Patent ID: 6976343

Claim:
A metal structural element, comprising: a flexible web with a curvilinear profile; a substantially rigid flange having a first component and a second component, the first component and the second component each having a longitudinal curvilinear edge, the longitudinal curvilinear edge of the first component being substantially complementary to the longitudinal curvilinear edge of the second component; wherein the first component and the second component are substantially more rigid and have substantially higher dimensional accuracy than the flexible web; and wherein the flexible web is compressively interposed between the longitudinal curvilinear edge of the first component and the longitudinal curvilinear edge of the second component, causing the flexible web to be further formed, increasing the dimensional accuracy to substantially match there higher dimensional accuracy of the longitudinal curvilinear edge of the first component and the second component; and wherein the first component, the second component, and the flexible web are fused together while under compressive force, along the longitudinal curvilinear edges.