Method for producing a component by subjecting a sheet bar of steel to a forming process

Abstract

A method for producing a component by forming a plate from steel at room temperature having a high formability and reduced crack sensitivity of edges that have been mechanically cut or punched on the plate, includes: cutting the plate from a strip or metal sheet at room temperature; heating edge regions of the plate that underwent strain hardening as a result of the cutting step to a temperature of at least 600° C. for a time period of at most 10 seconds; and forming the plate in one or more steps into a component at room temperature, wherein in the forming step the edge regions heated in the heating step are subjected to cold forming.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for producing a component by forming a plate from steel at room temperature having a high formability and reduced crack sensitivity of edges that have been mechanically cut or punched on the plate, comprising:
 cutting the plate from a strip or metal sheet at room temperature;   heating edge regions of the plate that underwent strain hardening as a result of the cutting step to a temperature of at least 600° C. for a time period of at most 10 seconds; and   forming the plate in one or more steps into a component at room temperature, wherein in the forming step the edge regions heated in the heating step are subjected to cold forming.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising performing further manufacturing steps on the plate or the metal sheet, said further manufacturing steps including at least one of punching and cutting operations for achieving recesses or perforations on the sheet metal or the plate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the time period is 0.02 to 10 seconds. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the time period is 0.1 to 2 seconds. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature is within a range from 600° C. to solidus temperature. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the temperature is within a range from Ac 1  temperature to a solidus temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heating is performed inductively, conductively by means of radiation heating or by means of laser radiation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the heating is performed with a resistance welding device or with a laser. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the forming is performed in one or multiple steps. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sheet metal plate has an organic and/or metallic coating. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the metallic coating contains at least one of Zn, Mn, Al and Si. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heating is performed in a region which in a plane direction of the plate starting from an edge of the sheet metal maximally corresponds to a thickness of the plate. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising protecting a region surrounding a site of the heat treatment from oxidation. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the protecting step comprises rinsing the region about the heat treatment with an inert gas at least during the heat treatment for protection against oxidation. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising rinsing the region surrounding the site of the heat treatment with inert gas prior to and/or after the heat influence. 
     
     
         31 . A plate made of steel for forming into a component at room temperature in which the plate is mechanically cut to size at room temperature from a strip or a metal plate, and optionally further punching or cutting operations for achieving recesses or perforations are performed at room temperature, in which prior to the forming into a component, the cut or punched sheet metal edges which have undergone strain hardening are subjected to a heat treatment of at least 600° C. over a time period of 0.02 to 10 seconds or 0.1 to 2 seconds is performed.