Оснастка для термической обработки листового металла

Press Hardening, also known as die-quenching, is comparative to press forming, but in the press-hardening process, the steel is first heated to 950 Celsius, and simultaneously pressed and quenched in the die to generate a very strong steel. Press hardening is a promising alternative for automobile manufacturing with its emphasis on light-weight. In the car industry, high-strength and ultra high-strength components are increasingly being used. Die hardening or press hardening increases the crash resistance at the same time as reducing the vehicle weight thanks to the increased strength and hardness of the sheet metal components.

Heat treatment alters the mechanical properties of metal, improving ductility or strength or a combination of both. Press forming converts sheet, steel into the shapes used to generate complex parts and box sections in a car's body. Sheet steel blanks are inserted into a press, the outer border of the sheet is clamped and the sheet stamped among a male and a female die. To obtain a deep section requires extra metal, which is pulled from the clamped area; the part is then described as drawn. Very deep shapes, such as door inner or spare-wheel wells, are deep drawn and need the superior formable grades of steel. The higher-strength steel used in modern car requires presses with higher press forces.