Patent ID: 7249481

Claim:
A method of forming an automotive support member comprising the steps of: roll-forming a tubular blank from sheet metal parent material having first and second opposing edges and an intermediate portion to create a body portion; welding the first edge of the parent material to the intermediate portion of the parent material along a joint to form the tubular blank; retaining selected excess portions of the sheet metal parent material at the joint to project outwardly from the joint to the second edge of the parent material to form an appendage; placing the tubular blank in a forming die having a shaped internal cavity and a slot extending outwardly from the internal cavity such that the body portion is placed in the internal cavity and the appendage is received within the slot; and hydroforming the tubular blank such that the body portion assumes the shape of the internal cavity to become the frame component, the appendage becoming an attachment flange projecting outwardly from the body portion for affixing the support member to another component.