Method of making a structural member for use in the automobile industry
AssigneeBenteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
InventorsLudger Gehringhoff, Patrick Reinhold, Thomas Troster, Stefan Gosmann
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Abstract
In a method of making a structural member for the automobile industry, a blank of boron steel is pre-formed at ambient temperature into an intermediary part of a configuration which substantially corresponds to an end shape of a finished structural member. The intermediary part is then coated with aluminum or an aluminum alloy and exposed to a temperature above the upper transformation line in the TTT curve. Subsequently, the intermediary part is formed in a mold into the finished structural member while being hardened at the same time.
Claims8
A method of making a structural member for use in the automobile industry, comprising the steps of:
- shaping a blank of boron steel at ambient temperature into an intermediary part of a configuration which substantially corresponds to an end shape of a finished structural member;
- coating the intermediary part with aluminum or an aluminum alloy;
- heating the intermediary part to a temperature above the upper transformation line in a TTT curve;
- and
- forming the intermediary part in a mold into the finished structural member at simultaneous hardening of the structural member.
A method of making a structural member for use in the automobile industry, comprising the steps of:
- shaping a blank of boron steel at ambient temperature into an intermediary part of a configuration which substantially corresponds an end shape of a finished structural member;
- heating the intermediary part to a temperature above the upper transformation line in the TTT curve;
- coating the intermediary part in a melt at a temperature above the upper transformation line in the TTT curve with aluminum or an aluminum alloy;
- and
- forming the intermediary part in a tool into the finished structural member at simultaneous hardening of the structural member.
A method of making a structural member for use in the automobile industry, comprising the steps of:
- shaping a blank of boron steel at ambient temperature into an intermediary part of a configuration which substantially corresponds an end shape of a finished structural member;
- placing the intermediary part in a melt of aluminum or an aluminum alloy at a temperature above the upper transformation line in the TTT curve;
- coating the intermediary part in the melt;
- and
- forming the intermediary part in a mold into the finished structural member at simultaneous hardening of the structural member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.