Provided is a black stainless steel sheet that has excellent weldability, that can ensure good toughness and corrosion resistance, and that can maintain the blackness of the surface thereof, even after being welded. This black ferrite-based stainless steel sheet having excellent weldability includes, as a base, a stainless steel containing, in mass %, 0.020% or less of C, 1.0% or less of Si, 0.35% or less of Mn, 0.04% or less of P, 0.005% or less of S, 11-25% of Cr, 1.0% or less of Mo, 0.020% or less of N, 0.4% or less of Al, 10(C+N) to 0.3% of Ti, 0.05% or less of Nb, and 0.01% or less of O, and has a surface in which an oxide coating is formed on the base, wherein the surface has a lightness index (L*) satisfying L*≤45, chromaticity indices (a*, b*) satisfying −5≤a*≤5 and −5≤b*≤5, and a blackness (E) satisfying E=(L*2+a*2+b*2)1/2≤45.

A method for reinforcing a steel component, having a carbonitriding step providing a first substep of case-hardening, and a second substep of nitriding, the first and second substeps of case-hardening and of nitriding of the step of carbonitriding the component are performed in one and the same heat treatment cycle.

A controlled thermal coefficient product manufacturing system and method is disclosed. The disclosed product relates to the manufacture of metallic material product (MMP) having a thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) in a predetermined range. The disclosed system and method provides for a first material deformation (FMD) of the MMP that comprises at least some of a first material phase (FMP) wherein the FMP comprises martensite randomly oriented and a first thermal expansion coefficient (FTC). In response to the FMD at least some of the FMP is oriented in at least one predetermined orientation. Subsequent to deformation, the MMP comprises a second thermal expansion coefficient (STC) that is within a predetermined range and wherein the thermal expansion of the MMP is in at least one predetermined direction. The MMP may be comprised of a second material phase (SMP) that may or may not transform to the FMP in response to the FMD.

Provided are a hot dip galvanized steel sheet comprising a base steel sheet and a hot dip galvanized layer on at least one surface of the base metal steel sheet, wherein the base steel sheet has a predetermined chemical composition, and contains, by volume fraction, ferrite: 0% to 50%, retained austenite: 0% to 30%, tempered martensite: 5% or more, fresh martensite: 0% to 10%, and pearlite and cementite in total: 0% to 5%, when there are remaining structures, the remaining structures consist of bainite, a concentration of B atoms at prior austenite grain boundaries is 2.0 atm % or more, and an average effective crystal grain size is 7.0 μm or less, and a method for producing the same.

A high-strength cold rolled steel sheet having mechanical characteristics having a tensile strength of not less than 780 MPa, a yield ratio of not more than 70%, and a small in-plane anisotropy of a tensile characteristicis obtained by hot rolling a steel slab comprising by mass % C: 0.07 to 0.12%, Si: not more than 0.7%, Mn: 2.2 to 2.8% and Ti and Nb: 0.02 to 0.08% in total, and cold rolling the sheet, followed by continuous annealing to form a steel texture comprised of ferrite having an area ratio of 40 to 80% with respect to the whole texture, and a second phase constituted by tempered martensite, fresh martensite and bainite, wherein the total area ratio of the bainite and the tempered martensite to the second phase is 50 to 80%, and the aspect ratio of the fresh martensite is in the range of 1.0 to 1.5.

The present application provides a hot-work die steel and a preparation method thereof wherein the chemical constituents of the hot-work die steel in mass percentage are as follows: C: 0.20-0.32 wt %, Si: ≤0.5 wt %, Mn: ≤0.5 wt %, Cr: 1.5-2.8 wt %, Mo: 1.5-2.5 wt %, W: 0.5-1.2 wt %, Ni: 0.5-1.6 wt %, V: 0.15-0.7 wt %, Nb: 0.01-0.1 wt %, and a balance of iron, wherein an alloying degree is 5-7%; a tensile strength of the hot-work die steel at 700° C. is 560-700 MPa; a value of hardness of the hot-work die steel at room temperature is 32-38 HRC after holding at 700° C. for 3-5 h; and the hot-work die steel has an elongation of 14% to 16% at room temperature, a percentage reduction of area of 48% to 65%, and an impact toughness of 52-63 J at room temperature. The hot-work die steel of the present application has an excellent thermal stability as well as a good plasticity and a toughness at room temperature.

A heat treatment process for through hardening results in high surface compressive stresses. The method includes heating a steel component to a first temperature, quenching the steel component to a second temperature, maintaining the steel component at the second temperature for a first duration of time, heating the steel component to a third temperature, maintaining the steel component at the third temperature for a second duration of time, and quenching the steel component to a fourth temperature when austenite to martensite+bainite or bainite transformation is at least 10% but less than 85% complete.

A heat treatment process for through hardening results in high surface compressive stresses. The method includes heating a steel component to a first temperature, quenching the steel component to a second temperature, maintaining the steel component at the second temperature for a first duration of time, heating the steel component to a third temperature, maintaining the steel component at the third temperature for a second duration of time, and quenching the steel component to a fourth temperature when austenite to martensite+bainite or bainite transformation is at least 10% but less than 85% complete.

Provided are a hot dip galvanized steel sheet comprising a base steel sheet and a hot dip galvanized layer on at least one surface of the base metal steel sheet, wherein the base steel sheet has a predetermined chemical composition and contains, by volume fraction, ferrite: 0% to 50%, retained austenite: 6% to 30%, bainite: 5% or more, tempered martensite: 5% or more, fresh martensite: 0% to 10%, and pearlite and cementite in total: 0% to 5%, a number density of tempered martensite with a circle equivalent diameter of 5.0 μm or more is 20/1000 μm.sup.2 or less, and an area ratio of fresh martensite with a circle equivalent diameter of 2.0 μm or more after imparting 5% plastic strain is 10% or less, and a method for producing the same.

A steel plate plated with an aluminum-iron alloy for hot press forming can include a base steel sheet and an alloy plated layer formed on the base steel sheet. The alloy plated layer can include an alloyed layer (I) formed on the base steel sheet and containing, by weight, Al: 5-30%; an alloyed layer (II) formed on the alloyed layer (I) and containing, by weight, Al: 30-60%; and an alloyed layer (III) formed on the alloyed layer (II) and containing, by weight, Al: 20-50%. The alloy layer (II) can have a FeAl (Si) alloy phase dispersed and distributed therein, in which the FeAl (Si) alloy phase includes, by weight, Al: 20-50% and Si: 5-20%, and the number density of the FeAl (Si) alloy phase having a circle-equivalent diameter of 5 μm or less 15 is 103/mm2 or more.