Methods for processing workpieces. A first temperature of a first section of a workpiece having a non-uniform thickness may be maintained. A cooling rate of a second section of the workpiece may be controlled while maintaining the first temperature of the first section. The workpiece may be quenched after cooling the second section of the workpiece to form a quenched workpiece, in which the cooling rate may be controlled such that the second section of the workpiece has desired properties.

Polycrystalline materials are prepared by electrodeposition of a precursor material that is subsequently heat-treated to induce at least a threefold increase in the grain size of the material to yield a relatively high fraction of special low grain boundaries and a randomized crystallographic texture. The precursor metallic material has sufficient purity and a fine-grained microstructure (e.g., an average grain size of 4 nm to 5 m). The resulting metallic material is suited to the fabrication of articles requiring high mechanical or physical isotropy and/or resistance to grain boundary-mediated deformation or degradation mechanisms.

An H-section steel has a predetermined chemical composition in which Ti oxides having a grain size of 0.01 m to 3.0 m are included at a density of 30 pieces/mm.sup.2 or more, a thickness of a flange is 100 mm to 150 mm, an area fraction of bainite at a position from a surface of the flange in a length direction and at a position from the surface thereof in a thickness direction is 80% or more, a yield strength or 0.2% proof stress is 450 MPa or more, and a tensile strength is 550 MPa or more, a Charpy absorbed energy at 21 C. at a position from the surface of the flange in the length direction and at a position from the surface thereof in the thickness direction is 100 J or more, and an average austenite grain size is 50 m to 200 m.

Methods of reducing liquid metal embrittlement (LME) in zinc-coated high-strength steel alloys are provided. In one variation, the method includes decarburizing an exposed surface of a high-strength steel alloy to form a decarburized surface layer. The decarburized surface layer has a thickness of less than or equal to about 50 micrometers. The decarburized surface layer may have greater than or equal to about 80 volume % ferrite. The method also includes applying a zinc-based coating to the decarburized surface layer. A blank is formed from the high-strength steel alloy. The method also includes heating and press hardening the blank to form a press-hardened component having an ultimate tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 1,100 MPa that is substantially free of liquid metal embrittlement.

A high pressure casting die is disclosed. The high pressure casting die may include a die half that defines a recessed area and a build plate that may nest within the recessed area of the die half. The high pressure die casting may further include an additive section that is disposed on the build plate. The additive section may include a plurality of metallic powder layers, the thermal conductivity or the thermal expansion coefficient of the build plate and the additive section may be within 10% of each other.

Disclosed are hot forming systems and apparatuses for metalworking components from micro-alloyed press hardened steel (PHS), methods for operating such systems/apparatuses, processes for hot forming components from micro-alloyed PHS, and components formed from such processes. A method of hot forming components from steel is disclosed. The method includes transferring a workpiece formed from a PHS micro-alloyed with niobium (e.g., 0.02-0.1 wt % Nb) to a furnace, e.g., via material handling robot. The workpiece is then heated to a peak furnace temperature and during a furnace time (e.g., total ramp and soak time) selected from a pentagon having heating time and temperature coordinates of: A (about 2 minutes, about 940 C.), B (about 2 minutes, about 1100 C.), C (about 3.5 minutes, about 1100 C.), D (about 5 minutes, about 975 C.), and E (about 5 minutes, about 940 C.). The heated workpiece is then transferred to a hot forming apparatus.

A method for improving the thermal treatment of castings that includes obtaining a plurality of untreated castings of a given design, capturing three dimensional surface measurements of the untreated castings to determine a baseline shape, obtaining a first support fixture having a first support profile configured to support the castings during thermal treatment, and then applying a thermal treatment protocol to a first casting while supported on the first support fixture. The method further includes capturing a three dimensional surface measurement of the first casting to determine its post-treatment shape, comparing the baseline shape with the post-treatment shape of the first casting, and identifying a dimensional distortion that is the result of inadequate support or positioning during the thermal treatment protocol. The method continues with obtaining a second support fixture with a second support profile different from the first support profile, applying the thermal treatment protocol to a second casting while supported on the second support fixture, capturing a three dimensional surface measurement of the second casting to determine its post-treatment shape, comparing the baseline shape with the post-treatment shape of the second casting, and then identifying a reduction in the dimensional distortion to verify that the dimensional distortion is at least partially due to inadequate support or positioning during the thermal treatment protocol.

In a journal part of a 9 to 12 wt % Cr steel turbine rotor, a groove face is formed, and on the groove face, a lower build-up layer is formed by using a first welding material containing C: 0.10 to 0.25 wt %, Si: 0.20 to 0.80 wt %, Mn: 1.0 to 2.5 wt %, Ni: 0.4 to 1.0 wt %, Cr: 1.0 to 3.0 wt %, Mo: 0.2 to 1.5 wt %, V: 0.03 to 0.10 wt %, and a remainder composed of Fe and inevitable impurities, and further on this lower build-up layer, an upper build-up layer is formed using a second welding material containing C: 0.10 to 0.25 wt %, Si: 0.20 to 0.80 wt %, Mn: 1.0 to 2.5 wt %, Ni: 0.4 to 1.0 wt %, Cr: 1.0 to 3.0 wt %, Mo: 0.2 to 1.5 wt %, and a remainder consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities.

In a journal part of a 9 to 12 wt % Cr steel turbine rotor, a groove face is formed, and on the groove face, a lower build-up layer is formed by using a first welding material containing C: 0.10 to 0.25 wt %, Si: 0.20 to 0.80 wt %, Mn: 1.0 to 2.5 wt %, Ni: 0.4 to 1.0 wt %, Cr: 1.0 to 3.0 wt %, Mo: 0.2 to 1.5 wt %, V: 0.03 to 0.10 wt %, and a remainder composed of Fe and inevitable impurities, and further on this lower build-up layer, an upper build-up layer is formed using a second welding material containing C: 0.10 to 0.25 wt %, Si: 0.20 to 0.80 wt %, Mn: 1.0 to 2.5 wt %, Ni: 0.4 to 1.0 wt %, Cr: 1.0 to 3.0 wt %, Mo: 0.2 to 1.5 wt %, and a remainder consisting of Fe and inevitable impurities.

Method for manufacturing a clinch nut, comprising: cold forging a steel body including a weight percentage of carbon comprised between 0.15% and 0.25% inclusive to form a workpiece including a pliable section designed to deform into a crimping bead and a connection section, applying a heat treatment to the workpiece, and tapping the connection section to form an internal thread.