Metal frame and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a metal frame, such as a tractor cab frame, that can reduce scrap material, simplify the manufacturing process, improve the structural integrity of the frame, and eliminate the use of overlapping joint areas. According to one embodiment, the manufacturing method includes the steps of: blanking a number of individual metal segments, joining the individual metal segments together to form a welded blank assembly, stamping the welded blank assembly to form a stamping assembly that includes the desired perimeter, and forming the stamping assembly by bending the stamping assembly into the final shape of the three-dimensional metal frame. The resultant metal frame preferably includes at least one metal segment that is shared between adjacent sides of the structure and is bent along its length to form a smooth transitioning corner lacking overlapping joint areas.

1 . A method for manufacturing a metal frame having at least first and: second sides, comprising the steps of:
 (a) producing a plurality of individual metal segments;   (b) welding the plurality of individual metal segments together to form a welded blank assembly;   (c) stamping the welded blank assembly to form a stamping assembly; and   (d) forming the stamping assembly into the metal frame by bending the first and second sides so that they are aligned relative to one another.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises producing the plurality of individual metal segments by blanking them generally in the form of simple shapes so that they can be tightly arranged on a piece of sheet metal stock to minimize the amount of scrap material. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises producing the plurality of individual metal segments from pieces of sheet metal stock of varying thickness so that weight bearing segments of the metal frame can be made from thicker sheet metal than non-weight bearing segments. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises welding the plurality of individual metal segments together so that at least one of the plurality of individual metal segments is shared by both the first and second sides of the metal frame. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one shared metal segment is a vertical pillar that is shared by a center windshield panel and a side window panel. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises welding the plurality of individual metal segments together in an edge-to-edge arrangement to form a single welded blank assembly that lacks overlapping joint areas between individual metal segments. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises stamping the welded blank assembly to form a generally flat stamping assembly with a different perimeter and three-dimensional shape than the welded blank assembly. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (d) further comprises forming the stamping assembly into the metal frame by bending the first and second sides so that they are generally perpendicularly-aligned relative to one another. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (d) further comprises forming the stamping assembly into the metal frame by bending the first and second sides of the metal frame so that they are joined by a shared metal segment that is bent along its length to form a corner having a smooth transition. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second sides of the metal frame include a center windshield panel and a side window panel, and the shared metal segment is a vertical pillar. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal frame is part of a tractor cab frame, and first and second sides of the metal frame include a center windshield panel and a side window panel. 
   
   
       12 . A method for manufacturing a metal frame having at least first and second sides, comprising the steps of:
 (a) blanking a plurality of individual metal segments generally in the form of simple shapes so that they can be tightly arranged on a piece of sheet metal stock to minimize the amount of scrap material produced;   (b) welding the plurality of individual metal segments to form a welded blank assembly, wherein the welded blank assembly includes segments of the first side and segments of the second side joined together in an edge-to-edge arrangement that lacks overlapping joint areas;   (c) stamping the welded blank assembly to form a stamping assembly that has a different perimeter than the welded blank assembly; and   (d) forming the stamping assembly into the metal frame by bending the stamping assembly so that the first and second sides are joined by a shared metal segment that is bent along its length to form a corner having a smooth transition.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein step (a) further comprises blanking the plurality of individual metal segments from pieces of sheet metal stock of varying thickness so that weight bearing segments of the metal frame can be made from thicker sheet metal than non-weight bearing segments. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the metal frame is part of a tractor cab frame, first and second sides of the metal frame include a center windshield panel and a side window panel, and the shared metal segment is a vertical pillar. 
   
   
       15 . A metal frame for use with a piece of movable equipment, comprising:
 a first side window panel having a first plurality of blanked metal segments that are welded together;   a second side window panel having a second plurality of blanked metal segments that are welded together; and   a center windshield panel having a third plurality of blanked metal segments that are welded together, wherein the first side window panel and center windshield panel share a first elongated vertical pillar that is bent along its length to form a first corner that extends between the first side window panel and center windshield panel in a smooth transition, and the second side window panel and center windshield panel share a second elongated vertical pillar that is bent along its length to form a second corner that extends between the second side window panel and center windshield panel in a smooth transition.