Methods of forming components utilizing ultra-high strength steel and components formed thereby

A method for forming a component utilizing ultra-high strength steel including the steps of:

• providing a blank of ultra-high strength steel;
• cold forming the blank into an unfinished component, wherein the unfinished component has a predetermined tubular shape;
• heating the unfinished component;
• after cold forming the flat blank into an unfinished component, moving an inner tooling member and an outer tooling member relative to one another in a direction transverse to a central axis of the predetermined tubular shape to sandwich and hold the heated component therebetween by pressing the unfinished component between the tooling members, wherein the inner tooling member is disposed within a tubular wall portion of the unfinished component and the outer tooling member is disposed outside of the tubular wall portion;
• while the component is sandwiched and held between the inner and outer tooling members and after heating the unfinished component, moving a punch member in a direction transverse to the central axis from a withdrawn, unactuated position to an extended, actuated position to contact the component while sandwiched and held between the inner and outer tooling members to form a feature including at least one of a thickened region having an increased thickness relative to an adjacent region, a recessed annular groove, a recessed pocket, a through hole, a flange, a through hole having a tab extending outwardly therefrom, or spline teeth;
• and
• quenching the feature.