Provided is a method for producing plated steel sheet by means of an annealing device which includes at least one section and in which the at least one section is filled with a gas constituting a non-reducing atmosphere or a weakly reducing atmosphere to substantially improve the quality of plating onto hot-dipped steel sheet, including the plating properties, alloying properties, anti-pickup properties, plating adhesion properties, anti-flaking properties, anti-cratering properties and anti-ash properties, by using prior-art annealing equipment and heat-treatment cycle without any additional oxidation-reduction heat treatment process or large quantities of high-cost alloying elements.

A method of repairing a worn carburized surface on a sprag clutch comprising the steps of: grinding the worn carburized surface of the sprag clutch to prepare the surface for metallurgical bonding; place the worn carburized surface in a PVD Cathodic Arc chamber; preheat the worn carburized surface to remove moisture and provide for a good metallurgical bonding surface; reverse sputter clean the surface to remove any surface oxide; apply a first coating layer using the PVD process to a maximum thickness; change the coating macro topology by polishing the coated surface; apply a second coating layer using the PVD process to a maximum thickness; and, grind or polish the coating to a desired dimension.

There is disclosed a vertical vibratory thermal treatment system, comprising a heating section for thermally treating material, a retort section that is located within or connected to the heating section and includes at least one elevator system for vertically moving the material to the heating section. The disclosed elevator system is isolated from other parts of the thermal treatment section by an enclosure thereby allowing for flexibility and simplicity in the design of the retort section. There is also disclosed a method of treating materials, including hazardous or radioactive materials, such as a powder, sand, granule, gravel, agglomerate or other form of particle or combinations thereof, using the system described herein.

A heating device for hot stamping is configured to heat a plated metallic material while conveying the plated metallic material. The heating device for hot stamping comprises: a first heating tank provided in a conveyance path for the plated metallic material; and a second heating tank provided downstream of the first heating tank in the conveyance path. A heating amount provided by the second heating tank is configured such that a temperature of the plated metallic material becomes equal to or higher than Ac3 point and less than a boiling point of a plating of the plated metallic material, and a heating amount provided by the first heating tank is configured to be larger than the heating amount provided by the second heating tank.

Components and methods for forming components utilizing ultra-high strength steel are provided. A first method includes the steps of providing a blank of ultra-high strength steel, cold forming the blank into an unfinished component, and applying a coating to the outer surface of the unfinished component that is adapted to inhibit the formation of a ferrite soft layer on the component during heating thereof. A second method includes the steps of providing a blank of heavy gauge thickness ultra-high strength steel, cold forming the blank into a finished component, heating the finished component and quenching the component without the use of tooling.

A method for manufacturing an endless metal belt used in a belt-type continuously variable transmission, wherein a stress-relief heat treatment is performed after the circumference of a ring body has been adjusted, and aging/nitridation is performed after the stress-relief heat treatment.

A method for manufacturing CuSn coexisting steel produces a good quality surface even after hot rolling. The steel is manufactured by continuous casting a molten steel that contains C: 0.04 to 0.20%, Si: 0.05 to 1.00%, Mn: 0.20 to 2.50%, P: no more than 0.05%, S: no more than 0.02%, Cu: 0.20 to 1.50%, Sn: 0.06 to 0.50%, Al: 0.06 to 1.00% and Ni: 0.05 to 1.00% by mass, and Fe and impurities as the remainder. The composition of the molten steel is defined as [Al]/(3[Si]+[Mn])0.050, [Ni]/([Cu]+5[Sn])0.10 and [Al]/[Ni]0.20 if the content of an element X in the molten steel is represented as [X], an internal oxidation layer is formed in a process of cooling a slab, and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is contained by the internal oxidation layer.

A method for manufacturing CuSn coexisting steel produces a good quality surface even after hot rolling. The steel is manufactured by continuous casting a molten steel that contains C: 0.04 to 0.20%, Si: 0.05 to 1.00%, Mn: 0.20 to 2.50%, P: no more than 0.05%, S: no more than 0.02%, Cu: 0.20 to 1.50%, Sn: 0.06 to 0.50%, Al: 0.06 to 1.00% and Ni: 0.05 to 1.00% by mass, and Fe and impurities as the remainder. The composition of the molten steel is defined as [Al]/(3[Si]+[Mn])0.050, [Ni]/([Cu]+5[Sn])0.10 and [Al]/[Ni]0.20 if the content of an element X in the molten steel is represented as [X], an internal oxidation layer is formed in a process of cooling a slab, and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is contained by the internal oxidation layer.

In a method for increasing steel impact toughness, the steel composition contains from about 5 wt % to about 10 wt % manganese and has a martensite finish temperature (M.sub.f) below room temperature. The steel composition is exposed to hot forming to form a steel part. During hot forming, the steel composition is subjected to a heat treatment temperature above its fully austenite formed temperature, is transferred to a die, and while in the die, is simultaneously formed and quenched. In one example, quenching cools the steel composition to room temperature, and the steel part is removed from the die and reheated to a baking temperature ranging from about 120 C. to about 400 C. In another example, quenching is interrupted at an interruption temperature ranging from about 120 C. to about 400 C., and the steel composition is maintained at the interruption temperature for a predetermined time and then is cooled to room temperature.

An apparatus for heat treatment of coated semi-finished steel products may comprise a heatable continuous furnace having a conveyer for moving the coated semi-finished steel products. The conveyer may be comprised of a plurality of conveyer elements, such as rollers, for example, for supporting the coated semi-finished steel products. To prevent, or at least substantially prevent, interaction between semi-finished steel products having different coatings, a decoupling portion of the continuous furnace may include a first conveyer element group and a second conveyer element group, each having at least one conveyer element. The coated semi-finished steel products may be supported in the decoupling portion either by the conveyer elements of the first conveyer element group or by the conveyer elements of the second conveyer element group.