Process and Installation for Producing a Press-Hardened Sheet Steel Component

Abstract

A method and a system for producing a press-hardened sheet steel component is disclosed. The method includes: a) heating of a component blank formed from a hot-formable steel material at least to the austenitising temperature of the steel material by a heating device; b) hot forming of the component blank by a forming tool; c) cooling of the component blank in the forming tool to a temperature above the material-specific martensite finish temperature; d) bringing of the component blank from the forming tool to a warming device; and e) annealing of the component Hank, stabilizing the austenite in the component blank by the warming device. The component blank is brought directly from the forming tool to the waning device, preventing a cooling of the component Hank to less than the material-specific martensite finish temperature.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method for producing a press-hardened sheet steel component, comprising the steps of:
 a) heating of a component blank formed from a hot-formable steel material at least to an austenitising temperature of the steel material by a heating device;   b) hot forming of the component blank by a forming tool;   c) cooling of the component blank in the forming tool to a temperature above a material-specific martensite finish temperature;   d) bringing the component blank from the forming tool to a warming device; and   e) annealing of the component blank by the warming device which stabilizes an austenite in the component blank;   wherein the component blank is brought directly from the forming tool to the warming device preventing a cooling of the component blank to less than the material-specific martensite finish temperature.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the component blank is quenched in step e) in the forming tool to a temperature in a range from 200° C. to 500° C. inclusive. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the component blank is heated in step a) to a temperature between 800° C. and 1000° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the steel material is an alloy having:
 0.2 to 0.5% by weight carbon;   0.5 to 2.9% by weight silicon;   0.7 to 4.1% by weight manganese;   up to 0.1% by weight phosphorous;   up to 0.1% by weight sulphur;   0.0001 to 0.5% by weight aluminum;   0.1 to 1.5% by weight chromium;   0.001 to 0.2% by weight titanium;   0.001 to 0.03% by weight boron; and   up to 0.025% by weight nitrogen.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the warming device heats the component blank in step e) relative to a temperature to which the component blank is cooled in step c). 
     
     
         12 . A system for producing a press-hardened sheet steel component, comprising:
 a heating device, wherein the heating device heats a component blank formed from a hot-formable steel material at least to an austenitising temperature of the steel material;   a forming tool, wherein the component blank is hot formed by the forming tool after the heating device heats the component blank and wherein the forming tool cools the component blank to a temperature not below 200° C. in the forming tool after the component blank is hot formed; and   a warming device, wherein the component blank is annealed by the warming device to stabilize an austenite in the component blank after the forming tool cools the component blank;   wherein the warming device is connected directly to the forming tool such that the component blank is transferable directly from the forming tool to the warming device to prevent a cooling of the component blank to less than 200° C.