Ultrahigh-Strength Steel Sheet Composition for Weldable Ductility

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current steel sheet manufacturing techniques struggle to produce ultrahigh-strength steel sheets with high ductility, crashworthiness, and weldability, limiting their use in complex automotive components due to issues with work hardening, weldability, and strength levels below 1300 MPa.

Innovation Solution

Controlled alloying elements such as manganese, carbon, aluminum, and silicon, combined with a re-rolling process to induce work hardening, resulting in a steel sheet with a microstructure optimized for strength, ductility, and weldability, achieving tensile strengths above 1300 MPa and yield strengths above 1000 MPa.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a large amount of manganese is added to steel to obtain high ductility, then ductility is improved, but work hardening occurs severely in deformed portions and the steel sheet is easily fractured

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveductilityVSAvoidfracture resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the manganese content within a specific range (1.5-3.0%) rather than using a large amount, and by adjusting the silicon content (0.01-1.0%) to balance the properties. This optimization of compositional parameters resolves the contradiction between ductility and fracture resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If a large amount of silicon is added to steel to obtain intended ductility, then ductility is improved, but the characteristics for electroplating and hot dip plating become poor

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveductilityVSAvoidplating characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the silicon content within a controlled range (0.01-1.0%) to achieve the desired ductility while maintaining good plating characteristics. This parameter optimization allows the steel sheet to satisfy both formability requirements and manufacturing process requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If the yield strength of steel sheet is increased to improve crashworthiness, then crashworthiness is improved, but the formability and workability of the steel sheet deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyield strengthVSAvoidformability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves a balance between yield strength and formability by optimizing the compositional parameters (manganese: 1.5-3.0%, silicon: 0.01-1.0%) and controlling the microstructure. This results in steel sheets with yield strength of 1000-1500 MPa while maintaining adequate formability for automotive applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If the tensile strength of steel sheet is increased to achieve ultrahigh-strength level, then strength is improved, but the weldability and delayed fracture resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidweldability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls the carbon equivalent (Ceq) by limiting the contents of alloying elements, specifically maintaining manganese at 1.5-3.0% and silicon at 0.01-1.0%. This parameter control achieves ultrahigh tensile strength (1300-1800 MPa) while preserving weldability and delayed fracture resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

5Strength

If current steel sheet manufacturing techniques are used to produce high-strength steel, then strength is improved, but it is difficult to manufacture steel sheets with tensile strength of 1300 MPa or greater that are processable through cold pressing or roll forming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidprocessability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the compositional parameters (particularly manganese and silicon content) to achieve a microstructure that provides both ultrahigh strength and good formability. This allows the steel sheets to be processed through cold pressing and roll forming while achieving tensile strength of 1300 MPa or greater.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method enables the production of ultrahigh-strength steel sheets suitable for complex automotive components, offering improved formability, crashworthiness, and weldability, while maintaining economic viability.

Implementation Method 1

performing a re-rolling process after a cold rolling process or a plating process so as to induce work hardening and thus to impart tensile strength on the level of 1300 MPa or greater and yield strength on the level of 1000 MPa

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWork hardening: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3255170B1Ultrahigh-strength steel sheet and manufacturing method therefor
Publication Date: 2021.03.31 POHANG IRON & STEEL CO LTD
  • EP3255170B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3255170B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3255170B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an ultrahigh-strength steel sheet and a manufacturing method therefor. More specifically, the present invention can provide an ultra-high strength steel sheet which can ensure weldability and a delayed fracture resistance property by controlling the contents of elements affecting platability along with the contents of austenite-stabilizing elements and increasing twin formation through re-rolling, and simultaneously improve impact characteristics and workability by ensuring excellent yield strength and ductility.