Product and process by localized heat treatment of sheet steel

A system for performing localized heat treatment of a steel sheet component formed of a hardenable ferrous alloy, comprising:

• a support structure for holding the steel sheet component during the localized heat treatment thereof;
• a laser source for generating a laser beam, the laser source being movable relative to the support structure for scanning the generated laser beam across a predetermined portion of the steel sheet component, the laser source having an output power that is sufficient to form a heating spot capable of heating material within the predetermined portion to a temperature of austenitizing transformation;
• and
• a source of external cooling disposed adjacent to the laser beam source and movable with the laser beam source, relative to the support structure, such that during use the source of external cooling is disposed for cooling material within the predetermined portion and immediately behind the heating spot produced by the laser beam along a scan direction of the laser beam.

A system for performing localized heat treatment of a steel sheet component formed of a hardenable ferrous alloy, comprising:

• a support structure for holding the steel sheet component during the localized heat treatment thereof;
• a laser source for generating a laser beam, the laser source being movable relative to the support structure for scanning the generated laser beam across a predetermined portion of the steel sheet component, the laser source having an output power that is sufficient to form a heating spot capable of heating material within the predetermined portion to a temperature of austenitizing transformation;
• and
• a source of external cooling arranged for, during use, cooling material within the predetermined portion and immediately behind the heating spot produced by the laser beam along a scan direction of the laser beam.