompass the entire reinforcement6and form the bond8between the entire reinforcement6and the base component4. Alternatively, the UAM weld at the interface12may only encompass portions of the interface12and only portions of the reinforcement6, and thus form the bond8between only portions of the reinforcement6and the base component4. One or more ultrasonic welds may be formed at the interface12and these may intersect the reinforcement6.

UAM is a solid-state (i.e. no melting) continuous, additive metal welding process which provides an ultrasonic weld, and thus a fully dense, gapless three dimensional part. In the UAM process, an ultrasonic welder may be used, which includes a sonotrode (i.e. horn) driven by one or more piezoelectric transducers to impart ultrasonic vibrations under a compressive force to the parts to be joined. The sonotrode operates at a vibration frequency of about 20 kHz (nominal) that is transverse to the rolling direction to create plastic deformation between a metal material and the object to which it is being welded. When two metal parts are being ultrasonically welded, vibrations imparted by the sonotrode on the workpiece along with a static compressive force cause a metallurgical bond to form between the two metal parts. Process temperatures are low, typically below 150° C., and thus inhibit the formation of brittle intermetallics, inhibit altering the microstructure of the metals, and inhibit heat-induced distortion or property degradation of the metals.

UAM is useful for joining the first and second layers4A,4B and for joining the reinforcement6to the base component4, because UAM is a low temperature process, meaning that it may not alter the effect of prior heat treatments or the microstructure of the metal material on a meso- or macro-scale, and is able to join dissimilar metal materials without formation of adverse intermetallic compounds. Second, UAM produces a continuous hermetic bond at the interface12, meaning the reinforcement6can be isolated from the exterior environment thereby avoiding corrosion or infiltration by contaminants such as an electrolyte.

UAM can be used to join dissimilar materials (i.e. different metals such as between the first and second layers4A,4B or between the base component4and a metal reinforcement6) and allows for embedding the reinforcement6(e.g. single continuous fiber) within the metal material of the base component4.

This UAM process produces the bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4. Forming the bond8may include embedding the reinforcement6in the base component4. If the reinforcement6is a single continuous fiber that does not include metal materials, then the metal material of the base component4may flow into voids in the continuous fiber or around the continuous fiber, thus producing a mechanical/friction bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4. If on the other hand, the reinforcement6is itself a metal material, then an ultrasonic weld may form between the metal materials of the reinforcement6and that of the base component4, thus producing a metallurgical bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4. As such, the bond8can include one or both of a mechanical/friction bond, and a metallurgical bond.

Instead of being pressed into the first and second layers4A,4B during UAM, the reinforcement6may be arranged in a preformed channel in one or both of the first and second layers4A,4B at the interface12.

The localized coupling10may be formed in a post-processing step after the bond8is formed (FIGS. 1-4). The localized coupling10may include a resistance spot weld (RSW)20formed in the base component4(i.e. in the first and second layers4A,4B), and which encompasses a portion of the reinforcement6only at discrete locations of the reinforcement6(FIGS. 1-3). That is, the resistance spot weld20does not encompass the entire reinforcement6, but encompasses only discrete portions of the reinforcement6, and thereby anchors the reinforcement6to the base component4at these discrete locations. The resistance spot weld20may be formed by operating two RSW tips14while having the composite component2(including a portion of the reinforcement6) arranged between them. Such post-processing to form a RSW20could be performed in a short time, on the order of 0.5 second for each RSW20. The localized coupling10in the form of the RSW20may increase interface strength and encourage grain growth and diffusion at the interface12between the first and second layers4A,4B and at the interface between the reinforcement6and the base component4, as well as relieve stress from the UAM weld at the interface12and/or from other previous processes. The RSW20may also be the only bond formed between the first and second layers4A,4B.

As depicted inFIG. 1, a portion of the reinforcement6is arranged directly in line between the two RSW tips14. In this position, an individual RSW20may encompass only a portion of the reinforcement6and only a portion of the already formed bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4. A similar configuration is shown inFIG. 2, where several RSWs20are discrete from one another, and contact the reinforcement6only at discrete points along a length of the reinforcement6to provide the localized couplings10. At other locations along the length of the reinforcement6, only the bond8without the localized coupling10exists between the reinforcement6and the base component4. The RSW tips14create the discrete RSWs20by the application of welding energy, but may also be pressed against the base component4with an amount of pressure to thereby compress the base component4and reinforcement6to also create a compression22as the localized coupling10of the bond8.

In another embodiment, the composite component2may not include a reinforcement6as depicted inFIGS. 1-2in the form of a single continuous fiber, but may instead include the first layer4A acting as the base component, which is UAM welded at the interface12to the second layer4B acting as the reinforcement6. This may be similar to the composite component2depicted inFIG. 4, but without the reinforcement6in the form of a single continuous fiber. In this embodiment, the UAM weld at the interface12is the bond between the first layer4A (i.e. base component) and the second layer4B (i.e. reinforcement). If the first layer4A and the second layer4B are metals, then the bond8may be a metallurgical bond. The composite component2may include a localized coupling10formed at discrete locations in the UAM weld at the interface12, so as to strengthen the bond8between the first and second layers4A,4B. The localized coupling10may include a RSW20and/or associated HAZ24, and/or a compression22of the first and second layers4A,4B. The RSW20, as the localized coupling10, may thereby directly reinforce the bond8by anchoring the first layer4A to the second layer4B.

FIG. 3depicts a composite component2that includes a first piece16and a second piece18that are welded together by a RSW20, and optionally also by a UAM weld at an interface26between them. The first piece16and the second piece18may be similar to the composite component2as described inFIGS. 1-2, and the similar components here will be understood to have similar features as described with respect toFIGS. 1-2.

The first piece16includes a first layer4A and a second layer4B bonded by a UAM process at a first interface12A, which UAM process embeds a first reinforcement6A into the first and second layers4A,4B and forms a first bond8A between the first reinforcement6A and the first and second layers4A,4B. The second piece18includes a third layer4C and a fourth layer4D bonded by a UAM process at a second interface12B, which UAM process embeds a second reinforcement6B into the third and fourth layers4C,4D and forms a second bond8B between the second reinforcement6B and the third and fourth layers4C,4D. The first piece16and second piece18ofFIG. 3, and composite component2ofFIG. 1, are not limited to having only two layers, and may include more or less than two layers. If the first and second reinforcements6A,6B are metal, then the first and second bonds8A,8B may be metallurgical bonds. If the first and second reinforcements6A,6B are not metal, then the first and second bonds8A,8B may be mechanical/friction bonds.

The RSW20is formed between the first piece16and the second piece18by RSW tips14. However, the RSW20may or may not encompass the bonds8A,8B or the reinforcements6A,6B in either of the first or second pieces16,18. Instead, the heat affected zone (HAZ)24produced when forming the RSW20may encompass a portion of at least one of the first or second pieces16,18, a portion of at least one of the bonds8A,8B, and/or a portion of at least one of the reinforcements6A,6B. As shown, the HAZ24encompasses a portion of both the first and second pieces16,18, a portion of both of the bonds8A,8B, and a portion of both of the reinforcements6A,6B. The HAZ acts as the localized coupling10to enhance the bonds8A,8B by increasing their strength. This may be accomplished by the HAZ24encouraging grain growth and diffusion at the bonds8A,8B between the reinforcements6A,6B and the respective layers4A-4D in each of the first and second pieces16,18, so as to increase the mechanical coupling (where the reinforcements6A,6B are not metal) or the metallurgical coupling (where the reinforcements6A,6B are metal) between the first reinforcement6A and the first and second layers4A,4B and between the second reinforcement6B and the third and fourth layers4C,4D in order to increase the structural integrity of the composite component2. The RSW20may also encompass a portion of at least one of the first or second pieces16,18, a portion of at least one of the bonds8A,8B, and/or a portion of at least one of the reinforcements6A,6B, but this is not required.

FIG. 4depicts a composite component2, including the reinforcement6embedded between two layers4A,4B (not shown) of the base component4. The reinforcement6is bonded to the base component4(i.e. between the two layers4A,4B) by a bond8formed by a UAM process. The reinforcement6is arranged in serpentine configuration including turns28. The UAM process may also form a UAM coupling between the two layers4A,4B at the interface12. One or more localized couplings10, e.g. three RSWs20as shown, may be formed between the two layers4A,4B to strengthen the UAM coupling between the two layers4A,4B. The localized couplings10are arranged at an inside radius of each turn28of the reinforcement6. The serpentine path of the reinforcement6may be used to increase the surface area in common between the reinforcement6and the base component4, and therefore may increase the interfacial force required to cause relative movement between the reinforcement6and the base component4. However in this configuration, the reinforcement6, such as at the turn28, may not be oriented parallel to an expected applied load to be applied to the composite component2, and thus the applied load may cause the reinforcement6to start a delamination of the first layer4A from the second layer4B at the interface12, thus causing failure of the composite component2. By post-processing to create the localized couplings10at discrete regions at the inside radius of each turn28, the UAM formed bond8between the reinforcement6and the two layers4A,4B can be indirectly reinforced. This may be accomplished by the localized couplings10inhibiting delamination of the two layers4A,4B, thus inhibiting movement of the reinforcement6relative to the two layers4A,4B and destruction of the bond8between the reinforcement6and the two layers4A,4B. In this way, the localized couplings10indirectly reinforce the bond8and enable the bond8to withstand the pressure created by the tension at the turn28of the reinforcement6.

As shown inFIG. 4, the localized coupling10does not encompass the reinforcement6, but instead is spaced therefrom, and thus provides indirect reinforcement of the bond8because it does not strengthen the bond8itself but supports the bond8. Instead, the localized coupling10is formed between the two layers4A,4B to connect them securely at their interface, and thus supports the bond8. This may be done where the reinforcement6does not include metallic content, or if it is otherwise undesirable to have the localized coupling10encompass the reinforcement6, such as if the reinforcement is temperature sensitive and degrades when exposed to elevated temperatures. In this way, the localized coupling10indirectly reinforces the bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4by strengthening the UAM bond between the two layers4A,4B, and without the localized coupling10encompassing the reinforcement6. Alternately, the localized couplings10may encompass a portion of the reinforcement at each turn28, or may contact (be tangent to) the reinforcement at each turn28. This may be done where the reinforcement6includes a metallic content, or where it is otherwise desirable to do so.

FIGS. 5-9depict the localized coupling10being used to form the bond8itself. As shown, the reinforcement6is bonded to a surface of a base component4, rather than between two layers4A,4B of a base component4, and thus the reinforcement6is not surrounded by the base component4. The base component4is depicted to consist of a single piece of material. However, this configuration is not required, and the base component4can include multiple layers.

InFIGS. 5-9, the reinforcement6is bonded to the base component4without utilizing a UAM process. Instead, the localized coupling10, such as a RSW20, forms the bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4and thereby anchors the reinforcement6to the base component4. As such, the localized coupling10does not directly or indirectly reinforce the bond8, but instead forms the bond8. Such formation of the bond8by the formation of the localized coupling10(in the form of a RSW20) may be used where the reinforcement6includes a metal material that itself can be fusion welded with the metal base component4. The metal material of the reinforcement6may have the same or different composition from the base component4. Alternatively, the reinforcement6may include ceramic matrix composites or reinforced polymers.

As depicted inFIGS. 5-6, the reinforcement6is arranged on an exposed surface42of the base component4, and the RSW tips14are used to weld the reinforcement6to the base component4by forming the RSW20to encompass a portion of the reinforcement6and a portion of the base component4. The RSWs20are only formed at discrete locations along the length of the reinforcement6, and therefore encompass only a portion of the reinforcement6at those locations. The RSWs20thus form the bonds8between the reinforcement6and the base component4.

FIG. 7shows the reinforcement6being arranged in a pre-formed channel30of the base component4, which channel30is made prior to forming the RSW20. The channel30may be formed by machining the base component4, molding the base component4, or by other forming operations. The channel30may allow the reinforcement6to be embedded in the base component4without the need for using UAM, and/or may simplify the process of welding these objects together by holding the reinforcement6in a stable pre-defined position relative to the base component4.

FIGS. 8-9depict the reinforcement6being configured with collars32arranged at discrete locations along the reinforcement6. The collars32are arranged around or over the reinforcement6. The collars32are arranged on the exposed surface42of the base component4. RSW tips14are used to create RSWs20to bond the collars32to the base component4, and the reinforcement6to the collars32. The RSWs20encompass a portion of the collars32and a portion of the reinforcement6, and thus form the bond8between the reinforcement6and the base component4, via collars32.

FIG. 10depicts a collar32A in the shape of a block having a void in the form of a through hole34therein. The reinforcement6is inserted in the through hole34before resistance spot welding the collar32A and reinforcement6to the base component4. The through hole34may be sized and shaped so as to closely correspond to the outside surface of the reinforcement6to create a close fitting engagement between them.

FIGS. 11-12depict a collar32B having two legs38extending downward to define a void in the form of a trench36extending through the collar32B. The reinforcement6is inserted in the trench36before resistance spot welding the collar32B and reinforcement6to the base component4. The trench36may be sized and shaped so as to closely correspond to the outside surface of the reinforcement6to create a close fitting engagement between them.

FIG. 12depicts the reinforcement6arranged in the trench36and the trench36being in a state after it is welded to the base component4, which is not shown. As depicted, the legs38of the collar32B are deformed slightly from their original shape as shown inFIG. 11due to resistance spot welding, and thus deflect inward towards each other and around a bottom of the reinforcement6to encompass the reinforcement6between them. Such deformation of the legs38may be a result of resistance spot welding the collar32B to the base component4, and may act to more securely anchor the reinforcement6in the collar32B, and thus to the base component4.

The collar32may have a flat top surface40, which may allow the RSW tip14to more easily engage the collar and more efficiently transfer energy into the collar32for making the RSW20.

A method of making a composite component2includes providing a base component4and a reinforcement6. A bond8is formed between the base component4and the reinforcement6. The bond8is reinforced with, or formed by, a localized coupling10arranged only at a discrete location on the base component4. The localized coupling10includes a compression22of the base component4, a weld20in the base component4, or a heat affected zone of the weld20.

The base component4may include a first metal material, and the reinforcement6may include a second metal material having a composition different from the first metal material. The bond8may be formed by ultrasonic welding the reinforcement6to the base component4. The localized coupling10may include a resistance spot weld20encompassing a portion of the bond8.

The base component4may include a first metal material, the reinforcement6may be a single continuous fiber, and the method may further include resistance spot welding the base component4to thereby form a resistance spot weld20with a heat affected zone24. The localized coupling10, may then include either a) the resistance spot weld20encompassing the reinforcement6(FIGS. 1-2), b) the heat affected zone24encompassing the reinforcement6(FIG. 3), or c) the resistance spot weld20arranged at an inside radius of a turn28of the reinforcement6(FIG. 4).

The base component4may include two layers4A,4B of metal material (FIG. 1-2). The two layers4A,4B of metal material may have different compositions. The method may further include ultrasonic welding the two layers4A,4B together with the reinforcement6A arranged between the two layers4A,4B, such that the reinforcement6A is embedded in the two layers4A,4B.

The two layers4A,4B and the reinforcement6A may define a first piece16(FIG. 3). The method may further comprise forming a second piece18including by ultrasonic welding two more layers4C,4D of metal material together with a second reinforcement6B, e.g. a single continuous fiber, arranged between the two more layers4C,4B, such that the second reinforcement6B is embedded in the two more layers4C,4D. The resistance spot weld20bonds the first piece16to the second piece18. The first and second pieces16,18can also be bonded by a UAM weld. The heat affected zone24from the RSW20encompasses the first reinforcement6A of the first piece16, the second reinforcement6B of the second piece18, at least a portion of the first ultrasonic weld8A of the first piece16at the first interface12A of the first piece16, and at least a portion of a second ultrasonic weld8B at the second interface12B of the second piece18. The two reinforcements6A,6B do not need to be aligned parallel as shown inFIG. 3, and can be arranged in different configurations. Further, even if both pieces16,18have reinforcements6A,6B, which is not required, the RSW20does not need to encompass both reinforcements6A,6B. Also, it may be that the second piece18is a metal part without a reinforcement6B.

The reinforcement6may be arranged to include a turn28having the inside radius, and the resistance spot weld20may be arranged at the inside radius of the turn28of the reinforcement6.

The reinforcement6may include a second metal material; the resistance spot weld20may encompasses the reinforcement6; and the reinforcement6may be embedded in the base component4.

The reinforcement6may be arranged in a channel30in the base component4before the resistance spot welding, or the reinforcement6may be pressed into the base component4during resistance spot welding.

The composite component2may further include a collar32. The method may further include arranging the reinforcement6in a void (i.e. through hole34or trench36) of the collar32before the resistance spot welding. The resistance spot welding welds the collar32to the base component4and bonds the reinforcement6to the collar32.

The void may be a trench36extending through the collar32B. The collar32B includes two legs38defining the trench36. The reinforcement6is arranged in the trench36such that the two legs38are arranged on either side of the reinforcement6. Resistance spot welding deforms the two legs38to deflect inward to encompass the reinforcement6.

The method may further include forming contours in the base component4after the bond8is formed and before resistance spot welding.