Method and hot forming system for producing a hardened, hot formed workpiece

Abstract

A method for producing a hardened, hot formed workpiece ( 2 ) of sheet steel, comprising at least partially heating a workpiece blank to a forming temperature in at least one furnace, introducing the heated workpiece blank into at least one drawing press, and forming the heated workpiece blank into a workpiece in the at least one drawing press. To be able to produce particularly high quantities of hardened, hot formed workpieces in a more cost-efficient manner, provision is made for introducing the formed workpiece into at least one hardening device, fixing the formed workpiece in a receiver of the hardening device which is adapted to the geometry of the formed workpiece, and at least partially hardening the formed workpiece in the receiver by means of direct heat exchange with a cooling medium.

1 . A method for producing a hardened, hot formed workpiece from sheet steel, comprising:
 at least partially heating a workpiece blank in at least one furnace to a forming temperature:   introducing the heated workpiece blank into at least one drawing press:   forming the heated workpiece blank into a workpiece in the at least one drawing press:   introducing the formed workpiece into at least one hardening device:   fixing the formed workpiece in a receiver of the hardening device, which is adapted to the geometry of the formed workpiece: and   at least partially hardening the formed workpiece in the receiver by means of direct heat exchange with a cooling medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece blank is heated to a forming temperature which exceeds the austenitization temperature of the workpiece blank. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the healed workpiece blank is pre-cooled in air prior to the introduction into the drawing press. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece blank is gradually formed into a workpiece in a plurality of drawing presses. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling medium flows at least partially around the formed workpiece in the receiver of the hardening device. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the formed and hardened workpiece is introduced into a cutting device immediately after removal from the hardening device and is at least partially cut therein. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is at least partially cut during forming. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein sections of the workpiece which are to be cut are not hardened in the hardening device. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein sections of the workpiece which are to be cut are kept away from the cooling medium in the hardening device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the sections of the workpiece, which are to be cut, are at most slightly brought into contact with drawing tools of the at least one drawing press. 
     
     
         11 . A hot forming system for producing a hardened formed workpiece of steel,
 comprising: a furnace for at least partially heating a workpiece blank to a forming temperature;   comprising a drawing press for forming the workpiece blank;   comprising a transfer device for transferring the heated workpiece blank from the furnace to the drawing press;   a hardening device for hardening the workpiece; and   a transfer device for transferring the formed workpiece from the drawing press to the hardening device,   wherein the hardening device comprises a receiver is adapted to the geometry of the formed workpiece for fixing the formed workpiece, and   for at least partially hardening the formed workpiece by means of direct heat exchange with a cooling medium.   
     
     
         12 . The hot forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein the receiver comprises ducts, bores, or a combination thereof for at least partially hardening the formed workpiece by means of direct heat exchange with the cooling medium. 
     
     
         13 . The hot forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein the receiver comprises a contact surface for the formed workpiece at least on one side of the formed workpiece. 
     
     
         14 . The hot forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein the receiver comprises two halves comprising ducts, bores, or a combination thereof and in areas of the workpiece provided for hardening, contact surfaces for the formed workpiece of the one half are arranged opposite to the ducts, bores, or combination thereof of the other half.