Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for acting on the temperature of a travelling strip (4) by blowing gas or a water/gas mixture, whereby a plurality of jets of gas or a water/gas mixture, extending toward the surface of the strip and arranged in such a way that the impacts (24, 34) of the jets of gas or water/gas mixture on each surface of the strip are distributed at the nodes of a two-dimensional network, are sprayed onto each face of the strip. The impacts (24) of the jets on one face (A) are not opposite the impacts (34) of the jets on the other face (B), and the jets of gas or water/gas mixture come from tubular nozzles (23, 33) which are supplied by at least one distribution chamber (21, 31) and extend at a distance from the distribution chamber in such a way as to leave a free space for the flow of the returning gas or water/gas mixture parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strip.

Abstract: Plate consisting of a steel substrate (1) and a precoat (2) consisting of a layer of intermetallic alloy (3) in contact with said substrate, topped by a layer of metal alloy (4), characterized in that, on at least one precoated face of said plate, an area (6) situated at the periphery of said plate has said metal alloy layer removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for acting on the temperature of a travelling strip (4) by blowing gas or a water/gas mixture, whereby a plurality of jets of gas or a water/gas mixture, extending toward the surface of the strip and arranged in such a way that the impacts (24, 34) of the jets of gas or water/gas mixture on each surface of the strip are distributed at the nodes of a two-dimensional network, are sprayed onto each face of the strip. The impacts (24) of the jets on one face (A) are not opposite the impacts (34) of the jets on the other face (B), and the jets of gas or water/gas mixture come from tubular nozzles (23, 33) which are supplied by at least one distribution chamber (21, 31) and extend at a distance from the distribution chamber in such a way as to leave a free space for the flow of the returning gas or water/gas mixture parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strip.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for coating a substrate. A metal alloy layer including at least two metallic elements is continuously deposited on the substrate by a vacuum deposition facility. The facility includes a vapor jet coater for spraying the substrate with a vapor containing the metallic elements in a constant and predetermined relative content, the vapor being sprayed at a sonic velocity. The process may advantageously be used for depositing Zn—Mg coatings. The invention also provides a vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys, for implementing the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steel plate, the chemical composition of which comprises, the contents being expressed by weight: 0.010%?C?0.20%, 0.06%?Mn?3%, Si?1.5%, 0.005%?Al?1.5%, S?0.030%, P?0.040%, 2.5%?Ti?7.2%, (0.45×Ti)?0.35%?B?(0.45×Ti)+0.70%, and optionally one or more elements chosen from: Ni?1%, Mo?1%, Cr?3%, Nb?0.1%, V?0.1%, the balance of the composition consisting of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the smelting.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coating a substrate (S) whereby a metal alloy layer comprising at least two metallic elements is continuously deposited on the substrate (S) by means of a vacuum deposition facility (1) comprising a vapor jet coater (7) for spraying the substrate (S) with a vapor containing the metallic elements in a constant and predetermined relative content, the vapor being sprayed at a sonic velocity. The process is more particularly intended for depositing Zn—Mg coatings. The invention also relates to a vacuum deposition facility (1) for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys, for implementing the process.

Abstract: The invention deals with a process for manufacturing a hot-dip galvanized or galvannealed steel sheet having a TRIP microstructure, said process comprising the steps consisting in: -providing a steel sheet whose composition comprises, by weight: 0.01?C?0.22%, 0.50?Mn?2.0%, 0.2?Si?2.0%, 0.005?Al?2.0%, Mo<1.0%, Cr?1.0%, P<0.02%, Ti?0.20%, V?0.40%, Ni?1.0%, Nb?0.20%, the balance of the composition being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from the smelting, -oxidizing said steel sheet in a direct flame furnace where the atmosphere comprises air and fuel with an air-to-fuel ratio between 0.80 and 0.95, so that a layer of iron oxide having a thickness from 0.05 to 0.2 ?m is formed on the surface of the steel sheet, and an internal oxide of Si and/or Mn and/or Al is formed, -reducing said oxidized steel sheet, at a reduction rate from 0.001 to 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a hot stamped coated steel sheet product, comprising the steps of pre-coating a steel strip or sheet with aluminum- or aluminum alloy, cutting said pre-coated steel strip or sheet to obtain a pre-coated steel blank, heating the blank in a furnace preheated to a temperature and during a time defined by diagram according to thickness, at a heating rate Vc between 20 and 700° C. comprised between 4 and 12° C./s and at a heating rate Vc? between 500 and 700° C. comprised between 1.5 and 6° C./s, to obtain a heated blank; then transferring said heated blank to a die, hot stamping the heated blank in the die obtain a hot stamped steel sheet product, cooling at a mean rate Vr between the exit of the heated blank from the furnace, down to 400° C., of at least 30° C./s.

Abstract: The invention deals with a rolling mill (1) for metallic products comprising at least one pair of work rolls and at least one cooling device (2) projecting a plurality of cooling jets under pressure on at least one work roll, the cooling device projecting also at least one scraper jet between the cooling jets and the metallic product to be rolled, the scraper jets being oriented in the desired flow direction following a re-entrant angle towards the perpendicular to the surface of the work roll, as well as with a rolling process using said rolling mill (1).

Abstract: Coated steel having a well defined and uniform thickness is useful and advantageous for preparing products by hot stamping. Products prepared by hot stamping such a steel are particularly advantageous when subjected to a subsequent spot welding step.

Abstract: Coated steel having a well defined and uniform thickness is useful and advantageous for preparing products by hot stamping. Products prepared by hot stamping such a steel are particularly advantageous when subjected to a subsequent spot welding step.

Abstract: A vacuum process for etching a metal strip running over a backing roll facing a counterelectrode by magnetron sputtering, and a vacuum chamber etching installation implementing the process. A plasma is created in a gas close to the metal strip so as to generate radicals and/or ions that act on the strip, and at least one closed magnetic circuit, the width of which is approximately equal to that of the metal strip, is selected from a series of at least two closed magnetic circuits of different and fixed widths, then the selected magnetic circuit is positioned so as to face the metal strip, and then the etching of the moving metal strip is carried out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the carboxylation conversion of a metal surface under oxidizing conditions in relation to the metal, consisting in bringing the metal into contact with a hydro-organic or aqueous bath containing a mixture of organic acids. The invention is characterized in that; the organic acids comprise saturated linear carboxylic acids having between 10 and 18 carbon atoms; the mixture comprises a binary or ternary mixture of such acids; the respective proportions of said acids are such that (i) for a binary mixture x±5%?y±5%, wherein x and y represent the respective proportions, in molar percentages, of the two acids in a mixture with the composition of the eutectic and (ii) for a ternary mixture x±3%?y±3%?z±3%, wherein x, y and z represent the respective proportions, in molar percentages, of the three acids in a mixture with the composition of the eutectic; and the concentration of the mixture in the bath is greater than or equal to 20 g/l.

Abstract: A steel part having a homogeneous multiphase microstructure in each region of the part, the microstructure containing ferrite, wherein the steel part is obtained by a process involving: cutting a blank from a strip of steel, having a specified composition; optionally, the blank undergoes prior cold deformation; the blank is heated to reach a soak temperature Ts above Ac1 but below Ac3 and held at this soak temperature Ts for a soak time ts adjusted so that the steel, after the blank has been heated, has an austenite content equal to or greater than 25% by area; the heated blank is transferred into a forming tool to hot-form the part; and the part is cooled within the tool at a cooling rate V such that the microstructure of the steel, after cooling the part, is a multiphase microstructure containing ferrite and being homogeneous in each region of the part.

Abstract: Plate consisting of a steel substrate (1) and a precoat (2) consisting of a layer of intermetallic alloy (3) in contact with said substrate, topped by a layer of metal alloy (4), characterized in that, on at least one precoated face of said plate, an area (6) situated at the periphery of said plate has said metal alloy layer removed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a hot stamped coated steel sheet product, comprising the steps of pre-coating a steel strip or sheet with aluminium-or aluminium alloy, cutting said pre-coated steel strip or sheet to obtain a pre-coated steel blank, heating the blank in a furnace preheated to a temperature and during a time defined by diagram according to thickness, at a heating rate Vc between 20 and 700° C. comprised between 4 and 12° C./s and at a heating rate Vc? between 500 and 700° C. comprised between 1.5 and 6° C./s, to obtain a heated blank; then transferring said heated blank to a die, hot stamping the heated blank in the die obtain a hot stamped steel sheet product, cooling at a mean rate Vr between the exit of the heated blank from the furnace, down to 400° C., of at least 30° C./s.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing a part made of steel having a multiphase microstructure, said microstructure comprising ferrite and being homogeneous in each of the regions of said part, which process comprises the steps consisting in: cutting a blank from a strip of steel, the composition of which is typical of that of steels having a multiphase microstructure; said blank is heated so as to reach a soak temperature Ts above Ac1 but below Ac3 and held at this soak temperature Ts for a soak time ts adjusted so that the steel, after the blank has been heated, has an austenite content equal to or greater than 25% by area; said heated blank is transferred into a forming tool so as to hot-form said part; and said part is cooled within the tool at a cooling rate V such that the microstructure of the steel, after the part has been cooled, is a multiphase microstructure, said microstructure comprising ferrite and being homogeneous in each of the regions of said part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a hot stamped coated steel sheet product, comprising the steps of pre-coating a steel strip or sheet with aluminium- or aluminium alloy, cutting said pre-coated steel strip or sheet to obtain a pre-coated steel blank, heating the blank in a furnace preheated to a temperature and during a time defined by diagram according to thickness, at a heating rate Vc between 20 and 700° C. comprised between 4 and 12° C./s and at a heating rate Vc? between 500 and 700° C. comprised between 1.5 and 6° C./s, to obtain a heated blank; then transferring said heated blank to a die, hot stamping the heated blank in the die obtain a hot stamped steel sheet product, cooling at a mean rate Vr between the exit of the heated blank from the furnace, down to 400° C., of at least 30° C./s.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a hot stamped coated steel sheet product, comprising the steps of pre-coating a steel strip or sheet with aluminium-or aluminium alloy, cutting said pre-coated steel strip or sheet to obtain a pre-coated steel blank, heating the blank in a furnace preheated to a temperature and during a time defined by diagram according to thickness, at a heating rate Vc between 20 and 700° C. comprised between 4 and 12° C./s and at a heating rate Vc? between 500 and 700° C. comprised between 1.5 and 6° C./s, to obtain a heated blank; then transferring said heated blank to a die, hot stamping the heated blank in the die obtain a hot stamped steel sheet product, cooling at a mean rate Vr between the exit of the heated blank from the furnace, down to 400° C., of at least 30° C./s.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for the production of metal coated steel products including steps of: providing a steel product with a metal coating; adding an additional metallic element to the metal coating; subjecting the metal coated steel product to a thermal treatment. The method is characterized in that: prior to the addition of the additional element, the steel product is subjected to a plasma treatment via a dielectric barrier discharge, for cleaning and activating the surface of the metal coating; the additional element is added through a physical vapor deposition technique; the thermal treatment is applied by directing high energy infra red radiation towards the outer surface of the metal coating.