Quenching at speed New Thermodur 2383 Supercool boosts the ：在速度的新thermodur过冷淬火提高2383.doc

Press releaseQuenching at speedNew Thermodur2383 Supercool boosts the cost-effectiveness of press hardeningJust three years ago, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH (a subsidiary of the SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH Group) unveiled CorroplastFM, an innovative specialty steel solution that caters for the increasing machining complexity associated with producing corrosion-resistant injection moulds in the PET industry. At Euromold 2013, the company will be presenting another promising new development: Thermodur2383 Supercool is the answer of Deutsche Edelstahlwerke to growing demand from the automotive sector for hot-work steels featuring high thermal conductivity. This new material is ideal for tools used in press hardening. The relatively new press hardening process allows the automotive industry to fulfil the high, and sometimes diverging, requirements of future drivers, says Klaus-Dieter Fuchs, head of hot-work tool steel sales at Deutsche Edelstahlwerke. Meeting expectations in terms of vehicle comfort, equipment and safety calls for complex components. At the same time, climate change means that advances in lightweight vehicle construction are being made all the time in order to reduce CO2 emissions in a sustainable way. A 2012 McKinsey study anticipates that the proportion of lightweight components in vehicles will increase from 30% to 70% by the year 2030. Press hardening makes it possible to produce high-strength, sheet metal components which, because they are so strong, allow thinner and therefore lighter sheets to be used. Incorporating high-strength sheet metal into the chassis, for example, achieves a weight saving of up to 20kg (kilograms) on a mid-range vehicle.Given the sometimes conflicting demands posed by safety, recycling quotas, climate change and equipment, press hardening is now more interesting than ever to the automotive industry. The method enables lightweight sheet metal to be produced in an efficient and cost-effective way, says Michael Bauer, head of technical customer service for tool steels, explaining the latest trend. The reason for this is that press hardening involves hot forming and heat treating the high-strength sheets in a single combined process step. Sheets are heated to austenitizing temperature and then placed in a cooled pressing tool where they are both formed and quenched at the same time. The resulting martensitic structure has strength of up to 1,800MPa (megapascals). There is no need for subsequent heat treatment.High thermal conductivity with zero compromiseTo enable the automotive industry to leverage the benefits of press hardening long-term and to further reduce cycle times, the crucial part of the tool the moulding insert must be made of steel that also increases quenching speed. In the form of Thermodur2383Supercool, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke has developed a steel that, by comparison with the companys standard hot-work steels (e.g. Thermodur2343, Thermodur2344 and Thermodur2367) in hardened and tempered condition, exhibits a hardness of 45HRC (Rockwell hardness) and very high thermal conductivity of 44 W/(m.K) (watts per metre kelvin) at 100C (degrees Celsius). A moulding insert made of Thermodur2383 is therefore able to conduct heat from a heated sheet in a controlled manner in a very short time. Despite the minimal amount of chromium in the analysis our new material demonstrates high strength and is just as through-hardenable as our classic hot-work steels. In addition, it is more resilient at consistently high temperatures with no loss of hardness, adds Bauer. This makes the tool more stable and considerably more wear-resistant later on. The crucial factor is the balance of molybdenum, vanadium and carbon as carbide-forming elements. Depending on tool size, a press capacity of between 4,000 and 20,000 kN (kilonewtons) is exerted on the sheet being shaped. The chosen combination of alloy elements prevents excessive abrasive wear from occurring around susceptible parts of the tool, such as on the corners and edges. This aspect should not be underestimated because, with minimal post-processing effort, up to a million sheets can be machined using just one tool. The actual number will obviously depend on the complexity of the sheet being shaped, says Bauer. In recent years, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke has steadily optimised its steel solutions for press hardening. Thermodur2383 Supercool was developed on the basis of the companys Thermodur2999 EFSSuperclean material a hot-work steel used in particular for die inserts and fast forging tools which are subject to high levels of wear. Based on the analysis of that material, we tested various alloying concepts that would increase the steels thermal conductivity just enough to ensure that wear resistance and through-hardenability are not impaired. We succeeded in doing precisely that. Obviously we could have increased thermal conductivity further but not without compromising wear resistance and through-hardenability. Both these features are essential for press hardening, reports Emeline Meurisse, a member of the tool steel development team at Deutsche Edelstahlwerke.One of the companys automotive customers is currently testing new Thermodur2383 Supercool in operational use over an extended time frame. The new steel is presently available to prospective customers in sizes up to 800x300mm, in a black version or (on request) semi-finished or processed further at the own machining facilities of Deutsche Edelstahlwerke in Witten or Krefeld. We are pleased to introduce this new material to our customers now that the press hardening method is so important within the automotive industry, says Klaus-Dieter Fuchs.Visit Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH at Euromold!Hall 8, Stand L10 About Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbHWith over 150 years of experience, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of long, specialty steel products worldwide. The globally unique product portfolio of Deutsche Edelstahlwerke includes tool steels, stainless, acid and heat-resistant steels, high-grade structural steels as well as special materials. Dimensions range from drawn steel 0.8mm in diameter to forged products 1,100mm in diameter. Customers of Deutsche Edelstahlwerke benefit from access to the entire production chain via a one-stop provider: from manufacture and prefabrication to heat and surface treatment.About the SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH GroupToday, the SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH Group is one of the worlds leading providers of custom solutions in the field of long, special steel products. As a producer, the Group is one of th