Methods for preparation of sheets to be used for fabrication of a welded steel blank and fabricating a welded blank

1. A method for preparation of sheets to be used for fabrication of a welded steel blank, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pre-coated steel first sheet and a pre-coated steel second sheet, the pre-coated steel first sheet comprising a first steel substrate and a first precoating including a first metal alloy layer and a first intermetallic layer in contact with the first steel substrate, the first intermetallic layer topped by the first metal alloy layer, the pre-coated steel first sheet defining a first principal face, a first opposite principal face and a first secondary face, the pre-coated steel second sheet comprising a second steel substrate and a second precoating including a second metal alloy layer and a second intermetallic layer in contact with the second steel substrate, the second intermetallic layer topped by the second metal alloy layer, the pre-coated steel second sheet defining a second principal face, a second opposite principal face and a second secondary face;

positioning the pre-coated steel first and second sheets to define a median plane perpendicular to the first and second principal faces; and

removing at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets, respectively, by simultaneously ablating the first and second precoatings in the first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets to define first and second ablation zones, the first and second peripheral zones being zones of the first and second principal faces closest to the median plane and located on either side of the median plane; and

removing at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in opposite first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets, respectively, by simultaneously ablating the first and second precoatings in the opposite first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets to define opposite first and second ablation zones, the opposite first and second peripheral zones being zones of the first and second opposite principal faces closest to the median plane, the removing of the at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in the opposite first and second peripheral zones occurring simultaneously with the removing of the at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in the first and second peripheral zones.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein after the removing steps the first and second secondary faces include no aluminum from the first and second metal alloy layers, the first and second secondary faces facing the median plane.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a width of the first ablation zone and a width of the second ablation zone is each between 0.25 and 3 mm.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the width of the first ablation zone is identical to the width of the second ablation zone.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the width of the first ablation zone is different from the width of the second ablation zone.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a total ablation width of the first ablation zone and the second ablation zone varies by less than 10%.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein an average total width of the first ablation zone and the second ablation zone is 1.92 mm.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the removing steps are carried out by using the median plane as a single reference plane.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein no mechanical bond is formed between the pre-coated steel first and second sheets.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the removing steps are carried out by a laser beam spanning the median plane.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer each comprises aluminum metal or an aluminum-based alloy.

12. A method for fabricating a welded blank using the method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: welding the pre-coated steel first and second sheets at the median plane.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the pre-coated steel first and second sheets are welded by laser beam welding.