High-tech rollform hardening now on the horizon
High-strength corrosion-resistant tailored-property tubes and sections
phs-rollform® is the steel. Rollform hardening is the technology. The solution is patented by voestalpine. Partially hardened tubes and sections are the result, and their high strength is limited precisely to where it is required. The cathodic corrosion protection of these tubes and sections makes them uniquely corrosion-resistant.
Expertise in materials and methods.
The demands of the automotive industry are met beautifully by a combination of materials and process expertise at voestalpine.
Solution patented by voestalpine.
voestalpine Krems GmbH has developed a patented rollform hardening process for the inline manufacturing of high-strength corrosion-resistant tailored-property sections.
The process begins with an innovative galvanized phs-rollform® steel strip (22MnB5+ZF), the cathodic protection of which guarantees the highest level of corrosion resistance during use. The technology of rollform hardening has now been further developed. Meanwhile, prototype manufacturing has progressed to the point that nothing more stands in the way of serial production. The highly automated trial production line is running at high speed with reliable process stability.
High-precision partial hardening in a new dimension.
Sections are roll-formed in the line using classical rollforming methods and are hardened in specific regions by means of rapid, high-precision heating and cooling procedures before the sections are cut to length. The voestalpine development makes it possible to harden specific regions, an achievement that was not possible in conventionally produced sections made of cold-formed steels.
The partially hardened, corrosion-resistant tubes and sections are recommended, for example, for weight-bearing structural components in the automotive industry. Such components feature very high strength and minimal wall thickness, thus reducing the weight and fuel consumption of automobiles.
Innovation in the fast lane: voestalpine rollform hardening
- Tailored-property sections with cathodic corrosion protection
- High-precision partial surface hardening in longitudinal and cross directions on tubes and sections
- Heretofore unachieved strength classes for tubes and sections
- Efficient inline manufacturing from the coil to the section
- Unconventional cross-sections, minimized wall thicknesses
