Characterization of Phase Transformations During Graded Thermo-Mechanical Processing of Press-Hardening Sheet Steel 22MnB5

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Safety-relevant components in automobiles require materials that combine high strength with sufficient residual ductility and high-energy absorption. A graded thermo-mechanical treatment of the press-hardening steel 22MnB5 with graded microstructure can provide a material with such properties. Different austenitization temperatures, cooling and forming conditions within a sheet part lead to the development of microstructures with mixed phase compositions. To determine the resulting phase contents in such graded processed parts, a large number of dilatometric tests are usually required. With a non-contact characterization method, it is possible to detect local phase transformations on an inhomogeneously treated flat steel specimen. For press-hardening steel after heat treatment and thermo-mechanical processing, correlations between austenitization temperature, hot deformation strain, microstructure, and hardness are established.</jats:p>