Integration of Press-Hardening Technology into Processing of Advanced High Strength Steels

Development of high strength or even ultra-high strength steels is mainly driven by the automotive industry which strives to reduce the weight of individual parts, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. Another important factor is the passenger safety which will improve by the use of these materials. In order to achieve the required mechanical properties, it is necessary to use suitable heat treatment in addition to an appropriate alloying strategy. The main problem of these treatments is the isothermal holding time. These holding times are technologically demanding which is why industry seeks new possibilities to integrate new processing methods directly into the production process. One option for making high-strength sheet metals is press-hardening which delivers high dimensional accuracy and a small spring-back effect. In order to test the use of AHSS steels for this technology, a material-technological modelling was chosen. Material-technological models based on data obtained directly from a real press-hardening process were examined on two experimental steels, CMnSi TRIP and 42SiCr. Variants with isothermal holding and continuous cooling profiles were tested. It was found that by integrating the Q&P process ( quenching and partitioning) into press hardening, the 42SiCr steel can develop strengths of over 1800 MPa with a total elongation of about 10%. The CMnSi TRIP steel with lower carbon content and without chromium achieved a tensile strength of 1160 MPa with a total elongation of 10%.