Hot forming line for producing hot formed and press hardened steel sheet products

Abstract

A hot forming line for producing hot formed and press hardened steel sheet products, in particular motor vehicle parts includes a heating device and a forming device, wherein the heating device has a temperature treatment station with an upper tool and a lower tool and the temperature treatment station has a temperature source for heating, wherein exchangeable temperature treatment plates are arrangeable on the upper and/or the lower tool and the temperature source is constructed as inductor, and the temperature treatment plates can be heated by the inductor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot forming line for producing hot formed and press hardened steel sheet products, in particular motor vehicle parts, comprising:
 a heating device, said heating device comprising a temperature treatment station with an upper tool and a lower tool;   exchangeable temperature treatment plates arranged on the upper tool and/or the lower tool; and   an inductor for heating the temperature treatment plates.   
     
     
         2 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are configured flat for temperature treatment of a sheet metal blank. 
     
     
         3 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are configured three-dimensional wherein a hollow space remains between the temperature treatment plates when the temperature treatment station is closed. 
     
     
         4 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , further comprising two said inductor, wherein one the two conductors is arranged in the upper tool and the other one of the two inductors is arranged in the bottom tool, said one of the inductors heating the upper tool, said other conductor heating the bottom tool, wherein the temperature treatment plates are heatable to above 1000° C. 
     
     
         5 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein a surface distribution of the inductor essentially corresponds to a surface of one of the temperature treatment plates associated with the inductor. 
     
     
         6 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the inductor is smaller than one of the temperature treatment plates associated with the inductor, wherein at least regions the one of the temperature treatment plates are heated by the inductor. 
     
     
         7 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the inductor is constructed so that different voltages can be applied at different regions of the inductor thereby causing different regions of the temperature treatment plates to attain different temperatures 
     
     
         8 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plate is constructed from at least two parts, said at least two parts having different heat conducting properties and/or different material properties. 
     
     
         9 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are constructed to establish different temperatures in first and second regions of the sheet metal blank, wherein the first regions are in direct contact with the temperature treatment plates when the temperature treatment station is closed, and wherein a space is formed in the second regions between a surface of the sheet metal blank and the temperature treatment plates. 
     
     
         10 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are constructed to establish different temperatures in first and second regions of the sheet metal blank, wherein the first regions are in direct contact with the temperature treatment plates when the temperature treatment station is closed, and wherein an insulating material is arranged in the temperature treatment plates in the second regions. 
     
     
         11 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , further comprising a furnace arranged upstream of the temperature treatment station for pre-heating the metal parts or the sheet metal blank to a temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The hot forming line of  claim 9 , wherein at least the temperature treatment plate on the lower tool has spacers, wherein the sheet metal blank or the metal part placed on the temperature treatment plate is supported by the spacer. 
     
     
         13 . The hot forming line of  claim 12 , wherein the wherein the sheet metal blank or the metal is supported in the second regions. 
     
     
         14 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates have a coating. 
     
     
         15 . The hot forming line of  claim 14 , wherein the coating is a scale resisting coating. 
     
     
         17 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are coupled form fittingly on the upper tool and/or the lower tool. 
     
     
         18 . The hot forming line of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature treatment plates are coupled on the upper and/or the lower tool via bolts. 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a hot formed and press hardened motor vehicle part with the hot forming line according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 heating a sheet metal blank to a temperature below AC3;   transferring the sheet metal blank into the temperature treatment station   heating first regions of the sheet metal blank in the temperature treatment station by means of condicutive heating to above AC3;   holding second regions of the sheet metal blank at a temperature below AC3; and   transferring the sheet metal blank into a forming tool;   forming and press hardening the sheet metal blank.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sheet metal blank is heated to below AC1, wherein the second region is held in the temperature treatment station at below AC1.