Effect of the Deformation Temperature in the Bainitic Transformation During Ausforming Treatments

Abstract

The important area of hot sheet metal forming of high-performance steel, and high-performance materials in general, is in a phase of accelerated development. The industrial and research community within this field is growing all over the world. Since the innovation in Sweden in the 1970s, press hardening of ultra-high strength steels has become a global technology. The driving forces for this fast development, with focus on the automotive sector, are concern for the environment and passenger safety. Press hardening and related thermo-mechanical processes represent technologies with outstanding potential to meet global environmental challenges as well as the safety challenges within the transportation sector. What did start as a niche technology has developed into a globally dominating automotive light-weight design strategy. However, inspired by the continuing success of the press hardening technology, researchers are looking for the next generation of materials for utilization in light-weight structures. Solutions with new materials for press hardening, new hot forming technologies of light-weight and high-performance materials as well as processes for hybrid materials such as steels and carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are in the pipeline.