A die apparatus including a first die element, a plurality of second die elements, a plurality of actuators, and a controller is provided. Each of the plurality of actuators is mounted to one of the plurality of second die elements. The controller is programmed to activate the actuators to contact and compress portions of a blank disposed between the die elements at separate pressures to influence microstructure forming for one of a geometry transition region, a deformation region, and a joining region. One of the separate pressures applied to one of the portions of the blank may be approximately 5 N/mm.sup.2 or less to form a soft strength zone. The pressure of approximately 5 N/mm.sup.2 or less may be applied to the one of the portions of the blank for approximately one to two seconds.

A stud-weldable rebar and a method for making the rebar are disclosed. The rebar has a steel body with a weld end and a diameter that is substantially uniform along a length of the body. A tip portion at the weld end includes a hardened zone and a base portion is formed of the remaining steel body. The hardened zone has a hardness that is about 1.5-3.0 times greater than a hardness of the base portion. Induction hardening is used to form the hardened zone.

A stabilizer comprises a main bar that is elastically deformable, a pair of connecting plates respectively configured to be connected to a pair of left and right suspension apparatuses, and transition sections connecting both end portions of the main bar and the pair of connecting plates, a size of one transition section of the transition sections in a plate thickness direction of one connecting plate of the connecting plates gradually decreasing from the main bar toward the connecting plate, wherein the minimum value of the Vickers hardness of the transition section is 200 HV or more.

The invention provides a hot stamped structural component (20) for an automotive vehicle, such as a B-pillar, including a first part (22) formed of a high strength steel material joined to a second part (24) formed of a high ductility steel material. The structural component (20) also includes a locally tempered transition zone (26) along the joint (28) to reduce the potential for failure along the joint (28). The transition zone (26) has strength and ductility levels between the strength and ductility levels of the remaining portions of the first and second parts (22, 24). The tempering step can be incorporated into a laser trimming cell or assembly cell, and thus the transition zone (26) can be created without adding an additional process step or increasing cycle time.

The invention relates principally to a welded steel part with a very high mechanical strength characteristics obtained by heating followed by hot forming, then cooling of at least one welded blank obtained by butt welding of at least one first and one second sheet consisting at least in part of a steel substrate and a pre-coating which is constituted by an intermetallic alloy layer in contact with the steel substrate, topped by a metal alloy layer of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy. This welded steel part claimed by the invention is essentially characterized in that the metal alloy layer (19, 20) has been removed from the edges (36) in direct proximity to the weld metal zone (35), while the intermetallic alloy layer (17, 18) has been left in place, and in that over at least a portion of the length of the weld metal zone (35), the ratio between the carbon content of the weld metal zone (35) and the carbon content of the substrate (25, 26) of either the first or the second sheet (11, 12) having the higher carbon content (Cmax) is between 1.27 and 1.59. The invention likewise relates to a method for the fabrication of a welded steel part as well as the use of this welded steel part for the fabrication of structural or safety parts for automotive vehicles.

A method of preparing a pipe-section for welding to another pipe-section to form a pipeline comprising a plurality of said pipe-sections, the method comprising at least the steps of: (i) providing a pipe-section having first and second pipe-ends; (ii) defining a first portion L1 of the longitudinal length of the pipe-section from the first pipe-end being in the range 3% to 40% of the overall length of the pipe-section; (iii) defining a second portion L2 of the longitudinal length of the pipe-section from the end of the first portion L1 towards the second pipe-end; (iv) heating at least the first portion L1 to at least a first temperature T1 of at least 500 C. for at least 2 minutes; (v) maintaining a second temperature T2 of the second portion L2 during step (iv) below the first temperature T1. The invention is able to reduce the strain capacity during reel-laying of a pipeline formed from a plurality of pipe sections formed by the invention.

A mine bolt includes an elongated body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end, with the elongated body having a first threaded section, a second threaded section, and a non-threaded section positioned between the first threaded section and the second threaded section. The non-threaded section is configured to yield under loading when the mine bolt is installed with grout in a bore hole.

This invention generally relates to a method for producing parts of AHS steel via a controlled local cooling by a cooling medium and an interrupted cooling at a required temperature, without immersion in a cooling bath, to thereby create a multiphase microstructure. Typically, the steel part may be cooled by a jet of cooling medium so that, depending on the amount of heat which needs to be removed from the surface of the part, the locations from which a larger amount of heat needs to be removed are cooled at a higher intensity.

A welded steel part with a very high mechanical strength is provided. The welded steel part is obtained by heating followed by hot forming, then cooling of at least one welded blank obtained by butt welding of at least one first and one second sheet. The at least one first and second sheets including, at least in part, a steel substrate and a pre-coating which includes an intermetallic alloy layer in contact with the steel substrate, topped by a metal alloy layer of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy. A method for the fabrication of a welded steel part and the fabrication of structural or safety parts for automotive vehicles are also provided.

A stud-weldable rebar and a method for making the rebar are disclosed. The rebar has a steel body with a weld end and a diameter that is substantially uniform along a length of the body. A tip portion at the weld end includes a hardened zone and a base portion is formed of the remaining steel body. The hardened zone has a hardness that is about 1.5-3.0 times greater than a hardness of the base portion. Induction hardening is used to form the hardened zone.