A blank (100) includes a main portion (110) that is made of steel having a tensile strength of 1450 MPa or more and a softened portion (120), the ratio of Vickers hardness of the softened portion (120) to the Vickers hardness of the main portion (110) is 0.7 or more and 0.95 or less, and the softened portion (120) is disposed at a position different from a position of the main portion (110) in an in-plane direction. A structural member (200) includes a first member (210), a second member (220), and a weld (W) at which the first member (210) and the second member (220) are welded to each other.

Provided is a blank made of a steel and comprising at least two protruding regions (313) having an outer edge (311) protruding outward in in-plane directions, in which a softened part (320) is formed at least partially in the protruding regions (313) and the softened part (320) is formed in at least a part of the outer edge of the protruding regions (313), a Vickers hardness of the softened part (320) is lower than a Vickers hardness of a main portion region (310), and the blank comprises at least two of the protruding regions (313) having the softened part (320).

Disclosed are implementations for heat treatment of steel components. In one or more first regions of a steel component, a predominantly austenitic structure can be adjusted, from which, by way of quenching, a mainly martensitic structure is educible. In one or more second regions of the steel component, there is a mainly bainitic structure, wherein the metal component is initially heated in a first furnace to a temperature above the Ac3 temperature. Subsequently, the steel component is transferred into a treatment station, wherein the steel component can cool down during the transfer. In the treatment station, the one or more second regions of the steel component are cooled down to a cooling stop temperatures ϑ.sub.2 during a treatment period. Subsequently, said metal component is transferred to a second furnace, wherein the temperature of the one or more second regions increases again to a temperature below the Ac3 temperature.

A system for producing components by hot forming includes a conductive post-furnace heat station, a furnace, a computer system, and a press. The computer system comprises one or more physical processors operatively connected with the furnace in and the conductive post-furnace heat station. The one or more physical processors being programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed cause the computer system to control the furnace to heat the blank to a temperature that is below AC3 temperature; and control the conductive post-furnace heat station to heat a portion of the heated blank to a temperature above the AC3 temperature by thermal conduction. The press is constructed and arranged to receive the post-heated blank from the post-furnace heat station and to form the post-heated blank into the shape of the component.

The invention relates to a method for work-hardening a crankshaft (4) comprising connecting rod journals (5), main bearing journals (6) and crank webs (7), the connecting rod journals (5) and the main bearing journals (6) being provided with oil holes (31). According to the invention, at least one end (30) of one of the oil holes (31) and/or at least one cylindrical portion (38) of the oil holes (31) is/are work-hardened.

A method for manufacturing a steel component from a blank is provided. Firstly, a blank is placed in a conveyor system. Then, at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated while the blank is retained at a predetermined preheating location. Finally, the blank is conveyed through a furnace. A preheating system for heating blanks in a production line is also provided.

A method for producing a motor vehicle component with at least two regions of different strengths and a protective layer, consisting of the following process steps: —providing precoated blanks made of a steel alloy, which can be hardened, —homogeneously heating to a heating temperature, which is at least greater than or equal to the AC1 temperature, preferably greater than or equal to the AC3 temperature, —holding the heating temperature, so that the precoating alloys with the blank, —homogeneously intercooling the alloyed blank to an intercooling temperature between 450 deg. C. and 700 deg. C., partially heating the blank from the intercooling temperature to at least the AC3 temperature in regions of the first type and holding regions of the second type at substantially intercooling temperature, —hot forming and press hardening the partially tempered blank so as to form the motor vehicle component, wherein a tensile strength of greater than 1400 MPa is produced in regions of the first type, a tensile strength of less than 1050 MPa is produced in regions of the second type, and a transition region is produced between said regions.

This steel sheet is a steel sheet (100) formed by causing end surfaces of a first sheet material (111) and a second sheet material (113) to abut each other in an in-plane direction and welding the first sheet material (111) and the second sheet material (113) via a strip-shaped welded part (115), and in which a softened part (120) that is softened more than other parts in the welded part (115) is formed in at least a part of the welded part (115), and on a first end surface of the steel sheet in which an end part of the welded part (115) in a longitudinal direction is formed, a region in which the softened part (120) is not formed is provided in at least a part of the end part of the welded part (115) in the longitudinal direction, and a maximum value of a depth of the softened part (120) in a sheet thickness direction is, as a ratio to a sheet thickness of the steel sheet (100), 50% or less.

A dual phase magnetic component, along with methods of its formation, is provided. The dual phase magnetic component may include an intermixed first region and second region formed from a single material, with the first region having a magnetic area and a diffused metal therein, and with the second region having a non-magnetic area. The second region generally has greater than 0.1 weight % of nitrogen.

Embodiments are described herein of a bifurcated heat treatment apparatus and methods for localized heat treatment of a golf club hosel or golf club head. The heat treating method comprises a bifurcated process in which the golf club head is treated in the first heating unit via induction heating and then moved to the second heating unit for convection heating. Both steps are to localize the hosel heat treatment. The heat treatment apparatus may also include a cooling component, such as a heat sink, to ensure the body of the club head remains at the correct temperature during the second heating stage when the hosel is heated in isolation. The overall bifurcated method and apparatus of the localized heat treatment leads to a hosel or golf club head with at least two different hardness values to allow for manipulation of the material without cracking or fracturing.