Rapid local annealing of high strength steel

    公开(公告)号:US10385416B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-08-20

    申请号:US15465116

    申请日:2017-03-21

    摘要: Systems and methods for locally softening high strength steel are disclosed. One method may include heat treating one or more local regions of a steel component having a hardness of at least 450 HV to soften the local region(s) to a hardness of at most 250 HV. The heat treating may include heating only the local region(s) to a target temperature above an AC1 temperature of the component and below an AC3 temperature of the component. In another method, the heat treating may include heating only the local region(s) to a first target temperature above an AC3 temperature of the component, cooling the local region(s) to below an AC1 temperature of the component, and isothermally holding the local region(s) at a second target temperature below the AC1 temperature. The locally softened region(s) may allow for improved joining and/or trimming of the component.

    Furnace assembly and method for hot-stamping vehicle components

    公开(公告)号:US10350664B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-07-16

    申请号:US15198181

    申请日:2016-06-30

    IPC分类号: B21D22/02 B21D47/01

    摘要: A furnace assembly for hot-stamping vehicle components includes a support structure, a movable visor, a heat element, and a set of blocks. The support structure defines a cavity and an opening sized to receive a blank. The movable visor is mounted to the support structure and defines a first zone partially open to the cavity via the opening. The heat element is disposed within the cavity. Each of the blocks of the set of blocks is disposed on one side of the heat element to define a second zone and aligned with the opening to receive a vehicle component blank upon the blocks. The set of blocks and visor are arranged with one another such that portions of the blank are heated at different temperatures in the first zone and the second zone.