Abstract: A method for forming a vehicle component is provided. The method may include heating a blank of 36MnB5 in a furnace to an austenitization temperature, stamping the blank with a die assembly to form a vehicle component and change a microstructure of the blank from austenite to martensite, and responsive to a temperature of the vehicle component being at or below 130° C., removing the vehicle component from the die assembly such that the vehicle component has a yield strength equal to or greater than 1400 MPa. The blank may be retained within the die assembly for a quench time of between five and eleven seconds following the stamping. The method may further include thermo-stabilizing a surface of the die assembly to a predetermined temperature. The stamping may further include applying a pressure of approximately 10 N/mm2 to the blank.

Abstract: A controller alters a cycle time of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components and having an active cooling system, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel (PHS) is provided. The method includes preparing a die having a material with a thermal conductivity of at least 40W/(m·K) and placing a blank within the die and simultaneously hot stamping and quenching the blank at a heat transfer coefficient of at least 2,950W/(m2·K). In one form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with greater than 20 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank. In another form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with 31 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank.

Abstract: A hot stamping system includes a controller programmed to alter a coolant flow rate, without altering cycle time, in an active cooling system of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state while the die arrangement is closed.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel is provided. The method includes an initial step of die quenching a part stamped within a stamping die followed by a partial quenching after the initial step of die quenching. In various methods, the press hardenable steel is a 36MnB5 grade steel and/or the initial step of die quenching is performed at a temperature of approximately 200° C.±10° C. in a die configured for 36MnB5 grade steel. At least one method further includes opening the die followed by the partial quenching, the partial quenching comprising spraying a cooling liquid onto the part to reduce a temperature of the part below approximately 130° C.±10° C., with the option of spraying to reduce the temperature of the part below approximately 100° C.±10° C.

Abstract: A method of forming a hot stamped, die quenched, and die trimmed part is provided. The method includes hot stamping and die quenching a blank with a quench die and forming a die quenched panel. The quench die includes at least one slow-cooling channel. The die quenched panel is die trimmed along the at least one localized soft zone that is adjacent a hard zone. The blank may be formed from a press hardenable steel (PHS), and the at least one soft zone may have a ferritic microstructure and the at least one hard zone may have a martensitic microstructure. The at least one localized soft zone may have a microhardness between about 200 HV and about 250 HV and the hard zone may have a microhardness between about 400 HV and about 500 HV.

Abstract: A process for pre-conditioning a hot stamped part is provided. The process includes continuously annealing a boron steel material having an aluminum coating for a predetermined time and at a predetermined temperature such that less than 10 weight % Iron (Fe) is in the aluminum coating and AlSi pockets are formed in the aluminum coating prior to a subsequent hot stamping process, wherein the predetermined time and temperature are a function of a thickness of the boron steel material.

Abstract: A controller alters a cycle time of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components and having an active cooling system, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state.

Abstract: A method of treating a blank is provided. The method includes moving a blank through a first section of a furnace at an inter-critical temperature and through a second section of the furnace at a critical temperature greater than the inter-critical temperature before hot stamping the blank. Movement of the blank from the first section to the second section of the furnace is delayed during a hot stamping line stoppage. The blank is in the first section of the furnace for a first time period and in the second section of the furnace a second time period less than the first time period. Also, the first section of the furnace may have a first length and in the second section of the furnace may have a second length that is less than the first length.

Abstract: A hot stamping die includes a body having a stamping surface, and cooling channels within the body. The cooling channels are positioned to transfer heat from region(s) of the surface to the channels. The hot stamping die also includes a heating element within the body, separate and apart from the channels. The heating element is positioned to heat region(s) of the body different from the region(s) of the surface at a rate greater than heat transfer from the channels to the region(s) of the surface.

Abstract: A controller alters a cycle time of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components and having an active cooling system, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state.

Abstract: A method of forming a hot stamped, die quenched, and die trimmed part is provided. The method includes hot stamping and die quenching a blank with a quench die and forming a die quenched panel. The quench die includes at least one slow-cooling channel. The die quenched panel is die trimmed along the at least one localized soft zone that is adjacent a hard zone. The blank may be formed from a press hardenable steel (PHS), and the at least one soft zone may have a ferritic microstructure and the at least one hard zone may have a martensitic microstructure. The at least one localized soft zone may have a microhardness between about 200 HV and about 250 HV and the hard zone may have a microhardness between about 400 HV and about 500 HV.

Abstract: A method of inspecting and determining characteristics of an aluminized coating of a hot stamped part is provided. The method includes removing a sample from the hot stamped part for Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDOES), analyzing the sample using GDOES, and plotting constituent element weight percentages versus depth on a graph. The method further includes determining points on the graph where constituent elements intersect and where the points of intersection indicate the characteristics of the aluminized coating. The characteristics of the method include, by way of example, a total thickness of the aluminized coating, a thickness of an inter-diffusion layer (IDL), constituents of the aluminized coating, constituents of the hot stamped part, phase composition of the aluminized coating, surface oxidation, and weldability.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel (PHS) is provided. The method includes preparing a die having a material with a thermal conductivity of at least 40W/(m·K) and placing a blank within the die and simultaneously hot stamping and quenching the blank at a heat transfer coefficient of at least 2,950W/(m2·K). In one form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with greater than 20 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank. In another form, the step of hot stamping the blank is carried out with 31 MPa of contact pressure between the die and the blank.

Abstract: A method of inspecting and determining characteristics of an aluminized coating of a hot stamped part is provided. The method includes removing a sample from the hot stamped part for Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDOES), analyzing the sample using GDOES, and plotting constituent element weight percentages versus depth on a graph. The method further includes determining points on the graph where constituent elements intersect and where the points of intersection indicate the characteristics of the aluminized coating. The characteristics of the method include, by way of example, a total thickness of the aluminized coating, a thickness of an inter-diffusion layer (IDL), constituents of the aluminized coating, constituents of the hot stamped part, phase composition of the aluminized coating, surface oxidation, and weldability.

Abstract: A method for forming a vehicle component is provided. The method may include heating a blank of 36MnB5 in a furnace to an austenitization temperature, stamping the blank with a die assembly to form a vehicle component and change a microstructure of the blank from austenite to martensite, and responsive to a temperature of the vehicle component being at or below 130° C., removing the vehicle component from the die assembly such that the vehicle component has a yield strength equal to or greater than 1400 MPa. The blank may be retained within the die assembly for a quench time of between five and eleven seconds following the stamping. The method may further include thermo-stabilizing a surface of the die assembly to a predetermined temperature. The stamping may further include applying a pressure of approximately 10 N/mm2 to the blank.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A process for pre-conditioning a hot stamped part is provided. The process includes continuously annealing a boron steel material having an aluminum coating for a predetermined time and at a predetermined temperature such that less than 10% Iron (Fe) is in the aluminum coating and AlSi pockets are formed in the aluminum coating prior to a subsequent hot stamping process, wherein the predetermined time and temperature are a function of a thickness of the boron steel material.

Abstract: A method of quenching a press hardenable steel is provided. The method includes an initial step of die quenching a part stamped within a stamping die followed by a partial quenching after the initial step of die quenching. In various methods, the press hardenable steel is a 36MnB5 grade steel and/or the initial step of die quenching is performed at a temperature of approximately 200° C.±10° C. in a die configured for 36MnB5 grade steel. At least one method further includes opening the die followed by the partial quenching, the partial quenching comprising spraying a cooling liquid onto the part to reduce a temperature of the part below approximately 130° C.±10° C., with the option of spraying to reduce the temperature of the part below approximately 100° C.±10° C.

Abstract: A micro-alloyed manganese-boron steel includes about 0.25 to 0.4 wt. % carbon, about 0.5 to 2.7 wt. % manganese, about 0.001 to 0.005 wt. % boron, about 0.1 to 0.8 wt. % silicon, about 0.1 to 0.6 wt. % chromium, molybdenum and nickel, and about 0.01 to 0.06 wt. % aluminum, niobium and titanium. The balance is iron, and the steel is a micro-alloyed material for hot stamping of automotive parts.