Gestamp Hardtech Ab

Autotech Engineering A.i.e.

Autotech Engineering S.l.

Daniel Berglund

Hans Bodin

Christophe Cazes

Paul Akerstrom

Lars Wikstrom

Jan Krispinsson

Martin Holmberg

Manuel López Lage

Ignacio Martin Gonzalez

Pedro Raya Zamora

Jan Larsson

Kenneth Isaksson

Anna Sunden

Sören Isaksson

Lars WIKSTRÖM

Paul ÅKERSTRÖM

Press systems for manufacturing hot formed structural components are provided. The systems comprise a fixed lower body, a mobile upper body and a mechanism configured to provide upwards and downwards press progression of the mobile upper body with respect to the fixed lower body. The system further includes a cooling tool configured to cool down a previously heated blank. The cooling tool includes upper and lower mating dies, the lower die connected to the lower body with one or more lower biasing elements and/or the upper die connected to the upper body with one or more upper biasing elements. The system further includes a press tool configured to draw the blank, wherein the press tool is arranged downstream from the cooling tool. Moreover, methods for hot forming structural components are also provided.

Press systems and methods

In a press-hardening plant, a contact-cooling press () is provided between the furnace () and the press-hardening press (). Preselected parts of the blank () are contact-cooled such that corresponding parts of the finished product are softer and display a lower yield point.

Method of press hardening a steel sheet blank

The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section () with a hat-shaped section () comprising a central flange (), two web portions () and two side flanges (). At least the hat-shaped section () is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges () of the hat-shaped section () have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (). The B-pillar () includes a cover plate () welded to the side flanges () of the hat-shaped section () so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate () having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (). The side flanges () of the hat-shaped section have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in the region in which the side flanges bear against the cover plate ().

B-pillar for a vehicle

An A-pillar for a vehicle includes a first part () extending as far as the windscreen and supporting the door hinges and a second arcuate part () extending up along the windscreen and continuing towards the back in order to serve as a roof beam () above the door. This second part consists of two open sections () with flanges () welded together so as to give the pillar a closed profile. At least one of the sections () is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the flanges () of the sections have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in a portion () situated above the door.

A-pillar for a vehicle

A B-pillar () for a vehicle is fastened between a roof member () and a sill member () of the vehicle. The pillar has a martensitic structure and the steel has an tensile strength of at least 1300 MPa. Close to the lower fastening portion () there is a soft portion () with a tensile strength of less than 800 MPa. This soft portion has a height of at least 30 mm, extend over less than &#x2153; of the pillar height, and is so positioned that the lower fastening portion is martensitic.

Growing community of inventors

Norrfjarden, Sweden

Daniel Berglund