Abstract: A component of an air-hardenable steel composed of (contents in mass %): C<0.20; Al<0.08; Si<1.00; Mn 1.20 to <2.50; P<0.020; S<0.015; N<0.0150; Cr 0.30 to <1.5; Mo 0.10 to <0.80; Ti 0.010 to <0.050; V 0.03 to <0.20; B 0.0015 to <0.0060, with the remainder being iron including the usual elements present in steel, is produced by heating a hot- or cold-rolled steel sheet or steel tube section to a temperature of ?blank=800 to 1050° C. and then forming the sheet or tube into a component in a forming tool. After removal from the tool, the component is cooled down in air while the component still has a temperature above ?removal=200° C. and below 800° C. The component achieves the required mechanical properties during air-cooling.

Abstract: A method for producing a workpiece having properties which are adjustable across a wall thickness or strip thickness of the workpiece, includes the steps of subjecting the workpiece to a decarburizing annealing treatment under an oxidizing atmosphere and to an accelerated cooling and/or a cold forming for generating a property gradient of the workpiece, wherein the workpiece is made of an austenitic lightweight steel which has an alloy composition which includes by weight percent 0.2% to 1% carbon, 0.05% to <15% aluminum, 0.05% to 6.0% silicon, 9% to <30% manganese, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, copper, boron, titanium, zirconium, vanadium and niobium, wherein chromium=4.0%; titanium+zirconium=0.7%; niobium+vanadium=0.5%, boron=1%, the remainder iron including common steel companion elements.

Abstract: In a method for coating steel strips having a base material composition (in weight-%) of: C 0.04-1.0; Mn 9.0-30.0; Al 0.05-15.0; Si 0.05-6.0; Cr?6.5; Cu?4; Ti+Zr?0.7; Nb+V?0.5, remainder iron including unavoidable steel-incidental elements, the steel strip undergoes annealing and subsequently is coated electrolytically with a coat formed from zinc or a zinc-containing alloy. During the course of annealing of the steel strip at temperatures between 800 and 1000° C. under a N2-H2 containing atmosphere, a surface-near zone is formed which is enriched with nitrides through reaction with elements contained in the steel, thereby preventing molten zinc from penetrating into the base material during welding of the coated steel strip.

Abstract: A relatively high strength dual phase steel for a cold-rolled or hot-rolled steel strip with excellent forming properties, in particular for lightweight vehicle construction, contains the elements (contents in mass-%): 0.1 to <0.16 of C, 0.02 to <0.05 of Al, 0.40 to <0.60 of Si, 1.5 to <2.0 of Mn, <0.020 of P, <0.003 of S, <0.01 of N, 0.01 of Nb, 0.02 of V, remainder iron including common incidental steel elements with optional addition of Ti. The demanded dual phase microstructure is produced during continuous annealing, wherein the cold-rolled or hot-rolled steel strip is heated in the continuous annealing furnace in a one-step process to a temperature in the range of 820 to 1000° C., preferably 840 to 1000° C., and the annealed steel strip is then cooled down from the annealing temperature with a rate of cooling between 15 and 30° C./s.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement is provided for protecting from overheating a heating element whose resistance value is a function of its temperature. The circuit arrangement includes a power supply, a switch, and a switch control circuit, a current sensor providing a signal proportional to the current flowing through the heating element, and a first scaling device whose output provides a signal proportional to the supply voltage of the heating element. An evaluation circuit compares the difference signal determined by a first detector having an output that provides a difference signal formed from the signals of the current sensor and the first scaling device with a reference signal and the switch control circuit can be switched from a conducting state when the switch control circuit is in a first state to a non-conducting state when the switch control circuit is in a second state.