System and method for producing a hardened and tempered structural member

A method for producing a hardened and asymmetrically tempered structural member comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous steel work piece of selected composition;
• roll forming said steel work piece into a profiled work piece;
• first heating said profiled work piece in an induction heating device above a first temperature within about 300 seconds at which a first metallurgical phase is produced substantially throughout said profiled work piece;
• first cooling said profiled work piece at a first cooling rate from about said first temperature to a second temperature to convert said first metallurgical phase to a second metallurgical phase substantially throughout said profiled work piece resulting in a hardened work piece;
• asymmetrically second heating said hardened work piece in a second induction heating device to at least a third temperature to asymmetrically temper said hardened work piece and produce a hardened and tempered work piece having a plurality of temper zones, each temper zone of said plurality of temper zones having a desired hardness that is different from other of said temper zones;
• and
• second cooling said hardened and tempered work piece at a second cooling rate to a fourth temperature appropriate for cutting said hardened and tempered structural member into finished length.