Abstract: A method for preparing a press-hardened steel component is provided. The method includes forming a heated blank by heating a steel alloy blank to a first temperature in a first zone of a furnace having two or more zones, and after the heating of the steel alloy blank to the first temperature, heating the steel alloy blank to a second temperature in a second zone of the furnace. The second temperature is greater than the first temperature. The first zone has a first flow rate for a protective gas, and the second zone has a second flow rate for the protective gas that is greater than the first flow rate. The method further includes stamping and quenching the heated blank at a constant rate to a temperature between a martensite finish temperature of the steel alloy defining the steel alloy blank and room temperature to form the press-hardened steel component.

Abstract: A method for preparing a press-hardened steel component is provided. The method includes forming a heated blank by heating a steel alloy blank to a first temperature in a first zone of a furnace having two or more zones, and after the heating of the steel alloy blank to the first temperature, heating the steel alloy blank to a second temperature in a second zone of the furnace. The second temperature is greater than the first temperature. The first zone has a first flow rate for a protective gas, and the second zone has a second flow rate for the protective gas that is greater than the first flow rate. The method further includes stamping and quenching the heated blank at a constant rate to a temperature between a martensite finish temperature of the steel alloy defining the steel alloy blank and room temperature to form the press-hardened steel component.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a steel alloy sheet to enhance flatness. The method includes, inter alia, heating a steel alloy material to a first temperature that is greater than a full-austenitization point for the steel alloy material; holding steel alloy material at the first temperature for a period greater than or equal to about 1 second to less than or equal to about 10,000 seconds to from a precursor steel sheet; air quenching the precursor steel sheet to a second temperature that is less than the first temperature and greater than martensitic transformation starting temperature for the steel alloy material; and cooling the precursor steel sheet to room temperature to prepare the steel alloy sheet. The steel alloy material includes greater than or equal to about 0.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 6 wt. % of chromium.

Abstract: A method of forming a component includes providing a work-piece blank from a formable material. The work-piece blank includes at least one section having a surface roughness greater than 1 ?m configured to facilitate efficient radiation of thermal energy therefrom when the work-piece blank is heated. The method also includes austenitizing the work-piece blank via heating the work-piece blank at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined amount of time to achieve an austenite microstructure in the at least one section and forestall oxidation of the work-piece blank. The method additionally includes transferring the austenitized work-piece blank into a forming press. The method also includes forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized work-piece blank. The method additionally includes quenching the component formed from the austenitized work-piece blank and cooling the formed component.

Abstract: A method of forming a component includes providing a work-piece blank from a formable material. The work-piece blank includes at least one section having a surface roughness greater than 1 µm configured to facilitate efficient radiation of thermal energy therefrom when the work-piece blank is heated. The method also includes austenitizing the work-piece blank via heating the work-piece blank at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined amount of time to achieve an austenite microstructure in the at least one section and forestall oxidation of the work-piece blank. The method additionally includes transferring the austenitized work-piece blank into a forming press. The method also includes forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized work-piece blank. The method additionally includes quenching the component formed from the austenitized work-piece blank and cooling the formed component.

Abstract: Methods include pressing and quenching a heated blank in a die to form the shaped steel object. A first portion of the heated blank is selectively cooled at a first cooling rate and a second portion of the heated blank selectively cooled at a lower second cooling rate. The shaped steel object has an alloy with wt. % of chromium at ?about 0.5 to ?about 6; carbon at ?about 0.01 to ?about 0.5; manganese at ?about 0 to ?about 3; silicon at ?about 0.5 to ?about 2; nitrogen at ?0 to ?about 0.01; nickel at ?0 to ?about 5; copper at ?0 to ?about 5; molybdenum at ?0 to ?about 5; vanadium at ?0 to ?about 1%; niobium at ?0 to ?about 0.1; and a balance being iron.