# US 10,480,554 B2 · Steel part

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- Number: US 10,480,554 B2
- Document ID: US10480554B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/414,857
- Filed: 2019-05-17
- Published: 2019-09-05
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2006-04-19
- Assignees: ArcelorMittal France
- Applicants: ArcelorMittal France
- Inventors: Jean-Francois Canourgues; Aurelien Pic; Pascal Verrier; Rene Vierstraete; Wolfram Ehling; Bernd Thommes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480554B2

## CPC

- B23K 26/32: taking account of the properties of the material involved
- B23K 9/23: taking account of the properties of the materials to be welded
- B23K 33/00: Specially-profiled edge portions of workpieces for making soldering or welding connections; Filling the seams formed thereby
- B32B 15/012: {one layer being formed of an iron alloy or steel, another layer being formed of aluminium or an aluminium alloy}
- C21D 1/00: General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
- C21D 6/002: {containing Cr (C21D6/004 takes precedence)}
- C21D 6/005: {containing Mn}
- C21D 6/008: {containing Si}
- C21D 9/50: for welded joints
- C22C 21/02: with silicon as the next major constituent
- C22C 38/002: {containing In, Mg, or other elements not provided for in one single group C22C38/001 - C22C38/60}
- C22C 38/02: containing silicon
- C22C 38/04: containing manganese
- C22C 38/06: containing aluminium
- C22C 38/08: containing nickel {(C22C38/105 takes precedence)}
- C22C 38/28: with titanium or zirconium
- C22C 38/32: with boron
- C23C 2/26: After-treatment (C23C2/14 takes precedence)
- C23C 28/021: {including at least one metal alloy layer}
- F16B 5/08: by means of welds or the like (welding B23K)
- B23K 2101/18: Sheet panels
- B23K 2101/34: Coated articles {; Surface treated articles}
- B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys
- B23K 2103/08: Non-ferrous metals or alloys
- B23K 2103/10: Aluminium or alloys thereof
- B23K 2103/50: {Inorganic materials other than metals or composite materials}
- C21D 2211/008: Martensite
- Y10T 428/12229: Intermediate article [e.g., blank, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12271: having discrete fastener, marginal fastening, taper, or end structure
- Y10T 428/12389: having variation in thickness
- Y10T 428/12396: Discontinuous surface component
- Y10T 428/12486: Laterally noncoextensive components [e.g., embedded, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12493: Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12757: Fe
- Y10T 428/12764: Next to Al-base component
- Y10T 428/12972: Containing 0.01-1.7% carbon [i.e., steel]
- Y10T 428/12979: Containing more than 10% nonferrous elements [e.g., high alloy, stainless]
- Y10T 428/2495: Thickness [relative or absolute]
- Y10T 428/24967: Absolute thicknesses specified
- Y10T 428/24975: No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick
- Y10T 428/26: Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
- Y10T 428/263: Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
- Y10T 428/264: Up to 3 mils
- Y10T 428/265: 1 mil or less
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A formed steel part includes a first steel plate having a first base, a first intermetallic alloy layer on the first base and a first metal alloy layer on the first intermetallic alloy layer, the first steel part having a first area without the first metal alloy layer and having at least part of the first intermetallic alloy layer; and a second steel plate having a second base, a second intermetallic alloy layer on the second base and a second metal alloy layer on the second intermetallic alloy layer, the second steel part having a second area without the second metal alloy layer and having at least part of the second intermetallic alloy layer in the second area. The first and second steel plates are joined together. The formed steel part may also include a butt-weld joining the first and second steel plates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat-treated and quenched part comprising:
a first steel plate having a first base, a first intermetallic alloy layer on the first base and a first metal alloy layer on the first intermetallic alloy layer; and
a second steel plate having a second base, a second intermetallic alloy layer on the second base and a second metal alloy layer on the second intermetallic alloy layer;
the first and second steel plates being butt-welded together at a weld, the weld including material from at least the first base, the first intermetallic alloy layer, the second base and the second intermetallic layer, the weld being totally martensitic and free of intermetallic areas.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat-treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second intermetallic layers are alloyed to the first and second bases.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the steel part is corrosion resistant at the weld.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the steel part has a tensile strength greater than 1450 MPa.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the steel part has an elongation in a crosswise direction of above 4%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second metal alloy layers comprise aluminum and, by weight:
from 8 to 11% silicon; and
from 2 to 4% iron.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second steel plates are from 1 to 3 mm thick.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second steel plates have different thicknesses.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein the composition of the first and second bases comprise, by weight: 0.10%≤C≤0.5%, 0.5%≤Mn≤3%, 0.1%≤Si≤1%, 0.01%≤Cr≤1%, Ti≤0.2%, Al≤0.1%, S≤0.05%, P≤0.1%, 0.0005%≤B≤0.010%, the remainder consisting of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the production process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 9, wherein the composition of the first and second bases comprise, by weight: 0.15%≤C≤0.25%, 0.8%≤Mn≤1.8%, 0.1%≤Si≤0.35%, 0.01%≤Cr≤0.5%, Ti≤0.1%, Al≤0.1%, S≤0.05%, P≤0.1%, 0.002%≤B≤0.005%, the remainder consisting of iron and inevitable impurities produced by the production process.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, having a tensile strength between about 1250 and about 1650 MPa.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein the weld is obtained by laser beam welding.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein the weld is obtained by electric arc welding.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the part has an elongation in a crosswise direction≥4%.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the part is corrosion resistant in areas adjacent the weld.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second steel parts are butt-welded at respective first and second edges of the first and second steel parts, and wherein the part is corrosion resistant at an area of the first steel part extending 0.2 mm from the first edge and at an area of the second steel part extending 0.2 mm from the second edge.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second steel parts are butt-welded at respective first and second edges of the first and second steel parts, and wherein the part is corrosion resistant at an area of the first steel part extending 2 mm from the first edge and at an area of the second steel part extending 2 mm from the second edge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second intermetallic alloy layers each comprise iron and aluminum.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the each of the first and second intermetallic layers is between 3 and 10 micrometers.

### Claim 20

A heat-treated and quenched part comprising:
a first steel plate having a first base, a first intermetallic alloy layer on the first base and a first metal alloy layer on the first intermetallic alloy layer; and
a second steel plate having a second base, a second intermetallic alloy layer on the second base and a second metal alloy layer on the second intermetallic alloy layer;
the first and second steel plates being butt-welded together at a weld, the weld including material from at least from the first base, the first intermetallic alloy layer, the second base and the second intermetallic layer, the weld being totally martensitic and having an elongation in a crosswise direction≥4%.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The heat-treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20, wherein the first and second intermetallic layers include iron and aluminum, and wherein the first and second intermetallic layers are alloyed to the first and second bases.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20 wherein the steel part has a tensile strength greater than 1450 MPa.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20 wherein the steel part has an elongation in a crosswise direction of above 4%.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20 wherein the first and second metal alloy layers comprise aluminum and, by weight:
from 8 to 11% silicon; and
from 2 to 4% iron.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20 wherein the first and second steel plates have different thicknesses.

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20, wherein the composition of the first and second bases comprise, by weight: 0.10%≤C≤0.5%, 0.5%≤Mn≤3%, 0.1%≤Si≤1%, 0.01%≤Cr≤1%, Ti≤0.2%, Al≤0.1%, S≤0.05%, P≤0.1%, 0.0005%≤B≤0.010%, the remainder consisting of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the production process.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20, having a tensile strength between about 1250 and about 1650 MPa.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20, wherein the weld is obtained by laser beam welding or by electric arc welding.

### Claim 29 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20 wherein the part is corrosion resistant in areas adjacent the weld.

### Claim 30 (depends on 20)

The heat treated and quenched steel part as recited in claim 20, wherein a thickness of each of the first and second intermetallic layers is between 3 and 10 micrometers.