Conduction pre-heating of sheet for hot forming

Abstract

A system for producing components by hot forming includes a pre-heat station, a furnace, and a press. The pre-heat station is configured to receive a blank; and to pre-heat at least a portion of the blank to a pre-heat temperature by thermal conduction. The furnace is constructed and arranged to receive the pre-heated blank from the pre-heat station and to heat the entire blank to a deformation temperature. The deformation temperature is higher than the pre-heat temperature. The press is constructed and arranged to receive the heated blank from the furnace and to form the heated blank into the shape of the component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for producing components by hot forming, comprising:
 a pre-heat station configured to:
 receive a blank; and 
 pre-heat at least a portion of the blank to a pre-heat temperature by thermal conduction; and 
   a furnace constructed and arranged to:
 receive the pre-heated blank from the pre-heat station, and 
 heat the entire blank to a deformation temperature, wherein the deformation temperature is higher than the pre-heat temperature; and 
   a press constructed and arranged to receive the heated blank from the furnace and to form the heated blank into the shape of the component.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-heat station includes an upper platen and a lower platen that are configured to cooperate to receive the blank therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein either the upper platen or the lower platen is configured to apply contact pressure on at least the portion of the blank received in the pre-heat station. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower platens are heated by at least one process selected from conduction, convection, resistance, induction, heat radiation and gas that are configured to provide energy to heat and maintain the respective upper and lower platens at a desired platen temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower platens include thermocouples therein that are configured to monitor and control surface temperatures of the respective upper and lower platens. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the blank includes a base blank and a patch blank attached to the base blank, and wherein at least the portion of the blank includes the patch blank and a portion of the base blank that is attached to the patch blank. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein portions of the base blank that are surrounding the patch blank are not pre-heated to the pre-heat temperature in the pre-heat station. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is a monolithic blank. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is a tailor welded blank formed by a tailor welded blank procedure, and wherein the tailor welded blank includes blank members that are welded together during the tailor welded blank procedure, and wherein the blank members have different strengths and/or different thicknesses. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is a tailor rolled blank formed by a tailor rolled blank procedure, and wherein the tailor rolled blank includes variable thickness portions. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least the portion of the blank includes the entire blank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the blank includes a patched region and a non-patched region, wherein at least the portion of the blank includes the patched region, and wherein the pre-heat station is configured to pre-heat the patched region of the blank to the pre-heat temperature by thermal conduction. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-heat station includes an upper platen and a lower platen that are configured to cooperate to receive the blank therebetween, and wherein either the upper platen or the lower platen is configured to apply contact pressure on the patched region of the blank received in the pre-heat station. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the blank includes a base blank and a patch blank attached to the base blank, and wherein the patched region includes the patch blank and a portion of the base blank that is attached to the patch blank. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the non-patched region includes portions of the base blank that are surrounding the patch blank. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the non-patched region includes portions of the base blank that are adjacent the patch blank. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the non-patched region does not include the patch blank. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the non-patched region includes portions of the blank that are surrounding the patched region. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the non-patched region includes portions of the blank that are adjacent the patched region.