IP Library Granted Patent US 11,491,581
Granted Patent B2
US 11,491,581 · App. 16/179,387 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Press hardened steel with tailored properties

Inventors: Erik James Pavlina (Lebanon, OH); Stephen Bryant Tate (Midland, NC)
Assignee: Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Properties Inc.
B23K26/322B23K35/3073B23K35/3086C21D1/19C21D1/22C21D6/002C21D6/005C21D6/008C22C38/02C22C38/04C22C38/12C22C38/14C22C38/22C22C38/24C22C38/26C22C38/28C22C38/32C22C38/38C23C2/06C23C2/12C23C2/28B21D22/022B21D35/006B23K2101/185B23K2101/34B23K2103/04C21D1/673C21D9/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,491,581
App. No.
16/179,387
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tailor-welded blank is made of two steels, one steel of Alloy A and one steel of Alloy B. Alloy A comprises 0.10-0.50 wt % C, 0.1-0.5 wt % Si, 2.0-8.0 wt % Mn, 0.0-6.0 wt % Cr, 0.0-2.0 wt % Mo, 0.0-0.15 wt % Ti, and 0.0-0.005 wt % B and wherein Alloy B comprises 0.06-0.12 wt % C, 0.1-0.25 wt % Si, 1.65-2.42 wt % Mn, 0.0-0.70 wt % Cr, 0.08-0.40 wt % Mo, 0.0-0.05 wt % V, and 0.01-0.05 wt % Ti.

Claims (33)

1. A tailor-welded blank comprising Alloy A and Alloy B, wherein Alloy A comprises 0.10-0.50 wt % C, 0.1-0.5 wt % Si, 2.0-8.0 wt % Mn, 0.0-6.0 wt % Cr, 0.0-2 wt % Mo, 0.0-0.1 wt % Nb, 0.0-0.15 wt % V, and 0.0-0.005 wt % B, the balance Fe and impurities associated with steelmaking and wherein Alloy B comprises 0.06-0.12 wt % C, 0.1-0.25 wt % Si, 1.65-2.45 wt % Mn, 0.0-0.70 wt % Cr, 0.08-0.40 wt % Mo, 0.025-0.055 wt % Nb, 0.0-0.05 wt % V, 0.01-0.05 wt % Ti, and 0.0-0.002 wt % B, the balance Fe and impurities associated with steelmaking, wherein after press-hardening of the tailor-welded blank Alloy A exhibits an ultimate tensile strength greater than or equal to about 950 MPa and a total elongation of less than or equal to about 18% and Alloy B exhibits an ultimate tensile strength of about 450-800 MPa and a total elongation of greater than or equal to about 12%, and the ultimate tensile strength of Alloy A after press hardening of the tailor-welded blank is higher than the ultimate tensile strength of Alloy B and the total elongation of Alloy A is lower than that of Alloy B.

2. The tailor-welded blank in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the carbon concentration in Alloy A is 0.1-0.35 weight %.

3. The tailor-welded blank in accordance with claim 2 wherein the carbon concentration in Alloy A is 0.22-0.25 weight %.

4. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the manganese concentration in Alloy A is 2.0-5.0 weight %.

5. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the manganese concentration in Alloy A is 3.0 weight %-8.0 weight %.

6. The tailor-welded blank of claim 5 ; wherein the manganese concentration in Alloy A is 3.0 weight %-5.0 weight %.

7. The tailor-welded-blank of claim 1 , wherein the silicon concentration in Alloy A is 0.2-0.3 weight %.

8. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the molybdenum concentration in Alloy A is 0.0-0.6 weight %.

9. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the molybdenum concentration in Alloy A is 0.1-2.0 weight %.

10. The tailor-welded blank of claim 9 , wherein the molybdenum concentration in Alloy A is 0.1-0.6 weight %.

11. The tailor-welded blank of claim 10 , wherein the molybdenum concentration in Alloy A is 0.4-0.5 weight %.

12. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the chromium concentration in Alloy A is 2.0-6.0 weight %.

13. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the chromium concentration in Alloy A is 0.2-6.0 weight %.

14. The tailor-welded blank of claim 13 , wherein the chromium concentration in Alloy A is 0.2-3.0 weight %.

15. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the niobium concentration in Alloy A is 0.01-0.1 weight %.

16. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein the vanadium concentration in Alloy A is 0.01-0.15 weight %.

17. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein Alloy A is coated with aluminum, zinc, or alloys thereof.

18. The tailor-welded blank of claim 1 , wherein Alloy B is coated with aluminum, zinc, or alloys thereof.

19. A method of manufacturing a tailor-welded blank according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

a. obtaining a steel of Alloy A,

b. obtaining a steel of Alloy B,

c. welding the steel of Alloy A to the steel of Alloy B;

d. heating the welded blank to a temperature above the Ac1 temperature for Alloy A,

e. forming in a die,

f. cooling said blank in the die.

20. A method of manufacturing a tailor-welded blank according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

a. obtaining a steel of Alloy A;

b. obtaining a steel of Alloy B;

c. welding the steel of Alloy A to the steel of Alloy B;

d. heating the welded blank to a temperature above the Ac3 temperature for Alloy A,

e. forming in a die,

f. cooling said blank in the die.

21. A tailor-welded blank comprising Alloy A and Alloy B, wherein Alloy A comprises 0.10-0.50 wt % C, 0.1-0.5 wt % Si, 2.0-8.0 wt % Mn, 0.0-6.0 wt % Cr, 0.0-2 wt % Mo, 0.001-0.055 weight % Nb, 0.0-0.15 wt % V, and 0.0-0.005 wt % B, the balance Fe and impurities associated with steelmaking and wherein Alloy B comprises 0.06-0.12 wt % C, 0.1-0.25 wt % Si, 1.65-2.45 wt % Mn, 0.0-0.70 wt % Cr, 0.08-0.40 wt % Mo, 0.025-0.055 wt % Nb, 0.0-0.05 wt % V, 0.01-0.05 wt % Ti, and 0.0-0.002 wt % B, the balance Fe and impurities associated with steelmaking, wherein after press-hardening of the tailor-welded blank Alloy A exhibits an ultimate tensile strength greater than or equal to about 950 MPa and a total elongation of less than or equal to about 18% and Alloy B exhibits an ultimate tensile strength of about 450-800 MPa and a total elongation of greater than or equal to about 12%, and the ultimate tensile strength of Alloy A after press hardening of the tailor-welded blank is higher than the ultimate tensile strength of Alloy B and the total elongation of Alloy A is lower than that of Alloy B.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2024
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC.; CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL CORPORATION (F/K/A AK STEEL CORPORATION); CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES INC. (F/K/A AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 067025/0974 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2022
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC.; CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL CORPORATION (F/K/A AK STEEL CORPORATION),; CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES, INC. (F/K/A AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.); IRONUNITS LLC
Reel/Frame 063272/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY DATA FROM CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES TO CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056313 FRAME: 0443. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 2, 2021
From: AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES INC.
Reel/Frame 057941/0376 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056228 FRAME: 0566. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 20, 2021
From: AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES
Reel/Frame 056313/0443 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 13, 2021
From: AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL PROPERTIES INC.
Reel/Frame 056228/0566 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2021
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AK STEEL CORPORATION; AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055587/0118 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 17, 2020
From: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC.; AK STEEL CORPORATION; AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052432/0166 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 13, 2020
From: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC.; AK STEEL CORPORATION; AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052162/0865 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 13, 2020
From: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC.; AK STEEL CORPORATION; AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052162/0782 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 13, 2020
From: AK STEEL CORPORATION; AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052162/0691 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2018
From: PAVLINA, ERIK JAMES; TATE, STEPHEN BRYANT
To: AK STEEL PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 047763/0274 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62580591 · Nov 2, 2017
Related Publication 20190126400A1 · May 2, 2019