Patent ID: 7269986

Claim:
A die system for forming a formable blank into a structural component that at least partially conforms to a predetermined shape, said die system comprising at least one heating source and a shape imparting shell that is at least partially supported in compression force transmitting material, said shell being in the form of at least a first shell section and a second shell section, each of which includes an inner surface at least partially defining said predetermined shape, an outer support surface and spaced lateral edges which edges at least partially define a parting plane between said two shell sections when said two shell sections are brought together to at least partially form said shell, said compression force transmitting material including first and second compression force transmitting materials, said first compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said first shell section, said first compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said first shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side at least partially supporting said second shell section, said second compression force transmitting material having different physical properties than said second shell section, said first and second force transmitting material being movable relative to one another to at least partially capture said formable blank in said shell sections, said at least one heating source designed to heat at least a portion of said formable blank to enable said formable blank at least partially conform to at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said first and second shell sections to form said structural component, said at least one heating source including a flux concentrator, said flux concentrator at least partially positioned in at least one of said shell sections, at least one of said compression force transmitting materials, or combinations thereof.