Resiliently mounted, segmented hot forming tool and method for producing a hot formed and press-hardened steel component having a sharply defined transition region

A hot forming tool for forming a component, said hot forming tool comprising:

• a top tool and a bottom tool, both of which are movable towards each other, and having, when the hot forming tool is in a closed position, a mold cavity formed between the top tool and the bottom tool, with at least one of the top tool and the bottom tool being divided into at least two segments,
• with one segment of the at least two segments being configured as a heating segment, and with, when the hot forming tool is in the closed position, the top tool and bottom tool segments being in contact with a surface of the component being formed,
• the heating segment including a compensating element on a side thereof opposite the mold cavity to compensate for a thermal expansion of the heating segment in a press stroke direction, and the heating segment being mounted with at least one linear guide that includes a guide rod configured to slidably engage, with a positive fit, a guide hole, and
• the linear guide having one degree of axial freedom in the press stroke direction and being disposed centrally on the heating segment, transversely to the press stroke direction relative to a plane, such that the heating segment is capable of thermally expanding in all directions of the plane, starting from the linear guide.