Preheating System for Homogeneous Steel Blank Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

In hot stamping production lines, steel blanks with varying thicknesses or materials are not homogeneously heated, leading to inadequate deformation and potential breakage during processing due to insufficient temperature gradients, which increases processing time and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A preheating system is implemented to selectively heat specific zones of the blank before it enters the furnace, reducing the overall furnace length and processing time, while ensuring homogeneous heating and minimizing contamination and replacement costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the entire blank is heated in a conventional furnace, then the blank reaches the required temperature for deformation, but the heating is not homogeneous across zones of varying thickness, leading to inadequate deformation and potential breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating homogeneityVSAvoiddeformation quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heating process is segmented into two distinct stages: preheating in a preheating zone followed by final heating in a furnace zone. This segmentation allows different zones of the blank to receive appropriate heating intensity, ensuring homogeneous temperature distribution across varying thicknesses and preventing deformation defects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preheating zone performs preliminary heating of the blank before it enters the main furnace. This preliminary action reduces the temperature gradient across the blank, ensuring that all zones reach the required temperature uniformly, thereby improving deformation quality and preventing breakage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the furnace length is increased to ensure homogeneous heating of the entire blank, then heating uniformity improves, but energy consumption and processing time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating uniformityVSAvoidfurnace energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is divided into a preheating zone and a furnace zone, allowing the main furnace to be shorter while still achieving homogeneous heating. The preheating zone handles the initial heating load, reducing the energy consumption and length requirements of the main furnace

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preheating zone performs preliminary heating before the blank enters the main furnace, reducing the thermal load on the main furnace. This allows for a shorter furnace length and reduced energy consumption while maintaining heating uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If the furnace length is increased to accommodate blanks with varying thicknesses, then heating adequacy improves, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating adequacyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heating process is segmented into preheating and final heating stages, allowing blanks with varying thicknesses to be heated adequately without requiring an excessively long furnace. The segmented approach optimizes processing time while ensuring heating adequacy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preheating zone performs preliminary heating of blanks with varying thicknesses before they enter the main furnace, ensuring that all zones reach the required temperature adequately without extending the overall processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The preheating system allows for reduced furnace length and energy consumption, ensures homogeneous heating, and prevents material breakage by optimizing the heating process, thereby improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the hot stamping process.

Implementation Method 1

at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated to a predetermined temperature below an Ac3 temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a furnace system heats steel blanks at a predetermined temperature, e.g. above an austenization temperature, particularly above Ac3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

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

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRapid cooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentUS12163737B2Method for heating a blank and heating system

Publication Date: 2024.12.10 AUTOTECH ENG SL

AI summary

A method for manufacturing a steel component from a blank is provided. Firstly, a blank is placed in a conveyor system. Then, at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated while the blank is retained at a predetermined preheating location. Finally, the blank is conveyed through a furnace. A preheating system for heating blanks in a production line is also provided.