Processing Q&P steels by hot-metal gas forming: Influence of local cooling rates on the properties and microstructure of a 3rd generation AHSS

Tube hydroforming is a well-established process in industry for producing complex shaped parts with closed cross section geometry and high geometrical accuracy. Hot-metal gas forming (HMGF) extends the conventional tube hydroforming process by a complex thermo-mechanical approach and thus potentially enables the complex processing of tubes from the relatively new class of quenching & partitioning-steels (Q&P steels). To prove the feasibility of an integrated Q&P treatment in the HMGF process, a simple demonstrator geometry is considered in the present study. The applied forming pressure is limited to 70 MPa, resulting in incomplete forming of the parts in the corner areas. The resulting, locally varying contact situation between workpiece and die allows the investigation of different cooling rates and their influence on local microstructural changes and on the corresponding mechanical properties. A numerical finite element simulation is used to estimate local cooling rates in three different areas of the tube (maximum cooling rates between 60 and 280 K/s), which are then correlated with hardness measurements and typical microstructural features. The hardness distribution is inhomogeneous over the cross section of the part (varies about 150 HV), with a minimum in the areas without die contact during quenching. Ferritic areas are observed in these regions due to the significantly lower cooling rates. Tensile tests show that the stress-strain behavior after the shortest partitioning time of 10 min is not only better from an energy efficiency point of view, but also provides both high strength (Rm =2050 MPa) and high ultimate strain (19.7 %), while longer partitioning times result in inferior properties. Thus, the present study shows that the Q&P treatment can be integrated into the HMGF process, but the local cooling rates must be taken into account as they strongly influence the final mechanical properties of the workpiece.