Abstract: The infrared furnace includes a plurality of infrared lamps arrayed on one surface side of a work and a reflective surface provided on its opposite surface side. Outputs of the infrared lamps are locally adjusted, or intensity of the infrared rays incident on one work surface is locally adjusted by a member disposed between the infrared lamps and the one surface of the work. In this manner, variations in strength may be imparted to one and the same car part.

Abstract: A turbocharger includes: a turbine wheel that is driven by exhaust gas from an engine and supported rotatably by a predetermined rotary shaft; and a turbine housing that forms an exhaust gas passage that leads the exhaust gas to the turbine wheel, wherein the turbine housing includes a housing main body constituted by a plate-form member and a reinforcement member that forms the exhaust gas passage together with the housing main body and reinforces the housing main body, the reinforcement member includes a pair of annular portions having a substantially annular shape and provided about an axial center of the rotary shaft at an interval in an axial direction of the rotary shaft, and a connecting portion that connects the pair of annular portions, and the pair of annular portions and the connecting portion are molded integrally by implementing deformation processing on the plate-form member.

Abstract: In a clamp device, a main clamp body includes an elongated tightening groove delimited by groove-forming wall sections. First and second lobe parts are disposed in the vicinity of end portions of two such tightening grooves. The main clamp body presents a ring shape when bolt and nut are mounted in position on the lobe parts disposed facing each other. Each of the lobe parts includes sidewall sections respectively contiguous to the groove delimiting wall sections that delimit the tightening groove. Each lobe part also includes a curved outer end wall section interconnecting the sidewall sections at an outer end of each lobe part and a seat surface wall section contiguous to the sidewall sections and to the outer end wall section. The seat surface wall section provides a bolt/nut seat surface. An arcuately shaped fulcrum part is formed on the curved outer end wall section of each lobe part.

Abstract: A hot press forming apparatus that hot press forms a blank to process the blank into a formed product includes: a conduction heating mechanism installed in the hot press forming apparatus, the conduction heating mechanism clamping the fed blank at a predetermined conducting position so as to be in a conveyance-stopped state, and performs conduction heating onto the blank; a die quenching type hot press mechanism installed in the hot press forming apparatus and disposed thermally isolated downstream of the conduction heating mechanism, the hot press mechanism hot pressing the blank subjected to conduction heating at a predetermined processing position; and a conveying mechanism installed in the hot press forming apparatus. The conveying mechanism conveys the blank subjected to conduction heating at least from the conducting position to the processing position, to supply the blank to the hot press mechanism.

Abstract: Provided are a metal/CFRP composite structure which has lightweight and high strength by combining hot-pressed metal material(s) and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) material(s), and its manufacturing method and apparatus. A metal blank material is heated to a temperature at which quenching is possible to obtain a first intermediate product quenched by hot-pressing. The first intermediate product, and a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) prepreg comprising carbon fiber and uncured thermoset plastic are set into CFRP forming dies followed by press-forming the prepreg to obtain a secondary intermediate product having the CFRP in intimate contact with a surface of the first intermediate product. The CFRP and the first intermediate product are firmly adhered together by thermal curing of thermoset plastic located in the boundary of the CFRP and the first intermediate product, by subjecting the thermoset plastic contained in the CFRP prepreg to thermal curing.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a thermoelectric module comprises forming a first wax model in which the first thermoelectric elements are arranged in a predetermined pattern, forming a first mold from the first wax model, casting a group of the first thermoelectric elements by pouring molten metal of a first thermoelectric material into the first mold to solidify the molten metal, forming a second wax model that represents arrangement of second thermoelectric elements to form the thermoelectric module by being connected with the first thermoelectric elements, forming a second mold from the second wax model, casting the group of the second thermoelectric elements by pouring molten metal of a second thermoelectric material into the second mold to solidify the molten metal, and connecting the group of the first thermoelectric elements with the group of the second thermoelectric elements electrically in series.

Abstract: An iron (Fe)-based austenitic heat-resistant cast steel includes, based on a total of 100 mass % (indicated below simply as “%”): 0.4 to 0.8% of carbon (C), 3.0% or less of silicon (Si), 0.5 to 2.0% of manganese (Mn), 0.05% or less of phosphorus (P), 0.03 to 0.2% of sulfur (S), 18 to 23% of chromium (Cr), 3.0 to 8.0% of nickel (Ni) and 0.05 to 0.4% of nitrogen (N). A ratio of chromium (Cr) to carbon (C) is in a range of 22.5?Cr/C?57.5. The cast steel includes one or two or more of vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) and niobium (Nb) in a total amount of less than 0.2%.

Abstract: A cast-steel pouring apparatus including a furnace body having a furnace main body that includes a fire-retardant lining material demarcating a retainer chamber for retaining molten steel therein, and a steel-outing trough unit that protrudes from the furnace main-body toward an outside and with a trough length equal to ? or less of an inside diameter of a top-face opening in the retainer chamber; a first pivot shaft having a first axial line oriented along a lateral direction such that the furnace body can pivot on the first pivot shaft in a longitudinal direction; a first pivot driving source for causing the furnace body to pivot about the first axial line of the first pivot shaft which serves as the pivotal center in the longitudinal direction, thereby causing the molten steel to discharge from the steel-outing trough unit of the furnace body, which has pivoted with respect to a sprue of casting mold.

Abstract: A metal processing method using a tailored blank material as a raw material comprises: preliminarily bonding together a metal material having a relatively high heating rate by infrared heating and a metal material having a relatively low heating rate by infrared heating, to form an integrated metal material; and a-heating step the integrated metal material, wherein infrared heating of the integrated metal material is performed by infrared simultaneously and comprehensively; and in the integrated metal material undergoing the infrared heating, the infrared heating is terminated after a portion having the relatively high heating rate reached a predetermined temperature corresponding to a predetermined heat treatment and before a portion having the relatively low heating rate reaches the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A current density changing portion is formed in a heating process on an upper base side with respect to a center portion of a flat metal plate in a direction of current flow, by passing current from a lower base side to the upper base side of the flat metal plate which is rectangular when viewed from above. As a result, a quenchable portion is formed on the upper base side with respect to the center portion of the flat metal plate in the direction of current flow, and a non-quenchable portion is formed on the lower base side with respect to the center portion of the flat metal plate in the direction of current flow. The flat metal plate is press-formed after the heating process, so a complex die cooling structure is not necessary during press-forming, which enables the die cost to be reduced.

Abstract: Provided is an electrode support structure in which local heating can be prevented from occurring in a workpiece during the electric heating. The electrode support structure is usable for applying a load to the electrodes used for the electric heating of a metal plate, and comprises at least two members, i.e., a first member to which the electrodes are fixed and a second member which receives the load from the first member or connects the first member to a load means. The support structure in which the two members are joined to each other through an elastic member can uniformly apply the load to the electrodes for electric heating so that the electrodes can uniformly contact with the workpiece, whereby the workpiece can be uniformly heated.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus conveys work that was conduction heated at an energizing position to a processing position that is separated from the energizing position in the horizontal direction in order to perform hot press-forming, and comprises: a holding member that freely clamps both end sections in the lengthwise direction of the work that has been conduction heated; a drive mechanism that moves the holding member from at least the energizing position to the processing position; and a guide member that extends between the energizing position and the processing position and guides and supports the middle section in the lengthwise direction of the work that has been conduction heated and is being conveyed toward the processing position. A hot press-forming apparatus comprises the conveyor apparatus when conveying conduction heated work to a downstream process.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas-cooling pipe element provided between an exhaust port of an internal combustion engine and an exhaust branch pipe, a center axis of an exhaust introduction opening that is connected to the exhaust port and a center axis of an exhaust discharge opening that is connected to the exhaust branch pipe are placed out of alignment with each other.

Abstract: [Object] It is an object of the present invention to provide a crash reinforcing member for a vehicle capable of preventing reduction in flexural rigidity as much as possible even if deformation progresses when a load at the time of crash of the vehicle is input. [Solution] A crash reinforcing member for a vehicle (e.g., door impact beam) includes a long body 10. The body 10 has a hat-shaped opened cross-sectional shape by connecting, with one another, a pair of walls 11, a pair of curved corners 12, a center flange 13, and a pair of outer flanges 14. The body 10 is divided into three sections P1, P2 and P3. A width (C1) of the center flange in the section P1 is wider than a width (C2) of the center flange in the section P2. A cross-sectional area of the curved corner 12 in the section P1 is narrower than a cross-sectional area of the curved corner in the section P2. A cross-sectional height (H1) of the section P1 is higher than a cross-sectional height (H2) of the section P2.

Abstract: A high-strength quenched formed article has a zinc plating layer which is formed at a post-quenching formed steel sheet surface, and which contains 30 g/m2 or more of a phase that contains 5% or more by mass but 30% or less by mass of Fe, and which also contains 0.15% or more by mass but less than 2% by mass of at least one of Al and Si in a separate fashion or a composite fashion, and contains Zn, which makes up substantially a rest portion of the zinc plating layer, and an inevitable impurity, wherein the high-strength quenched formed article has a high-strength portion having a post-quenching-formation tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more, and a low-strength portion having a post-quenching-formation tensile strength of 800 MPa or less.

Abstract: In a hot press molding method for press-molding a heated material and cooling the material while holding the material in a mold, during press molding of the material, shape changes including a portion that curves with respect to a longitudinal direction of the material are molded at longitudinal opposite end portions of the material and resistance to thermal contraction force of the material in the longitudinal direction during cooling is imparted. In one embodiment of the present invention, the shape changes molded on the material during the press molding are minute protrusions provided on surfaces of the longitudinal opposite end portions of the material. The invention makes it possible to suppress thermal contraction of the material during cooling in hot press molding to thereby prevent defects associated therewith.

Abstract: A heating device and a heating method which is able to quickly and accurately partition each region of a material to be heated and heat up each of the region to a required temperature, and a shape and required temperature of each region is different from each other. A heating device for heating a material to be heated by applying an electromagnetic wave to the material, wherein a plate member(s) which shields, absorbs and/or reflects the irradiated electromagnetic radiation and has a predetermined pattern contour can be placed, at least partially, close to the material to be heated.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell separator is provided such that the corrosion resistance can be improved. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell separator that separates adjacent cells of a fuel cell includes subjecting a separator substrate composed of a metal material to gold strike plating, thereby forming a first gold plating layer with a thickness of 10 to 200 nm. Further, thick gold plating is performed on top of the first gold plating layer formed by gold strike plating, thereby forming a second gold plating layer. A fuel cell separator manufactured by the method and a fuel cell including the fuel cell separator are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for cast-product production line includes a kneader for kneading casting sand for making mold; a mold maker for making a sand casting mold from the casting sand for making mold, the sand casting mold being provided with a molding cavity for forming a singular cast product or plural products; a molten-metal pourer for pouring molten metal into said molding cavity of the sand casting mold; and a mold disassembler for disassembling the sand casting mold having undergone molten-metal pouring. Upon disassembling the sand casting mold by the mold disassembler, the sand casting mold is disassembled in such a state that the cast product is supported by means of a cast-product supporter element.

Abstract: The ferrite system heat-resistant cast steel and the exhaust system component are provided, which are inexpensive and are able to improve the reliability by largely improving the toughness under normal temperature and thermal fatigue performance. The ferrite system heat-resistant cast steel includes composition structure comprised, percent by mass, of 0.1% to 0.4% carbon, 0.5% to 2.0% silicon, 0.2% to 1.2% manganese, 0.3% or less phosphorus, 0.01% to 0.4% sulfur, 14.0% to 21.0% chrome, 0.05% to 0.6% niobium, 0.01% to 0.8% aluminum, 0.15% to 2.3% nickel, residual iron and inevitable impurities.