AP&T’s TemperBox enables tailored properties in press-hardened components

AP&T North America Inc. has introduced a patented system for partial press hardening of structural parts for passenger cars. TemperBox® allows hard and soft zones to be combined in a single part. It can be integrated with the company’s new and existing Multi-Layer Furnace and any other type of heat-treating equipment.

After being heated up to 930 degrees C in a conventional austenization furnace, the blank is moved to the TemperBox, where selected sections are blocked from radiation and cooled down while the rest of the part is kept hot. The blank is subsequently formed and quenched to produce the finished part.

The result is a part with tailored properties, customized to the required performance of the component. The technology enables short cycle times comparable to producing press-hardened components with monolithic properties over the cross section. Postprocessing is simplified because specific areas of the component, such as flanges, can be kept soft, enabling them to be punched or trimmed using conventional methods.