• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.357-362
• /
• 2014

The purpose of the current study is to predict the hardness distribution in steel products after hot stamping using a quench factor analysis(QFA) coupled with FE-simulations. QFA is a method to predict properties such as hardness and tensile strength based on time-temperature-property(TTP) curves and can determine properties based on the temperature histories. The constants($K_1{\sim}K_5$) of QFA were determined using hardness data obtained after various cooling rates. In the current study, a rear side member was selected for evaluation and FE-simulations were performed to obtain the temperature histories during hot stamping. The predicted temperature data were imported into the QFA to calculate the hardness distribution of the hot stamped parts. A hot stamping experiment of the rear side member was conducted to verify the predicted hardness. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental measurements.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.96-106
• /
• 2013

In this study, the effect of laser source($CO_2$ and Nd:YAG) on the microstructure and tensile properties of laser welded Al-Si coated boron steel(1.2mmt) was investigated with before and after hot-stamping. In case of as welds condition, fracture occurred in base metal unrelated to the laser source. It could be explained that tensile strength of fusion zone composed of martensite and bainite is higher than that of base metal that contains a lot of ferrite despite dilution of Al and Si from coating layer to fusion zone. In case of hot-stamping condition, the fracture occurred in fusion zone irrelevant to laser source and the tensile strength was lower than hot stamped base metal. In the $CO_2$ laser welds, $Fe_3$(Al,Si) formed near the bond line was transformed into ferrite during hot-stamping. Therefore tensile strength of bond line is lower than that of base metal and center of fusion zone and the fracture occurred in the bond line. On the other hand, in the Nd:YAG laser welds, the higher concentration of Al formed the ferrite in the fusion zone during hot-stamping treatment. Also, the thickness of centerline was thinner than that of base metal. Therefore, it is considered that fracture occurred in centerline of fusion zone due to effect of concentration stress, and it leaded to a lower tensile strength and elongation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
• /
• 2008.10a
• /
• pp.317-320
• /
• 2008

The Hot Stamping process, which is the hot pressing of steel parts using cold dies. can utilize both case of shaping and high strength due to the hardening effect of rapid quenching during the pressing. We carried out experiments of quenching rate and tempering treatments at temperatures of $200^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$ and different soaking times. Tn this study, the mechanical properties and microstructure of micro boron alloyed steels after heat treatments are compared.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1221-1226
• /
• 2012

The hot-stamping technique is a forming method used for manufacturing high-strength parts, in which a part is cooled rapidly after press forming above the austenite transformation temperature. Boron steel, which contains a very small amount of boron, is one of the materials used for hot stamping. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanical properties of boron steel according to the heat-treatment conditions and the formability by using an Erichsen cupping test. Die quenching from various temperatures was conducted for different elapsed heat-treatment times. Laser-welded boron steel after quenching at 1173 K-0 s has a tensile strength of 1203 MPa. This is 79% of the tensile strength of the base metal (1522 MPa). The formability of boron steel was not significantly different from that at the mold temperature. However, it decreased with increasing forming speed. These properties provide practical information for the use of boron steels for hot stamping.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.64-64
• /
• 2009

The use of ultra high strength steels (UTSS) is a natural result with increasing the demands for the lightweight materials and developing an innovative steel technology. Recently it has been used a 1500MPa grade hot stamping steel as automobile bodies, reinforcement parts, and seat frame parts in the automotive industry. It is a quenchenable steel manufactured by hot stamping process. It is well known that UTSS welding has softening in the heat affected zone(HAZ). Because welding is a sort of process applying heat, it should change the heat treated features and degrade the strength. This study was performed to investigate the influence of the heat input on the softening of the HAZ in the GMAW process. Each experiment was compared with that in the conditions having a different current and voltage at a same heat input. In order to analysis characteristics of the HAZ, optical microscope was used to observe microstructure and vickers hardness tests were carried out across the welds. Applying low heat input means a fast cooling rate. It leads to high hardness in the HAZ. It is found that characteristics of the HAZ are determined by microstructure obtained by different cooling rate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2012.05a
• /
• pp.895-896
• /
• 2012

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.38 no.12
• /
• pp.1373-1377
• /
• 2014

Hot-stamping is a method of obtaining ultrahigh-strength steel by simultaneously forming and cooling boron steel in a press die after it has been heated at $900^{\circ}C$ or above. After heat treatment, boron steel has a strength of 1500 MPa or more. This material ensures a high level of quality because it overcomes the spring-back phenomenon, which is a problem associated with high-strength steel materials, and the degree of dimensional precision is improved by 90 or more because of the good formability compared with existing types of steel. In this study, the welding characteristics were identified through the butt and lap welding of hot-stamped steel using a disk laser. Full penetration was obtained at a faster speed with butt welding compared to lap welding, and a white band was observed in every specimen.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to compare the laser weldability of boron steel and hot-stamped steel. In general, boron steel is used in the hot-stamping process. Hot-stamping is a method for simultaneously forming and cooling boron steel in a press die after heating it to the austenitizing temperature. Hot-stamped steel has a strength of 1500 MPa or more. Thus, in this study, the laser weldability of boron steel and thet of hot-stamped steel were investigated and compared. A continuous wave disk laser was used to produce butt and lap joints. In the butt welding, the critical cooling speed at which full penetration was obtained in the hot-stamped steel was lower than that of boron steel. In the lap welding, the joint widths were similar regardless of the welding speed when full penetration was obtained.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.186-194
• /
• 2012

Hot stamping is a forming method that offers various advantages such as superior mechanical properties, good formability, and very small springback. However, relatively large-sized parts, such as front pillars, exhibit poor formability when hot stamped due to the limited material flow and thickness reduction imparted by the process. This reduction in thickness can also lead to cracks. One of the reasons is the relatively high friction between the sheet and the die. In this study, in order to obtain the optimal conditions for hot stamping of front pillars, various process parameters were studied and analyzed using the sheet forming software, J-STAMP. The effects of various parameters such as the die structure, blank shape, blank holding force, punch speed, clearance(upper and lower dies) and distance block were analyzed and compared.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.123-132
• /
• 2013

Hot stamping, which is the hot pressing of special steel sheet using a cold die, can combine ease of shaping with high strength mechanical properties due to the hardening effect of rapid quenching. In this paper, a thermo-mechanical analysis of hot stamping using the finite element method in conjunction with phase transformations was performed in order to investigate the plastic deformation behavior, temperature history, and mechanical properties of the stamped car part. We also conducted a fully coupled thermo-mechanical analysis during the stamping and rapid quenching process to obtain the mechanical properties with the consideration of the effects of plastic deformation and phase transformation on the temperature histories at each point in the part. The finite element analysis could provide key information concerning the temperature histories and the sheet mechanical properties when the phase transformation is properly considered. Such an analysis can also be used to determine the effect of cyclic cooling on the tooling.