A metal-strip rapid cooling apparatus includes a cooling fluid ejection device including one set of nozzles or a plurality of sets of nozzles arranged in a horizontal direction, and configured to eject a cooling fluid onto the metal strip from both sides of the metal strip; cooling fluid removing rolls configured to remove a remaining fluid from the metal strip onto which the cooling fluid has been ejected; and movable masking plates on both sides of a metal strip pass line along which the metal strip passes, the movable masking plates each disposed between the metal strip pass line and the nozzles, and configured to move in the horizontal direction to adjust a cooling start position and control a distance from the cooling start position to the cooling fluid removing rolls, the cooling start position positioned such that the metal strip starts to be cooled with the cooling fluid.

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 90.0% of an Mg—Zn containing phase, 5.0 to less than 30.0% of an Fe—Al containing phase, and 2.0 to 25.0% of an Al—Si containing oxide 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.

A high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet having a high yield ratio and excellent stretch flangeability and a method for manufacturing the steel sheet. The high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet has a chemical composition including, by mass %, C: 0.10 to 0.30%, Si: 0.50 to 2.00%, Mn: 2.5 to 4.0%, P: 0.050% or less, S: 0.020% or less, Al: 0.10% or less, N: 0.01% or less, Ti: 0.100% or less, and B: 0.0003 to 0.0030%, with the balance being Fe and incidental impurities. N and Ti satisfy a specified formula, and the total area fraction of martensite and bainite is 95% or more. The number density of bainite grains having an area of 3 μm.sup.2 or more and a carbon concentration of less than 0.7C is 1200 grains/mm.sup.2 or less.

Provided are a plated steel sheet and a method for manufacturing same, the plated steel sheet comprising: a base steel sheet; a Zn—Mg—Al plating layer provided on at least one surface of the base steel sheet; and an Fe—Al inhibition layer provided between the base steel sheet and the Zn—Mg—Al plating layer. The plating layer comprises, by weight %, 4 to 10% of Mg and 5.1-25% of Al and the remainder being Zn and unavoidable impurities with respect to components not including iron (Fe) diffused from the base steel sheet. The plating layer comprises a 24-50% MgZn.sub.2 phase in phase fraction. In the MgZn.sub.2 phase, an Al single phase is present in the ratio of 1-30% relative to the cross-sectional area of the total MgZn.sub.2 phase.

This disclosure relates to weldability of steel alloys that provide weld joints which retain hardness values in a heat affected zone adjacent to a fusion zone and which also have improved resistance to liquid metal embrittlement due to the presence of zinc coatings.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a high strength steel sheet having excellent workability, including: reheating a steel slab; hot-rolling the reheated steel slab at an Ar3 transformation point or higher; coiling in a temperature range of 400 to 700° C.; primary cooling at a cooling rate of 0.1° C./s or less to room temperature; producing a cold rolled steel sheet at a cold reduction ratio of 40 to 70%; continuously annealing the cold rolled steel sheet in a temperature range of Ac1+30° C. to Ac3−20° C.; secondary cooling at a cooling rate of 10° C./s or less to 630 to 670° C.; third cooling to 400 to 500° C. at a cooling rate of 5° C./s or more in a hydrogen; maintaining for 70 seconds or more; hot-dip galvanizing; and performing a final cooling to Ms or less at a cooling rate of 1° C./s or more.

A plated steel sheet for hot stamping including a base metal and a galvanized layer that is formed on a surface of the base metal, wherein the galvanized layer includes a galvannealed layer, a solidified zinc layer, and an oxide layer containing Al, in this order from the base metal, and a proportion of a content of Zn (g/m.sup.2) in the solidified zinc layer to a content of Zn (g/m.sup.2) in the galvanized layer is 10 to 95%.

A steel sheet having a tensile strength (TS) of 1180 MPa or more, high LME resistance, and good weld fatigue properties. The steel sheet has a specific chemical composition and a specific steel microstructure. Crystal grains containing an oxide of Si and/or Mn in a region within 4.9 μm in a thickness direction from a surface of the steel sheet have an average grain size in the range of 3 to 10 μm, the lowest Si concentration L.sub.Si and the lowest Mn concentration L.sub.Mn in the region within 4.9 μm in the thickness direction from the surface of the steel sheet and a Si concentration T.sub.Si and a Mn concentration T.sub.Mn at a quarter thickness position of the steel sheet satisfy a specified formula.

A steel sheet with a tensile strength (TS) of 780 MPa or more and less than 1180 MPa, a member, and a method for producing them. In a region of the steel sheet within 4.9 μm in the thickness direction, a region with a Si concentration not more than one-third of the Si concentration in the chemical composition of the steel sheet and with a Mn concentration not more than one-third of the Mn concentration in the chemical composition of the steel sheet has a thickness of 1.0 μm or more. The lowest Si concentration L.sub.Si and the lowest Mn concentration L.sub.Mn in the region within 4.9 μm from the surface of the steel sheet and a Si concentration T.sub.Si and a Mn concentration T.sub.Mn at a quarter thickness position of the steel sheet satisfy the following formula (1):

L.sub.Si+L.sub.Mn≤(T.sub.Si+T.sub.Mn)/4  (1).

One embodiment of the present invention discloses a member for automobile structure including a base steel sheet and a plating layer covering at least one surface of the base steel sheet, wherein the member for automobile structure has a tensile strength of 1350 MPa or greater and a yield strength of 900 MPa or greater, wherein the base steel sheet includes a martensite phase having an area fraction of 80% or greater, an iron-based carbide located inside the martensite phase and having an area fraction of less than 5% based on the martensite phase, and precipitates distributed inside the base steel sheet, wherein a mismatch dislocation exists at the interface between iron and the precipitates of the base steel sheet, and a difference between lattice constants of the iron and the precipitates is less than 25% of the lattice constants of the iron.