Systems and methods for quenching an extrudate using an atomized spray of liquid are described. A system includes a billet die at a proximal end configured to accept a billet and form an extrudate, a quench chamber located adjacent to the billet die for receiving the extrudate and comprising at least one pulsed width modulation (PWM) atomizing spray nozzle and a control module in communication with the at least one PWM atomizing spray nozzle and configured to independently control a liquid pressure, a gas pressure, a spray frequency, a duty cycle and flow rate of each at least one PWM atomizing spray nozzle.

A method and apparatus for treating a workpiece such as a mold grid includes moving the workpiece laterally along a conveyor assembly into a furnace for heating in a carbon-rich atmosphere to form a heated workpiece. The heated workpiece is then received from the furnace onto the conveyor assembly in an enclosed vestibule whereupon it is clamped under pressure between an overhead mechanical press and the conveyor assembly to form a clamped assembly. The clamped assembly, including a portion of the conveyor, is then lowered into a quenching bath via an elevator assembly until the heated workpiece is quenched, whereupon the clamped assembly is raised out of the bath and the clamping force released. This clamping during quenching acts to maintain the workpiece in a planar orientation while reducing warpage during the quenching process.

A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.

A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.

A hot stamped body comprising a steel base material and an Al—Zn—Mg-based plating layer formed on a surface of the steel base material, wherein the plating layer has a predetermined chemical composition, the plating layer comprises an interfacial layer positioned at an interface with the steel base material and containing Fe and Al and a main layer positioned on the interfacial layer, the main layer comprises, by area ratio, 10.0 to 85.0% of an Mg—Zn containing phase and 15.0 to 90.0% of an Fe—Al containing phase, the Mg—Zn containing phase comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an MgZn phase, Mg.sub.2 Zn.sub.3 phase, and MgZn.sub.2 phase, and the Fe—Al containing phase comprises at least one of an FeAl phase and Fe—Al—Zn phase and an area ratio of the Fe—Al—Zn phase in the main layer is 10.0% or less.

A hot stamp tool including an annealing die and a hot forming die. A blank is placed in the hot forming die with a first transfer arm where it is formed and quenched into a shaped part. The shaped part is then moved from the hot forming die to the annealing die with a second transfer arm. In the annealing die, the shaped part continues to be cooled. The annealing die includes a heating element that heats a portion of the shaped part to the point of annealing to form an annealed part. The annealed part includes a non-annealed portion and an annealed portion with a transition zone between the annealed portion and the non-annealed portion. The annealed portion can then be deformed.

Provided is a forming device that forms a heated metal material, the forming device including: a die that performs quench forming by coming into contact with the metal material; a cooling unit that is provided inside the die to cool the die; and a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the die, in which the cooling unit adjusts a cooling capacity on the basis of a detection result of the temperature sensor.

An aluminum-based plated steel sheet according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a base material; an aluminum-based plating layer located above the base material; and an intermetallic compound layer that is located between the base material and the aluminum-based plating layer and contains an intermetallic compound of Al and Fe, in which the base material has a chemical component within a predetermined range, the aluminum-based plating layer contains, on average, 80 mass % or more and 97 mass % or less of Al, 3 mass % or more and 15 mass % or less of Si, 0 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less of Zn, 0 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less of Fe, 0 mass % or more and 3 mass % or less in total of one or more selected from the group consisting of Mg and Ca, and impurities so that a total amount thereof is 100 mass %, an average value of a thickness of the intermetallic compound layer is 2 μm or more and 10 μm or less, a maximum value of the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer is 10 μm or more and 25 μm or less, and a standard deviation of the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer is 2 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

The present invention relates to a steel for mold, containing: 0.28 mass %≤C≤0.65 mass %, 0.01 mass %≤Si≤0.30 mass %, 1.5 mass %≤Mn≤3.0 mass %, 0.5 mass %≤Cr≤1.4 mass %, 1.9 mass %≤Mo+W/2≤4.0 mass %, 0.2 mass %≤V≤1.0 mass %, and 0.01≤N≤0.10 mass %, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, in which, in a state after quenching and tempering, the steel has: a (Mo, W) carbide having a diameter of 0.2 μm or less being in an amount of 1.2 mass % or more, a ratio (mass ratio) of the amount of the (Mo, W) carbide to an amount of a Cr carbide being 11 or more, and a hardness change of 15 HRC or less.

A hot stamped body with high strength, good bendability and crack propagation resistance, consisting of: in mass %, C: 0.06% or more to less than 0.20%, Si: 0.010-1.00%, Mn: 0.80-2.00%, P: 0.100% or less, S: 0.010% or less, Al: 0.010-0.500%, N: 0.010% or less, Nb: more than 0.020% to 0.10% or less, Ti: 0-0.10%, V: 0-0.10%, Cr: 0-0.50%, Mo: 0-1.00%, B: 0-0.0100%, Ni: 0-0.50%, REM: 0-0.0100%, Mg: 0-0.010%, Ca: 0-0.0100%, and Co: 0-2.0%, with the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein a microstructure includes, in area fraction, ferrite: 5-50%, and martensite: 50-95%, a proportion of regions in the martensite where GAIQ values are 35000 or more to less than 45000 is 30 area % or more, and a maximum bending angle α (deg) is 90 or more.