Abstract: Disclosed is a method which allows steel strip to be produced in which high hardness and good formability are combined. The following steps of operation are followed: making the steel strip from the heat-treatable steel, heating the steel strip, when coiled into the open coil, to a decarburising annealing temperature which may be up to 20° C. below the Ac1 temperature of the given heat-treatable steel and which does not exceed the Ac3 temperature of the given heat-treatable steel, annealing the steel strip, in the open coil, in a decarburising atmosphere for a decarburising annealing time of at least 90 minutes, the decarburising gas which forms the decarburising atmosphere flowing through the gaps which exist between the layers of the open coil, accelerated cooling the steel strip, the depth of decarburisation, as measured from the given surface of the steel strip, being limited to a range which is less than a quarter of the thickness of the steel strip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which allows steel strip to be produced in which high hardness and good formability are combined. The following steps of operation are followed. making the steel strip from the heat-treatable steel, heating the steel strip, when coiled into the open coil, to a decarburising annealing temperature which may be up to 20° C. below the Ac1 temperature of the given heat-treatable steel and which does not exceed the Ac3 temperature of the given heat-treatable steel, annealing the steel strip, in the open coil, in a decarburising atmosphere for a decarburising annealing time of at least 90 minutes, the decarburising gas which forms the decarburising atmosphere flowing through the gaps which exist between the layers of the open coil, accelerated cooling the steel strip, the depth of decarburisation, as measured from the given surface of the steel strip, being limited to a range which is less than a quarter of the thickness of the steel strip.