Processes for forming blanks having tailored properties in localized areas are provided. The blanks are then formed into three-dimensionally shaped components (e.g., high-strength automotive parts). A sheet of high-strength metal alloy may be selectively heated in a first region to a temperature below a melting point of the metal alloy with a heat source, while a second region of the sheet adjacent to the first region remains unheated. The selective heating creates a first region of the metal alloy having at least one material property distinct from the second region. After the sheet is cut to form a blank, the blank comprises a portion of the first region and a portion of the second region. In this manner, a plurality of distinct tailored regions may be formed on each blank. The process may be continuous or semi-continuous and further include cutting of blanks from the sheet. High-strength structural components are also provided.

Processes for forming blanks having tailored properties in localized areas are provided. The blanks are then formed into three-dimensionally shaped components (e.g., high-strength automotive parts). A sheet of high-strength metal alloy may be selectively heated in a first region to a temperature below a melting point of the metal alloy with a heat source, while a second region of the sheet adjacent to the first region remains unheated. The selective heating creates a first region of the metal alloy having at least one material property distinct from the second region. After the sheet is cut to form a blank, the blank comprises a portion of the first region and a portion of the second region. In this manner, a plurality of distinct tailored regions may be formed on each blank. The process may be continuous or semi-continuous and further include cutting of blanks from the sheet. High-strength structural components are also provided.

An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, and blow molding in a time frame of Less than 1 second.

An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, and blow molding in a time frame of Less than 1 second.

A method for producing a silicon steel normalizing substrate comprises steelmaking, hot rolling and normalizing steps. A normalizing furnace is used in the normalizing step, and along a moving direction of strip steel, the normalizing furnace sequentially comprises: a preheating section, a nonoxidizing heating section, a furnace throat, furnace sections for subsequent normalizing processing, and a delivery seal chamber. Furnace pressures of the normalizing furnace are distributed as follows: the furnace pressure of a downstream furnace section adjacent to the furnace throat along the moving direction of the strip steel is the highest, the furnace pressure decreases gradually from the furnace section with the highest furnace pressure to a furnace section in an inlet direction of the normalizing furnace, and the furnace pressure decreases gradually from the furnace section with the highest furnace pressure to a furnace section in an outlet direction of the normalizing furnace.

A method for producing a silicon steel normalizing substrate comprises steelmaking, hot rolling and normalizing steps. A normalizing furnace is used in the normalizing step, and along a moving direction of strip steel, the normalizing furnace sequentially comprises: a preheating section, a nonoxidizing heating section, a furnace throat, furnace sections for subsequent normalizing processing, and a delivery seal chamber. Furnace pressures of the normalizing furnace are distributed as follows: the furnace pressure of a downstream furnace section adjacent to the furnace throat along the moving direction of the strip steel is the highest, the furnace pressure decreases gradually from the furnace section with the highest furnace pressure to a furnace section in an inlet direction of the normalizing furnace, and the furnace pressure decreases gradually from the furnace section with the highest furnace pressure to a furnace section in an outlet direction of the normalizing furnace.

Provided is a hot-band annealing method comprising subjecting a Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, having an oxidized scale formed on a surface of the steel sheet by hot rolling, to hot-band annealing with a hot-band annealing equipment provided with a heating zone, a soaking zone, a cooling zone, and a rapid heating device at an upstream side of the heating zone and/or in an inlet side of the heating zone, wherein the hot rolled steel sheet is heated by not lower than 50° C. at a heating rate of not less than 15° C./s by using the rapid heating device to improve a descaling property. Also, provided is a descaling method characterized by subjecting the Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, after the hot-band annealing, to descaling only by pickling without requiring mechanical descaling or heating the steel sheet in the pickling process.

Provided is a hot-band annealing method comprising subjecting a Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, having an oxidized scale formed on a surface of the steel sheet by hot rolling, to hot-band annealing with a hot-band annealing equipment provided with a heating zone, a soaking zone, a cooling zone, and a rapid heating device at an upstream side of the heating zone and/or in an inlet side of the heating zone, wherein the hot rolled steel sheet is heated by not lower than 50° C. at a heating rate of not less than 15° C./s by using the rapid heating device to improve a descaling property. Also, provided is a descaling method characterized by subjecting the Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, after the hot-band annealing, to descaling only by pickling without requiring mechanical descaling or heating the steel sheet in the pickling process.

A heat treatment apparatus for a laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon includes: a lamination jig that holds the laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon; two heating plates that sandwich the laminated body from upper and lower surfaces in a lamination direction without coming into contact with the lamination jig; and a heating control apparatus that controls a heating temperature of the two heating plates.

A heat treatment apparatus for a laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon includes: a lamination jig that holds the laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon; two heating plates that sandwich the laminated body from upper and lower surfaces in a lamination direction without coming into contact with the lamination jig; and a heating control apparatus that controls a heating temperature of the two heating plates.