Patent ID: 8042372

Claim:
A method of hemming at least a portion of a panel assembly, the method comprising: providing an outer panel having a flange defining at least one planar section and having at least one first bend, and providing an inner panel having at least one second bend; holding the inner panel adjacent the outer panel by a workpiece holder; leaving the at least one planar section exposed out of the workpiece holder; concentrating heat application to the at least one planar section to predefine a hem line across the at least one planar section; and bending the at least one planar section at the predefined hem line, whereby the flange folds over the inner panel, wherein the predefined hem line and the at least one first bend are spaced away from each other via a portion of the at least one planar section, and wherein, after bending at the predefined hem line and folding the flange over the inner panel, the flange of the outer panel is folded over the at least one second bend of the inner panel.