Abstract: The interior of a furnace is partitioned into two longitudinally extending and transversely adjacent zones, and one of the zones is heated to a substantially higher treatment temperature than the other of the zones, which may or may not be heated. A steel workpiece is conveyed longitudinally through the furnace with a region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the one zone and another region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the other of the zones such that the regions are heated to different temperatures. The treatment temperature in one of the zone is above the AC1 point for the workpiece and the temperature in the other of the zones is close to or below the AC1 point for the workpiece.

Abstract: The interior of a furnace is partitioned into two longitudinally extending and transversely adjacent zones, and one of the zones is heated to a substantially higher treatment temperature than the other of the zones, which may or may not be heated. A steel workpiece is conveyed longitudinally through the furnace with a region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the one zone and another region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the other of the zones such that the regions are heated to different temperatures. The treatment temperature in one of the zone is above the AC1 point for the workpiece and the temperature in the other of the zones is close to or below the AC1 point for the workpiece.

Abstract: The interior of a furnace is partitioned into two longitudinally extending and transversely adjacent zones, and one of the zones is heated to a substantially higher treatment temperature than the other of the zones, which may or may not be heated. A steel workpiece is conveyed longitudinally through the furnace with a region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the one zone and another region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the other of the zones such that the regions are heated to different temperatures. The treatment temperature in one of the zone is above the AC1, point for the workpiece and the temperature in the other of the zones is close to or below the AC1, point for the workpiece.

Abstract: The interior of a furnace is partitioned into two longitudinally extending and transversely adjacent zones, and one of the zones is heated to a substantially higher treatment temperature than the other of the zones, which may or may not be heated. A steel workpiece is conveyed longitudinally through the furnace with a region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the one zone and another region of the workpiece moving exclusively through the other of the zones such that the regions are heated to different temperatures. The treatment temperature in one of the zone is above the AC1 point for the workpiece and the temperature in the other of the zones is close to or below the AC1 point for the workpiece.

Abstract: In a method of making a structural member for the automobile industry, a blank of boron steel is pre-formed at ambient temperature into an intermediary part of a configuration which substantially corresponds to an end shape of a finished structural member. The intermediary part is then coated with aluminum or an aluminum alloy and exposed to a temperature above the upper transformation line in the TTT curve. Subsequently, the intermediary part is formed in a mold into the finished structural member while being hardened at the same time.