Abstract: The invention relates to a method for press hardening sheet steel components in which a blank is detached from a sheet steel band composed of a hardenable steel alloy and the blank is then austenitized, in that it is heated to a temperature greater than Ac3 and is then inserted into a forming tool and formed in the forming tool, and during the forming, is cooled at a speed greater than the critical hardening speed, characterized in that in order to inhibit microcracks of the second type from being produced during the forming and hardening process in the sheet metal blanks that are to be formed, oxygen is supplied adjacent to the positive radii and/or drawing edges; the invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a hardened, steel component with regions of different hardness and/or ductility; a blank is stamped out and either heated in some regions to a temperature ?Ac3, and then transferred to a forming die, is formed, and is cooled at a speed that is greater than the critical hardening speed and thus hardened or is cold formed into the finished shape and the formed blank is heated in some regions to a temperature >Ac3 and then transferred to a hardening die and is hardened at a speed greater than the critical hardening speed; the steel material is adjusted in a transformation-delaying fashion so that a quench hardening through transformation of austenite into martensite takes place at a forming temperature that lies in the range from 450° C. to 700° C.; after the heating and before the forming, an active cooling takes place at >15 K/s.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for press hardening sheet steel components in which a blank is detached from a sheet steel band composed of a hardenable steel alloy and the blank is then austenitized, in that it is heated to a temperature greater than Ac3 and is then inserted into a forming tool and formed in the forming tool, and during the forming, is cooled at a speed greater than the critical hardening speed, characterized in that in order to inhibit microcracks of the second type from being produced during the forming and hardening process in the sheet metal blanks that are to be formed, oxygen is supplied adjacent to the positive radii and/or drawing edges; the invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a hardened, steel component with regions of different hardness and/or ductility; a blank is stamped out and either heated in some regions to a temperature ?Ac3, and then transferred to a forming die, is formed, and is cooled at a speed that is greater than the critical hardening speed and thus hardened or is cold formed into the finished shape and the formed blank is heated in some regions to a temperature >Ac3 and then transferred to a hardening die and is hardened at a speed greater than the critical hardening speed; the steel material is adjusted in a transformation-delaying fashion so that a quench hardening through transformation of austenite into martensite takes place at a forming temperature that lies in the range from 450° C. to 700° C.; after the heating and before the forming, an active cooling takes place at >15 K/s.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a hardened steel component with a coating composed of zinc or a zinc alloy; a blank is stamped out of a sheet coated with the zinc or zinc alloy, the stamped-out blank is heated to a temperature ?Ac3 and if need be, kept at this temperature for a predetermined time in order to induce the formation of austenite, and then the heated blank is transferred to a forming die, is formed in the forming die, and is cooled at a speed that is greater than the critical hardening speed and thus hardened; the steel material is adjusted in a transformation-delaying fashion so that a quench hardening through transformation of austenite into martensite takes place at a forming temperature that lies in the range from 450° C. to 700° C.; after the heating and before the forming, an active cooling takes place at >15K/s.