Strategery Saturday: Press Hardened Stamped Parts

Power_press_animationI believe Saturday deserves a weekly post off extrication techniques but highlight knowledge that will help everyone understand how vehicles are made.  So let Strategery Saturday begin!

Press hardened parts are commonly found in B-Pillars, rocker panels, roof rails, and A-Pillars.  The take away today is, notice that the steel blank (In metalworking, a steel blank is an unfinished piece of metal that has been stamped out of a larger piece of material. ) in the image below is glowing red.  That blank is just under 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.


progressive_die_StrampLets take a second look at what a steel blank is.  Think if a steel blank as a flat piece of metal.  The image on the left is a progressive die strip but it provides a good idea of a steel blank that is stamped into a shape.0910_Press_Hardening_Tool

Once the stamping press closes, it forms the steel blank into a part.  The press hardening happens when the part is cooled in the stamping press.  The whole process is demonstrated in the video below.  At the end of the video, notice how the steel blank goes into the stamping press red hot but leaves the press the normal color of steel.  That’s press hardening!

Strategery_Saturday_Press_Hardened_Stamped_Parts-B-Pillar-Extrication_Rescue

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