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AssigneeKirchhoff Automotive Deutschland GmbH
InventorMarkus Löcker
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The invention relates to a method that is used to produce a press-hardened molded part (3) having at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions by means of a press-hardening tool. A blank heated to a forming temperature is formed in the press-hardening tool and held in the press-hardening tool during the cooling for the purpose of heat-treating. In order to set the regions of lower strength, said regions are cooled more slowly than the other regions. During the forming step, the entire blank and thus also the regions of the blank intended to be set to a lower strength are in contact with a molding surface of the tool (1). After the conclusion of the forming step, the tool surface (2) in contact with the molded part is changed in such a way that the one or more regions to be set with lower strength have no tool contact during the cooling step that follows the forming step. According to the invention, the tool surface associated with the one or more regions of lower strength of the molded part (3) is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface and the tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) are adjusted after the forming step in order to change the tool surface (2), and the molding side of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that forms the molding surface for the forming process is larger than the region of the molded part that is to be set with lower strength and that is associated with such a tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4). The invention further relates to a press-hardening tool having a shaping surface (2) for producing a press-hardened molded part (3) having at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions. According to a first alternative, the tool surface associated with the regions of lower strength is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface, and the molding surface of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) that forms the molding surface (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4) for the forming process is larger than the region of the molded part that is to be set with lower hardness due to strength by means of such a tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4).
A method for producing a press-hardened molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) comprising at least two regions that differ regarding the strength of the regions by using a press-hardening tool, in which a blank heated to a forming temperature is formed and is held in the press-hardening tool for the purpose of heat treating, wherein for adjusting the strength in the at least one region of lower strength this region is cooled more slowly compared to the regions to be adjusted with higher strength, characterized in that during the forming step, the entire blank and thus also the regions of the blank intended to be adjusted to a lower strength are in contact on a molding surface (2) of the tool (1, 1.1, 1.2) and after the conclusion of the forming step, the tool surface in contact with the molded parts (3, 3.1, 3.2) is changed in such a way that the one or more regions to be adjusted with lower strength have no tool contact during the cooling step that follows the forming step, wherein the tool surface assigned to the one or more regions of lower strength of the molded parts (3, 3.1, 3.2) is formed by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6), can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface, and the tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) for changing the tool surface (2) are adjusted after the forming step and wherein the sidewall which is developing the molding surface for the forming process of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) is larger than the region of the molded part to be adjusted with lower strength that is assigned to such tool segment (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6).
The press-hardening tool with a formative surface (2) for producing a press-hardened molded part (3, 3.1, 3.2) comprising at least two regions that differ with regard to their strength, characterized in that the tool surface (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5) assigned because of lower strength of the molded part is constituted by tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6) that can be adjusted relative to the remaining tool surface and that the forming area (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5) of the one or the more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) constituting the molding area for the forming process of the one or more tool segments (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) is larger than the region of lower hardness that can be respectively adjusted by the strength of the molded part.
The press-hardening tool with a formative surface for producing a press-hardened molded part comprising at least two regions that differ regarding their strength, characterized in that the tool surface assigned to the one or the more regions of lower strength of the molded part is constructed of a material that has a lower thermal conductivity relative to the material of the remaining tool surface, namely such that the cooling rate of the regions of the molded part abutting thereon is smaller than that required for hardening to produce the regions with higher strength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.