Heating method, heating apparatus and method for manufacturing press-molded article

A heating apparatus comprising:

• a pair of electrodes arranged to extend across a heating target region of a workpiece in a first direction;
• a power supply unit configured to supply electric current to the pair of electrodes;
• a moving section configured to move at least one of the electrodes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction over the heating target region;
• a presser configured to press at least one of the electrodes against the workpiece such that a distribution of contact pressure against the workpiece along the first direction is adjustable;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the presser, with a plurality of segment regions being defined by dividing the heating target region such that the segment regions arranged side by side in the first direction, and in accordance with a length of each of the segment regions between the pair of electrodes, to adjust the distribution of the contact pressure along the first direction.

A method for manufacturing a press-molded article, the method comprising:

• heating a plate workpiece, and
• applying pressure to the plate workpiece with a press mold to perform hot press molding on the plate workpiece,
• wherein the heating comprises:
• placing a pair of electrodes on the plate workpiece along a first direction, the pair of electrodes having a length extending across a heating target region of the plate workpiece in the first direction;
• moving at least one of the electrodes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction over the heating target region while applying electric current to the pair of electrodes, to heat the heating target region by a direct resistance heating;
• and
• adjusting a distribution of contact pressure between at least one of the electrodes and the plate workpiece along the first direction, with a plurality of segment regions being defined by dividing the heating target region such that the segment regions are arranged side by side in the first direction and in accordance with a length of each of the segment regions between the pair of electrodes, to adjust a heating temperature of each of the segment regions of the heating target region.