Thermally Treating a Metallic Component

The method addresses the challenge of achieving precise temperature gradients and ductility changes in metallic components by using a continuous furnace, temperature control station, and laser heating, resulting in enhanced crashworthiness of automotive components.

US20260193728A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-07-09SCHWARTZ GMBH
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
SCHWARTZ GMBH
Filing Date
2023-11-15
Publication Date
2026-07-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods struggle to precisely establish temperature gradients and ductility changes in metallic components, particularly in components where ductility changes gradually, making it difficult to achieve desired crash behavior in automotive components like B pillars.

Method used

A method involving heating the entire component in a first continuous furnace, transferring it to a temperature control station for localized cooling and regional heating with a laser unit to create a temperature gradient, followed by further thermal treatment in a second continuous furnace, allowing for precise control of microstructure and ductility.

Benefits of technology

Enables the creation of localized temperature gradients and ductility variations, enhancing the crashworthiness of automotive components by providing regions with varying ductilities, such as a B pillar, through precise thermal treatment.

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Abstract

A method for thermally treating a metallic component, comprising:a) heating the entire component,b) transferring the component into a temperature control station,c1) in the temperature control station, cooling a first region of the component, a temperature of the first region at least after the cooling lying below the austenite reversion temperature (TAR) of the component,c2) in the temperature control station, regionally heating the first region, which was cooled in step c1), of the component by means of a laser unit, in such a way that a temperature gradient is established at least in a first subregion within the first region,d) transferring the component into a second continuous furnace,e) thermally treating the component in the second continuous furnace,wherein a temperature of a second region of the component during method steps a) to e) at least temporarily exceeds the AC3 temperature (TAC3) of the component.
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