Centering Table Selective Heating for Tailored Steel Blank Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating zones with different microstructures in steel components, such as hard and soft zones, are either inflexible, require expensive adaptations, or add additional processing steps, increasing time and cost in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a centering table with a heating system to selectively control cooling rates of different zones of a steel blank by maintaining some zones at high temperature and allowing others to cool down, creating hard and soft zones without extending the overall processing time, achieved by using the time spent on centering to quench selected zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conveyor system with centering table is used to position blanks after furnace heating, then the blanks are correctly positioned for transfer to press tools, but the processing time is extended and cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the centering function and the selective heating/quenching function into a single integrated centering table. The heating elements are embedded in the centering table, allowing simultaneous centering and thermal treatment of the blank. This eliminates the need for separate heating equipment and reduces processing time while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs selective heating and quenching of specific zones during the centering operation itself, which is a preliminary step before press forming. By completing the thermal treatment during centering, the process eliminates subsequent heating/cooling steps and reduces overall cycle time while ensuring proper blank positioning.
2Stability of the object's composition
If separate heating/cooling units are provided in furnace and press tool to create different microstructure zones, then hard and soft zones can be created, but the device complexity increases and adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective heating and quenching of specific zones on the blank surface during the centering operation. Different zones of the blank receive different thermal treatments (heating, cooling, or no treatment) to create hard zones, soft zones, or intermediate zones with desired microstructures. This localized control is achieved through selectively activatable heating elements in the centering table, simplifying the overall system while maintaining microstructure control.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional processing steps are added to create zones with different microstructures, then hard and soft zones can be created, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the centering operation with the selective thermal treatment operation into a single integrated process step. The centering table contains heating elements that can selectively heat or cool specific zones of the blank during the centering time itself. This eliminates the need for separate heating and cooling steps, maintaining microstructure differentiation while preserving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous useful action by performing the selective heating/quenching operation during the centering time, which would otherwise be idle time in the production cycle. The heating elements are activated during the brief centering period, converting previously wasted time into productive thermal treatment time, thus maintaining productivity while achieving microstructure control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the creation of steel components with hard and soft zones efficiently, enhancing design flexibility and maintaining cycle time without additional costs or time, by leveraging the centering process to achieve desired microstructures.
Implementation Method 1
a heating system, in particular comprising a plurality of selectively activatable heating elements (121, 122), arranged on the centering table (240)
Implementation Method 2
allowing others to cool down, creating hard and soft zones without extending the overall processing time
Implementation Method 3
The steel blanks can obtain a suitable microstructure with high tensile strength by cooling the blanks in the press or after the press. Depending on the composition of the base steel material, blanks may need to be quenched, i.e. be cooled down rapidly from a high temperature to a low temperature, to achieve a high tensile strength.
Data Source
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AI summary
Centering systems for centering blanks outputted from a furnace in a hot stamping line are provided, the centering system comprising a centering table and a heating system for heating one or more selected zones of the blank while arranged on the centering table. Also provided are methods for manufacturing steel components having hard zones and soft zones, wherein the soft zones are of less mechanical strength than the hard zones. The methods comprise heating a steel blank in a furnace, centering the heated blank on a centering table arranged downstream from the furnace, heating one or more selected zones of the heated blank while the blank is on the centering table, wherein the selected zones are the zones of the blank which are destined to form the hard zones; transferring the blank to a press tool to hot forming the blank, and quenching the selected zones of the blank destined to form the hard zones.