Direct contact heating for hot forming die quenching (HFDQ)

F&P制造公司，一家一级汽车零部件制造商，正在扩大其能力，包括热成形/模具淬火(HFDQ)。在这个过程中，被称为“毛坯”的钢板被加热到大约1000摄氏度，这将使钢材等温淬火，并将保护性的Al-Si涂层转变为永久的Al-Si-Fe层，从而提供长期的腐蚀保护。然后将热毛坯转移到冷却模具中，在那里它们同时被淬火并成形。 几乎所有的热冲压生产线都使用辊底炉加热毛坯。然而，这种技术有几个缺点，这促使F&P寻求另一种技术，即通过使毛坯与热表面接触来加热毛坯。与辊底炉相比，这种方法需要的占地面积和能耗要小得多，还可以通过受控的、非均匀的加热生产具有定制微结构的零件。滑铁卢大学和F&P公司进行的初步研究产生了一个实验室规模的原型，证明了这种方法的可行性。 拟议研究的目标是开发一种中试规模的装置，将直接接触加热和在单台液压机上成形相结合。该工艺将消除对辊底炉的需求，从而实现资本和运营成本的大幅降低，并提高工艺效率。此外，通过该工艺实现的高度可控的毛坯加热将有助于裁剪和提高零件质量。这些改进将使F&P获得相对于国际竞争对手的关键优势。成本的降低和零部件质量的提高也将使F&P的客户受益，并体现了确保加拿大汽车行业持续生存所需的创新。最后，这项研究将为两名高素质的人才提供工程设计、制造和实验方面的技能，这些技能都是加拿大工业界所需要的。

F&P Manufacturing Inc., a Tier 1 automotive part manufacturer, is expanding its capabilities to include hot forming/die quenching (HFDQ). In this process, steel sheets, called "blanks," are heating to approximately 1000C, which austentizes the steel and transforms a protective Al-Si coating into a permanent Al-Si-Fe layer that provides long-term corrosion protection. The hot blanks are then transferred to a cooled die, where they are simultaneously quenched and formed into shape. Almost all hot stamping lines heat the blanks with roller hearth furnaces. This technique has several shortcomings, however, which has motivated F&P to pursue an alternative technique in which blanks are heated by bringing them into contact with a hot surface. This approach would require significantly less floor space and consume far less energy compared to roller hearth furnaces, and could also produce parts having tailored microstructures through controlled, non-uniform heating. Preliminary research carried out by the University of Waterloo and F&P resulted in a lab-scale prototype that demonstrated the feasibility of this approach. The objectives of the proposed research are to develop a pilot-scale apparatus that combines direct contact heating and forming on a single hydraulic press. This process will eliminate the need for roller hearth furnaces, thereby realizing dramatic reductions in capital and operating costs, and improvements in process efficiency. Moreover, the highly-controlled blank heating realized through this process will facilitate tailoring and improve part quality. These improvements will give F&P a crucial advantage over international competitors. Reduced costs and improved part quality will also benefit F&P's customers, and exemplifies the innovation needed to ensure the ongoing viability of Canada's automotive sector. Finally, this research will equip two highly qualified personnel with skills in engineering design, manufacturing, and experimentation, which are all in demand by Canadian industry.