Method for producing a component from steel by hot forming

A method for the production of a component from transformable steel, comprising the steps in the order of:

• cutting to size a blank as source material from a strip or metal sheet;
• austenitizing and quenching the blank such as to produce a partly martensitic transformation microstructure and a residual austenite microstructure, by heating the blank to an austenitizing temperature within a continuous annealing process and subsequently quenching the blank;
• applying a coating on the blank by a hot dip process after the annealing process;
• reheating the blank to a forming temperature below the Ac1 transformation temperature, while maintaining the partly martensitic transformation microstructure and the residual austenite microstructure;
• and
• forming the blank at the forming temperature below the Ac1 transformation temperature into the component while still maintaining the partly martensitic transformation microstructure and the residual austenite microstructure in the component.