An alternative strategy for the use of a low-cost age-hardenable Fe-Si-Ti steel for automotive application

TL;DR

This paper explores a novel heat treatment strategy for low-cost Fe-Si-Ti steel, aiming to enhance automotive component strength by applying hardening after forming, differing from traditional pre-forming precipitation methods.

Contribution

It introduces an alternative heat treatment process for Fe-Si-Ti steel, optimizing strength for automotive use by hardening after forming rather than before.

Findings

Post-forming hardening improves yield stress

Cost-effective method suitable for automotive manufacturing

Potential for enhanced steel performance in applications

Abstract

For High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steels or for age-hardenable steels (maraging) the strengthening by precipitation is done before forming operation in order to increase the yield stress as much as possible. In this publication the advantages of an hardening thermal treatment after forming operation are investigated in a low cost age-hardenable steel Fe-Si-Ti consistent with automotive application.