EP2623617A2 - Method for producing an armouring component and armouring component - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of producing an armoring component by partial carburizing of a sheet steel circuit board (10) or sheet steel preform having a minimum thickness of 2 mm and partial carburizing of a three-dimensional hot forming and subsequently stamping in a die press, where the circuit board or preform is thermochemically treated before carburization having a carbon of minimum 0.8 mass% and maximum 1.5 mass% and/or the board or preform and the component have a silicon (0.45 mass%), comprises introducing the circuit board or preform into a carburizing plant for the purpose of carburizing. The method of producing an armoring component by partial carburizing of a sheet steel circuit board (10) or sheet steel preform having a minimum thickness of 2 mm and partial carburizing of a three-dimensional hot forming and subsequently stamping in a die press, where the circuit board or preform is thermochemically treated prior to the carburization having a carbon content of minimum 0.8 mass% and maximum 1.5 mass% and/or the circuit board or preform and the produced armoring component have a silicon content of 0.45 mass%, comprises introducing the circuit board or preform into a carburizing plant for the purpose of carburizing and then heating to or above a carburizing temperature that is greater than or equal to a workpiece-specific Ac 3-temperature, maintaining the temperature over a period of time by contact with a medium, which emits carbon at surface portions of the circuit board or preform, where the surface portions are introduced into a carburizing area of the carburizing plant, are not protected from a diffusing action of the medium and are carburized at its total or partial surface to a surface layer depth of 2 mm such that the carburized layer and/or the circuit board or preform has a carbon content of minimum 0.5 mass% and maximum 1.5 mass%, and the complete carburized and thermochemically treated circuit board or preform with respect to any reference-point of its total surface has a core zone in which the amount of the carbon is less than 0.5 mass%, terminating the diffusing action of the medium after the period of time for the board or preform, and subjecting the circuit board or the preform to forming steps. The heated circuit board or preform is cooled to a room temperature for the purpose of hot forming by a heating apparatus or a surface area of the heating apparatus is completely or partially heated to or above a workpiece-specific Ac 1 temperature. The heated board or preform is placed in an opened mold cavity of the die press. At the beginning of the forming step, the circuit board or preform is completely or partially present at or above the workpiece-specific Ac 1 temperature. A non carburized layer is cooled to below a martensite start temperature of the carburized layer beginning with or after forming a mold component in the die press. The cooling step is carried out at a cooling rate of greater than or equal to a workpiece-specific lower critical cooling rate of the non carburized layer. The die press is temporarily closed during cooling process. The carburizing plant is a gas carburizing furnace. The medium is present in gaseous form, and emits the carbon and nitrogen at the circuit board or preform. The carburizing area is a carburizing bath and a salt bath, and the medium is present in liquid form and further emits nitrogen at the circuit board or preform. The cooling step is further carried out at a cooling rate of greater than or equal to an upper workpiece-specific critical cooling rate of the thermochemically treated layer. The circuit board or preform relative to its external dimensions has a minimum surface area of 22,500 cm 2> with a minimum dimension in a plane direction of 150 cm. The board or preform: is quenched by water or oil as quenching medium; and is started after thermochemical treatment and in the case of forming a separate quenching by press hardening after the quenching process prior to heating for the purpose of hot forming. An independent claim is included for an armoring component.

Description

The present invention is in the field of armoring objects both in the military and in the civilian field against external hostile effects. Typically, the hostile actions can be used in the event of warlike or war-like conflicts. H. especially in military conflicts or civil wars, by both combatants and non-combatants; and in the case of non-belligerent situations, by persons, organizations or organizations motivated by criminal, political, ethnic or religious reasons.

The objects can be any objects that experience has shown to be subject to hostile external influences. Therefore, these objects include in particular persons, land vehicles, aircraft, watercraft and buildings.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of armor components that serve as protective covers for these objects and thus provide protection against external, mechanically acting hazards. In particular, these armor components are suitable as protective covers for vehicles, preferably for land vehicles. The land vehicles include in particular military land vehicles and civil special protection vehicles.

These armor components are components that are manufactured by machining at least one sheet steel plate or a sheet steel preform. In particular, an armor component according to the invention comprises low-alloy steel, wherein the one or more steel components of the armor component are formed, in particular three-dimensionally formed, or have been.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to the armor components manufactured per se and the use of such armor components.

In the DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 It is proposed that the machining techniques of hot forming and press hardening be used for steel components intended to armor a vehicle. As a result, with just a few welds, complex armor can be created with a contour adapted to the vehicle. In addition, an alloy is proposed which is suitable for the production of thermoformed and hardened armor.

In the DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 It is disclosed to austenitize specially designed armor steel sheets of 4 to 15 mm wall thickness, preferably of 5 to 6 mm wall thickness, above Ac ₃ , hot-form and harden in a tool. With this process, it is possible to produce high strength armor elements with high dimensional accuracy. It exists in the context of DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 the ability to replace many individual parts welded together with a single component. In addition, the number of welds is reduced, so that the additional protection measures can be reduced accordingly. In order to remunerate the armor steel, it can according to the hardening DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 to be started.

The tank components after DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 are designed to arm vehicles against ballistic fire. This is achieved by the fact that the tank components, together with suitable methods for their production in the DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 which have high hardness values of up to 580 HV30. In fact, in order to design a vehicle with regard to ballistic bombardment, ie the impact of projectiles fired by weapons, it is advantageous if the projectiles which have been fired at the vehicle from the outside, when hitting a tank component to DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 smashed into numerous projectile parts. The projectile debris then each have only a fraction of the kinetic energy of the original projectile and do not penetrate the tank component, but bounce off it, without shedding on the inside of the tank component splinters that could endanger the vehicle occupants.

The from the DE 10 2005 014 298 B4 known at least partially thermoformed and at least partially cured molded components are designed exclusively with respect to ballistic bombardment with fragmentation of an impacting on the protective or armored steel hard core projectile or Hartkerngeschosses the predetermined firing class.

A special interpretation of the energy consumption of an impacting on the protective or armored steel soft core projectile or soft core projectile, however, is not provided. In addition, a protection against exposure to energy consumption of acting on the protective or armored steel detonation wave a predetermined mine protection class is not provided.

Since a steel armor has a very high basis weight due to the high density of material, but generally the wall thickness of the material for the respective Beschussanforderung should be kept as low as possible, which is why a double or multi-shell structure of the entire armor of at least two or more layers of protection or Armor steels, whose at least two different layers on the one hand have only a high strength with reduced ductility and on the other hand only a high ductility with reduced strength, is only partially suitable. In particular The fact that a double or multi-layered construction of such designed layers of protective or armored steel leads to massive increases in weight makes it disadvantageously noticeable in the armor of civil special protection vehicles.

However, in order to meet the current requirements for the armoring technique of objects, it is necessary, in addition to the design for protection against ballistic bombardment in the form of hard core projectiles or hard core projectiles, the armor of the object also in terms of protection against bombardment in the form of soft core projectiles or To design soft core projectiles. It is a part of the aspect, which is to be achieved by the armor of the object, also to achieve a certain level of protection against explosions by explosive weapons that cause their destructive effect, especially by the detonation wave resulting from the explosion. The destructive effect of the detonation wave, d. H. The blast generated by the explosion, such explosive weapons based on substantially different principles than the destructive effect of an impacting ballistic projectile. The destructive effect of these last-mentioned explosive weapons is also addressed in specialist circles under the keyword mine action.

Starting from the above-described prior art, it is an object of the invention to provide a manufacturing method for an armor component, the armor component while maintaining high dimensional accuracy for protection against ballistic bombardment in the form of hard core projectiles or hard core projectiles and against ballistic bombardment in the form of soft core projectiles or soft core projectiles is designed with a given also basic protection against impact. In addition, a protection against both ballistic bombardment in the form of hard core projectiles or hard core projectiles as well as against ballistic bombardment in the form of soft core projectiles or soft core projectiles with a given also basic protection also designed to prevent exposure armor component.

This object is achieved in terms of process engineering by a method according to the features of one of the independent claims 1, 2, 5 and 6, in view of machined workpiece by an armor component according to the features of the device claim 18 and with regard to the use of the armor component according to the invention by the subject matter of claim 19.

Advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention will become apparent from the remaining claims, which are dependent on the aforementioned independent claims.

The basic types of process of the invention according to the independent claims 1, 2, 5 and 6 in each case a manufacturing method of armoring component to the subject, wherein at least one sheet steel plate or at least a sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm at least partially treated thermochemically in the production process of the invention and the thermochemical treatment temporally downstream at least partially hot-formed and then at least partially press-cured in a die press. In the context of the present invention, with the formulation that at least one sheet steel plate or at least one sheet steel preform is used in the method or product according to the invention, it is also possible to use at least one sheet steel blank and at least one sheet steel preform.

The basic types of process of the invention according to the independent claims 1, 2, 5 and 6 refer in the independent claims 1 and 2 to thermochemical treatment of / at least one board or preform in the form of carburizing the / at least one board or preform and in the independent claims 5 and 6 on thermochemical treatment of the at least one board or preform in the form of carbonitriding the / at least one board or preform.

The two basic types of process of the invention according to the independent claims 1 and 2 with thermochemical treatment of the / at least one board or preform in the form of carburizing differ in the or the process step (s) that is carried out between the carburizing and the hot forming of the / at least one board or preform. Accordingly, the two basic types of process of the invention according to the independent claims 5 and 6 with thermochemical treatment of the / at least one board or preform in the form of carbonitriding differ in the or the process step (s) that between the carbonitriding and the hot forming of the / the at least one board or preform is or will be made.

The following describes the features of the first basic method of the invention according to independent claim 1:

In the context of the method according to the invention, at least one sheet steel plate and / or at least one sheet steel preform is used which has a minimum thickness of 2 mm and a carbon content of less than 0.5% by mass and a silicon content of greater than or equal to 0.2% by mass. With regard to these two stated alloy contents, it is clear to the person skilled in the art that the alloy contents are spatially averaged values, ie. that is, within typical alloying element specific tolerance ranges, there are scatters in the alloy contents around these averages. Also, for other alloy contents present in the at least one sheet steel or sheet metal preform to be machined, which may optionally be referred to within the scope of the present invention, this principle is valid for the presence of variations in alloy contents within alloying element specific tolerance ranges.

In the event that a sheet steel plate is used in the process according to the invention, either the external dimensions of at least one steel sheet to be machined by the method according to the invention are identical to those with which the at least one board has previously been cut from a Stahlbandcoil, or with identical to those dimensions, each having a single Ausgangsseinzelblech, in particular a heavy plate having, as the at least one to be processed sheet steel plate is supplied unchanged to the inventive method.

On the other hand, the method according to the invention supplied at least one steel plate, which has been subjected to an upstream cutting or stamping step on their use as, in particular three-dimensional, reshaped armor component adapted outer contours, so that no further processing of the outer contours of the armor component is required ,

The at least one sheet steel plate is introduced into a carburizing plant for the purpose of carburizing. Before the at least one sheet steel plate is introduced into the carburizing plant, one or more surface sections of the at least one board can be shielded from the carburizing process by applying to these one or more surface sections a hardening paste which shields the carburizing or by applying thereto one or more surface sections covering one or more separate, the Aufkohlung shielding or at least reducing layered body are arranged and locked or in each case several, in particular two, sheet steel blanks with opposing and at least mutually partially overlapping side surfaces are arranged opposite and locked, so that the so arranged opposite each other and mutually overlapping side surfaces are shielded from the environment.

In particular, in the event that for the inventive method not locked together starting workpieces or semi-finished, can be provided that instead of at least one sheet steel plate at least one sheet steel preform, which is not as only two-dimensionally extending planar surface element, but as a three-dimensional element , is used for the inventive method. It is indicated on the applicant side, that in the context of the present invention, the term or term "sheet steel plate" in terms of only two-dimensionally extending flat steel sheet and the term or term "sheet steel preform" in the sense of extending in all three spatial directions sheet steel element used ,

For example, starting from a typically only two-dimensionally extending planar output board this output board by one or more the actual process according to the invention upstream forming processes, in particular by one or more cold forming processes, be converted into a surface element that extends in all three spatial directions and which forms the at least one preform, which is processed by the method according to the invention. Such upstream forming processes are generally known to the person skilled in the art and therefore need not be described separately here. However, in the context of the present invention, on the other hand, it should be noted that the at least one preform to be processed by the method according to the invention is a semifinished product which, viewed over the entire surface dimensions of the preform, has a curved shape that is only limited in such a way that According to the method of the invention, at least one preform to be machined does not in any way have a component geometry, as occurs, for example, with rotationally symmetrical self-contained components. However, the person skilled in the art is aware that, according to the state of the art, components with such rotationally symmetrical component geometries are suitable for the surface treatment in the form of carburizing or case hardening or, in addition, carbonitriding since these carburized or carburized components do not have any due to their rotationally symmetrical component geometries or have only slight distortions, because during the carburizing or carbonitriding delay-causing forces compensate each other.

Within the carburization plant, the at least one sheet steel _blank or the at least one sheet steel preform is heated at or above a temperature T _carburize greater than or equal to the workpiece specific Ac ₃ temperature. The carburization plant in this case comprises a carburizing region, in which the at least one board is exposed to contact with at least one medium at or above a temperature T _carburize heated and at or above this temperature over a period .DELTA.t _carburized held at least. In this case, this medium has the property that it is applied to the / at least one heated blank or preform at its / its total or partial area, which does not face the Environment of the carburizing section as shielded by the above measures, emits carbon. The carbon given off to this total or partial surface diffuses from this total or partial surface exposed to the thermochemical treatment towards the interior of the / of the at least one blank or preform, whereby the carbon content in one of these total or partial surfaces is reduced the interior of the / at least one board or preform reaching edge layer is increased. That is, the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform is carburized.

After expiration of the time interval .DELTA.t _carburize , the diffusing effect of the at least one carbon-emitting medium is terminated for the at least one _blank or preform. The termination of the diffusing effect can thereby be accomplished, for example, by completely removing the at least one blank or preform from the carburizing plant or by _{appropriately} parameterizing the parameters temperature T _carburize and / or concentration of the carbon-emitting medium in the carburizing zone of the carburization plant below the minimum values required for maintaining the diffusing effect - apart from negligible small diffusion processes - or that the / at least one circuit board or preform within the carburizing plant is moved out of the carburizing area into a spatial region where the parameters temperature T _carburize and / or concentration of the carbon donating medium are below the minimum values required to maintain the diffusing effect.

At least the following parameters temperature T _carburize , time span Δt _carburize and / or type and / or concentration of the at least one carbon donating medium are coordinated with one another, taking into account the alloy composition of the / used for the inventive method at least one board or preform that the total or partial area of the at least one board or preform affected by the diffusion of the carbon, the board or preform is _carburized to a _surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm in such a way that _{Expiration of} the period Δt _carburize the carburized layer between the affected by the diffusion of carbon total or partial area and the edge layer _depth d _{carb has} a carbon content of at most 1.5 mass percent and 0.5 _wt % minimum. This carburized layer is referred to as edge layer in the context of the present invention.

In the context of the present invention, the edge layer _depth d _{carb is} that distance perpendicular from the total or partial area exposed to the diffusing effect of the at least one medium up to the point inside the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform in which the carbon content has a value of 0.5 mass percent.

After the basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 1, which refers to carburizing the / of at least one board or preform, - and next to the basic method of the independent claim 2, which is also based on carburizing the / at least one Relates board or preform, - is the term or the size of the _surface layer _depth d _carb with the term or the size carburization At At _0.5 synonymous or identical.

Furthermore, the at least one finished carburized sheet steel plate or the at least one finished carburized sheet steel preform has a zone area or a layer or zone in its interior relative to any desired point of its total area, in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 Is percent by mass, this zone region being referred to as the core zone in the context of the present invention.

It should be noted that compared to those geometric properties exhibited by the at least one board or preform prior to commencement of the carburizing process, the at least one finished carburized board or preform usually has numerous distortions. That is, in many places, the outer course, particularly with regard to waviness, of the carburized board or preform is deviated in an irregular manner from the outside dimensions of the board or preform that it had before starting the carburizing process. In the case that a preform is processed by the method according to the invention, the outer profile of the carburized preform deviates in an irregular manner, in particular compared to the outer dimensions of the preform significantly smaller values, typically below values of 10%, in particular 5%, from the outer course of the preform that the preform exhibited prior to the start of the carburizing process.

After the diffusing effect of the at least one medium has elapsed, the at least one sheet steel blank or the at least one sheet steel preform may be subjected to one or more further optional, in particular non-forming, process steps before it is heated for hot-forming. These one or more further optional process steps include, in particular, process steps which relate to the material properties of the at least one finished carburized blank or preform, preferably its microstructural properties, particularly preferably its microstructure, and / or strength properties and / or toughness properties. In particular, this one or more further optional process steps are performed without resorting to a constraint force, whereby the number and / or the extent of delays caused by the at least one finally carburized and subsequently one or more further optional process step (s) ) subjected board or preform, can be further increased. In this case, this one or more further optional process step (s) at the / at least one carburized board or preform still within the carburizing or after the / at least one carburized board or preform of the carburizing plant has been taken outside the carburizing , Wherein one or more further process steps within the carburization plant and one or more further process steps outside the carburization can be made.

Regardless of the performance of one or more such optional process steps, the one or more cools a finished carburized board or Preform, in particular to room temperature, from. In addition, the / at least one finished carburized board or preform is removed at the latest the carburizing before the / at least one board or preform for the purpose of at least partial hot working is heated completely or area by section.

For the purpose of at least partial hot forming, the / at least one circuit board or preform is heated by means of a heating device completely or area by section at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature.

Subsequently, the / at least one heated board or preform is placed in the mold cavity of an open die press and then the / at least one board or preform, which is completely or areawise still on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, by closing the die press in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, molded part formed.

Starting with or after the forming, the at least one shaped component in the stamping press is then completely or surface sectionally with a cooling rate v which is greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the core zone or the non-carburized layer, at least until below martensite start Temperature M _{s of} the edge layer or the carburized layer cooled, wherein the die press is closed at least temporarily during cooling.

The molding component thus formed has a martensite content both within the boundary layer and within the core zone. In this case, however, the edge layer has a hardness which is greater than that of the core zone, since the carbon content of the surface layer is greater than the carbon content of the core zone. Conversely, the ductility of the core zone is greater than the ductility of the boundary layer due to the lower carbon content of the core zone compared to the carbon content of the boundary layer. The molded component thus has, on the one hand, in the form of the edge layer, one or more partial regions (e) with such a high hardness, an impinging hard core projectile or hard core projectile of the predetermined firing class is smashed into numerous projectile part bodies. The projectile debris generated thereby each have only a fraction of the kinetic energy of the impinging Hartkernprojektils and do not penetrate the armor produced using the molded component armor component, but bounce off, without any perforations are made on or in the armor component and without that on the opposite Side of the armor component shedding fragments, which could pose a threat to the armored object or persons to be protected. On the other hand, the shaped component in the form of the core zone has a subregion with a higher ductility than the edge layer, so that this subregion of the core zone in the case of impact of a soft core projectile or soft core projectile whose kinetic energy without fragmentation in projectile part body by at least deformation of areas of the core zone simultaneously depleting the kinetic energy of the impacting soft-core projectile within these areas of the core zone. In addition, this will provide some basic protection against blasting with an explosive force against which the object is to provide protection by the armor component to be manufactured, without causing cracks or perforations on or in the molded component and without peeling chips on the opposite side of the armor component which could pose a threat to the armored object or to persons to be protected.

The increased protective effect of the armor component to be manufactured against hard core projectiles or hard core projectiles is achieved primarily by the higher hardness of the martensite in the boundary layer compared to the core zone. This increase in the protective effect, including the bombardment performance, is not based on the formation of carbides in the surface layer. Rather, the proportion of carbides in the surface layer is reduced to a technically possible minimum, in particular by the use of the alloying element silicon with a content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass and the upper limit of the maximum carbon content in the boundary layer to 1.5 mass percent. The increase of the protective effect including the bombardment performance of the manufactured Armouring component is based in the context of the present invention, therefore, essentially not on a targeted indentation of carbide structures. It should be noted that the impact of carbide structures on adiabatic shear band formation has not been conclusively clarified.

It should be noted that after carrying out the steps of at least partial hot forming and subsequent at least partial press hardening in a die press, the at least one shaped component is present as a steel sheet element extending in particular in all three spatial directions, in which no distortion occurs at least within those surface sections hot-formed and then press-hardened, more present. In other words, at no point does the outer profile of the at least one molded component differ at least within those surface sections that have been thermoformed and then press-hardened from the planned or intended external course that the at least one shaped component in the armor component to be produced at least within these Surface sections of the at least one mold component should have constructive within the tolerance fields or must.

In the following, the features of the second basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 2 will be described, wherein against the background that this second basic type of procedure coincides in large part with the first basic method, only those method steps will be discussed here in which the second from the first basic type of procedure:

In the second basic mode, the steps of introducing the at least one steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform into the carburization unit and carburizing the at least one board or preform within the carburizing section during the period Δt _carburize are the same as those of the first basic method ,

After expiration of the time period .DELTA.t _carburize , the at least one circuit board or preform, by removing it from the carburization _plant , becomes the diffusing effect of the at least one medium finished. Subsequently, the / at least one board or preform is placed in the mold cavity of an open die press and then the / at least one board or preform, which is completely or surface sections still on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, by closing the Stamping press formed in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, molded component. There is no further process step between the removal of the at least one blank or preform from the carburizing plant and its introduction into the mold cavity of the stamping press.

In the second basic type of process, the step of press-hardening the at least one molded component in the die press is equal to the press-hardening step in the first basic type of process.

In the first or second basic mode of the invention, it is advantageous if the carburization plant is a gas carburizing furnace and the gas is present in at least one medium which gives off carbon to the at least one sheet steel plate or to the at least one sheet steel preform. It is particularly advantageous if the at least partial carburizing of the / of the at least one blank or preform takes place in the gas carburizing furnace in the presence of at least one carrier gas and at least one enrichment gas, wherein the carrier gas preferably comprises carbon monoxide and / or the enrichment gas comprises a hydrocarbon gas.

Alternatively, in the first or second basic mode of the invention, it is advantageous if the carburizing section of the carburizing system is a carburizing bath and is in liquid form at least one medium which delivers carbon to the at least one blank or preform ,

In the following, the features of the third basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 5 will be described, wherein against the background that this third basic type of procedure coincides in many parts with the first basic method, here only to those Procedural steps in which the third differs from the first basic type of procedure:

The at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform is introduced into a carbonitriding plant for the purpose of carbonitriding. Within the carbonitriding plant, the / at least one board or preform is heated at or above a temperature T _carbonitride greater than or equal to the workpiece specific Ac ₁ temperature, in contrast to carburizing according to the first or second basic type of process In any case, heating takes place at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature. The carbonitriding system in this case comprises a carbonitriding region in which the _carbonitride heated at or above a temperature T and exposed to or above this temperature over a period Δt of _{carbonitrides} is exposed to at least one medium or at least one blank or preform. In this case, this medium has the property that carbon and nitrogen are attached to the at least one heated blank or preform on its total or partial surface, which is not shielded from the surroundings of the carbonitriding region emits. Carbon and nitrogen, which are released at this total or partial surface, diffuse from this thermochemically treated exposed total or partial surface toward the interior of the / at least one board or preform, whereby the carbon content and the nitrogen content be increased in one of this total or partial area ago in the interior of the / at least one board or preform-reaching edge layer. That is, the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform is carbonitrided.

After expiration of the period .DELTA.t _carbonitride for the / at least one board or preform the diffusing effect of at least one carbon and nitrogen donating medium is terminated. The termination of the diffusing effect can thereby be accomplished that the / at least one board or preform of the carburizing plant is completely removed or that the parameters temperature T _carbonitride and / or concentration of the carbon and nitrogen donating medium in the carbonitriding area of the carbonitriding plant correspondingly far, namely below below for the maintenance of the or at least one board or preform within the carbonitriding plant is moved out of the carbonitriding zone into a spatial region where the parameters temperature T _{release carbonitrides} and / or concentration of the carbon and nitrogen Medium below the minimum values required to maintain the diffusing effect.

At least the following parameters temperature T _carbonitride , time Δt _carbonitride and / or the type and / or concentration of at least one carbon and nitrogen donating medium are coordinated so taking into account the alloy composition of / used for the inventive method at least one board or preform, that at the total or partial area of the at least one blank or preform affected by the diffusion of the carbon and nitrogen, the board or preform is _{carbonitrided} to a _surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm in such a way that after the time has elapsed Δt _{carbonitride,} the carbonitrided layer between the affected by the diffusion of carbon and nitrogen total or partial area and the edge layer _depth d _{carb has} a carbon content of at most 1.5 percent by mass and 0.5 _{wt .-} % minimum. This carbonitrided layer is also referred to as edge layer in the context of the present invention.

Analogous to carburizing is in the present invention, the edge layer _depth d _carb that distance perpendicular from the diffusing effect of at least one medium exposed total or partial area up to that point inside the at least one sheet steel plate or at least one sheet steel _{preform, wherein} the Carbon content has a value of 0.5 mass percent.

Furthermore, the at least one finished carbonitrided sheet steel plate or the at least one finished carbonitrided sheet steel preform has a zone area or a layer or zone in its interior relative to any desired point of its total area, in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 Is percent by mass, this zone region being referred to as the core zone in the context of the present invention.

Again, it should be noted that compared to those geometric properties exhibited by the at least one board or preform prior to the beginning of the carbonitriding process, the at least one finished carbonitrided board or preform usually has numerous distortions. That is, in many instances, the outer profile of the carbonitrided board or preform diverge irregularly from the outer dimensions of the board or preform that it has exhibited prior to the beginning of the carbonitriding process.

In the third basic type of process, the steps following the carbonitriding of the at least one board or preform are the same as the corresponding steps in the first basic type of process.

In the following, the features of the fourth basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 6 are described, wherein against the background that this fourth basic type of procedure in large parts with the third basic method, only the method steps will be discussed here, in which the fourth of the third basic type of procedure distinguishes:

In the fourth basic mode, the steps of introducing the at least one steel sheet board or the at least one sheet steel preform into the carbonitriding equipment and carbonitriding the at least one board or preform within the carbonitriding portion during the period Δt of _{carbonitrides are} equal to the respective steps the third basic type of procedure.

After expiration of the period .DELTA.t _carbonitride for the / the at least one (n) board or preform by their / removal from the carbonitriding plant the diffusing effect of at least one / the at least one board or preform medium terminated. Subsequently, an open die press is placed in the mold cavity and then the / at least one board or preform, the / the full or surface sections still on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature is formed by closing the die press in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, shaped component. Between the removal of the / at least one board or preform from the carbonitriding plant and their / their introduction into the mold cavity of the stamping press, no further process step is present.

In the fourth basic mode, the step of press-hardening the at least one mold member in the die press is equal to the press-hardening step in the third basic mode.

In the third or fourth basic type of process of the invention, it is advantageous if the carbonitriding region of the carbonitriding plant is a salt bath and the at least one medium which delivers carbon and nitrogen to the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform, is liquid.

Alternatively, in the third or fourth basic mode of the invention, it is advantageous if the carbonitriding plant is a carbonitriding furnace and the at least one medium discharges carbon and nitrogen to the at least one blank or preform , is present in gaseous form. It is particularly advantageous if the nitrogen is present in the form of ammonia.

It should be noted that the discussion of martensite contents and hardness and ductility properties both within the surface layer and within the core zone referred to in the present specification as follows immediately after the first basic mode of the invention has been described therein Way also apply to the other basic types of the invention.

The armor component produced, that is to say more precisely the shaped component obtained by at least partial hot forming and press-hardening, has a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2% by mass according to all the basic types of process of the invention.

In all basic types of processes of the invention, it is preferred if both the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform and the armor component produced, d. H. more specifically, the molded article obtained by at least partial hot working and press-hardening have a silicon content of greater than or equal to 0.3 mass%, especially 0.35 mass%, preferably 0.45 mass%. For by providing such a silicon content of the lower limit for the unavoidable proportion of carbides in the surface layer can be further lowered and also in the core zone, the proportion of carbides is reduced compared to protective steels with lower silicon content.

For all four basic types of process of the invention described, it is preferred if the / the at least one board or preform before the thermochemical treatment, a carbon content in mass percentage in the closed interval of 0.15 to 0.45%, particularly preferably in the closed interval of 0.3 to 0.45%, lying.

For the first or second basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 1 or 2, it is advantageous if the / at least one board or preform regardless of carburizing a nitrogen content in mass percent less than or equal to 0.05%, more preferably smaller or equal to 0.02%, more preferably less than or equal to 0.015%. In contrast, it is advantageous for the third or fourth basic method of the invention according to the independent claim 5 or 6, if the / at least one board or preform before carbonitriding a nitrogen content in mass percent less than or equal to 0.05%, particularly preferably smaller or equal to 0.02%, most preferably less than or equal to 0.015%.

0,3 bis 2,5 %

Mangan,

max. 0,05 %

Phosphor,

max. 0,02 %

Schwefel,

max. 0,08 %

Aluminium,

max. 2 %

Kupfer,

0,1 bis 2,0 %

Chrom,

max. 3 %

Nickel,

max. 1 %

Molybdän,

max. 2,0 %

Cobalt,

0,001 bis 0,01 %

Bor,

max. 0,08 %

Niob,

max. 1 %

Wolfram,

max. 0,4 %

Vanadium,

max. 0,05 %

Titan,

Again, for all four basic types of process of the invention described, according to a preferred aspect, the / at least one board or preform, regardless of the thermochemical treatment with a composition in mass percent

0.3 to 2.5%

Manganese,

Max. 0.05%

Phosphorus,

Max. 0.02%

Sulfur,

Max. 0.08%

Aluminum,

Max. 2%

Copper,

0.1 to 2.0%

Chrome,

Max. 3%

Nickel,

Max. 1 %

Molybdenum,

Max. 2.0%

cobalt,

0.001 to 0.01%

Boron,

Max. 0.08%

Niobium,

Max. 1 %

Tungsten,

Max. 0.4%

vanadium,

Max. 0.05%

Titanium,

0,7 bis 1,8 %

Mangan,

max. 0,02 %

Phosphor,

max. 0,02 %

Schwefel,

max. 0,05 %

Aluminium,

max. 2 %

Kupfer,

0,1 bis 1,0 %

Chrom,

max. 3 %

Nickel,

max. 1 %

Molybdän,

max. 1,0 %

Cobalt,

0,001 bis 0,01 %

Bor,

max. 0,05 %

Niob,

max. 1 %

Wolfram,

max. 0,4 %

Vanadium,

max. 0,05 %

Titan,

Remaining iron and melting impurities has. According to a particularly preferred aspect applies to all four basic types of the invention described that the / at least one board or preform regardless of the thermochemical treatment with a composition in mass percent

0.7 to 1.8%

Manganese,

Max. 0.02%

Phosphorus,

Max. 0.02%

Sulfur,

Max. 0.05%

Aluminum,

Max. 2%

Copper,

0.1 to 1.0%

Chrome,

Max. 3%

Nickel,

Max. 1 %

Molybdenum,

Max. 1.0%

cobalt,

0.001 to 0.01%

Boron,

Max. 0.05%

Niobium,

Max. 1 %

Tungsten,

Max. 0.4%

vanadium,

Max. 0.05%

Titanium,

Remaining iron and melting impurities has.

As stated above, in the core zone as well as in the thermochemically treated layer of the at least one molded component at least in the course of press hardening martensite is or is formed and thereby the carbon content in the core zone is less than 0.5 mass percent, whereas in thermochemically treated layer of the at least one molded component, the carbon content is greater than or equal to 0.5 mass percent, the hardness of the thermochemically treated layer is greater than the hardness of the core zone. For the purpose of increasing the fragmentation capability of the armor component to be manufactured over projectiles, however, it makes sense to particularly increase the fragmentation capability of the armor component at its surface areas, wherein the fragmentation capability increases with the hardness and thickness of these surface areas. Therefore, in all basic types of process of the invention it is advantageous if the at least one sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel _preform at its / its total or partial area up to an edge layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.5 mm, in particular 1.0 mm, preferred 1.5 mm, more preferably 2.0 mm, is thermochemically treated such that the thermo-chemically treated layer of the / of the at least one board or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 mass% and at most 1.5 mass%, and the / the at least one finished carburized board or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass%.

Also, the hardness of the thermo-chemically treated layer which is wholly or partially converted to martensite, at least in the course of press-hardening, can be increased by increasing the carbon content present before martensite formation in the thermochemically treated layer. This increase in the hardness of the thermochemically treated layer by martensite formation applies in any case for an increase in the carbon content in the thermochemically treated layer to the carbon content of the boundary between hypereutectoid and hypereutectoid. Therefore, it is advantageous if at least one Sheet steel plate or the at least one sheet steel preform based on any point of the thermochemically treated layer, the thermochemically treated layer has a portion having a carbon content greater than or equal to 0.6 percent by mass, in particular 0.7 percent by mass, preferably 0.8 percent by mass.

In the core zone comprising the non-thermochemically treated layer of the at least one board or preform, at least in the course of press-hardening, martensite is formed and the carbon content in the core zone is less than 0.5 mass% Preferably, when the / at least one board or preform in the first or third basic method of the invention for the purpose of at least partial hot working is heated completely or surface sections at or above the Ac ₃ temperature of the non-thermochemically treated layer and at the beginning of the forming step is still present at or above the Ac ₃ temperature of the non-thermochemically treated layer. In the course of austenitizing, this increases the proportion of austenite and consequently in the course of press hardening the martensite content in the core zone and thus also the hardness of the core zone, which in turn increases the deflecting property of the armor component to be produced, above all with regard to shelling. Since the carbon content in the core zone is in the hypoeutectoid region, the strength properties of the core zone are not impaired by any coarse grain formation in the course of austenitizing.

It should be noted that in the hypereutectoid region, ie in the range with carbon content above 0.8 percent by mass, when heated in the course of Austenisierens above the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature, referred to in the literature as Ac _cm temperature will lead to coarse grain formation, which is detrimental to the strength properties of the armor component to be manufactured. In the event that the thermo-chemically treated layer has a subregion with a carbon content in the hypereutectoid region, it is therefore preferred if the / at least one board or preform, at least in the course of heating for the purpose of hot forming - and in the case of the Making one or more additional optional, In particular non-forming, process steps between the thermochemical treatment and the heating for the purpose of hot forming advantageously also in the course of this one or more further optional process steps - is heated to a temperature less than or equal to the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature of the thermochemically treated layer.

Since, for the present invention in question eligible carbon contents, which amount to a maximum of 1.5 percent by mass in the thermochemically treated layer, applies in the present invention that the upper critical cooling rate v _okrit for martensite formation with increasing carbon Content decreases and thus the upper critical cooling rate of the thermochemically treated layer is less than the upper critical cooling rate of the non-thermochemically treated layer. Advantageously, therefore, the cooling rate of said non-chemically treated layer is v, with which the at least cooled a form component in the die press completely or surface sections, beginning with or after the forming, _okrit greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific upper critical cooling speed v chosen. Because this ensures that both in the thermochemically treated layer and in the non-thermochemically treated layer of at least one molded component, the perlite formation is suppressed and below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the thermochemically treated layer, the rate of austenite in Martensite is maximized.

The method according to the invention is designed to prevent distortion on the at least one shaped component of the armor component to be produced. In spite of carburization or carbonitriding of the at least one sheet steel plate or of the at least one sheet steel preform, which is processed in the course of the method, delays in the at least one shaped component can be avoided by means of the method according to the invention. In particular, in an armor component with large external dimensions would make distortions adversely noticeable. Therefore, at least one board or a preform whose outer dimensions have a minimum surface area of 100 cm ² , in particular of 1,600 cm ² , preferably 2,500 cm ² , more preferably 10,000 cm ² , most preferably 22,500 cm ² . For this reason, the at least one board or preform suitably has a minimum extent in a surface direction of 10 cm, in particular 40 cm, preferably 50 cm, particularly preferably 100 cm, particularly preferably 150 cm.

The strength and toughness properties of the at least one molded component and thus also of the armor component to be manufactured can thereby be adjusted with regard to the potential stresses to which the armor component is designed or designed with regard to bombardment and impact, that the / at least one thermochemically treated board or preform one or more further optional, in particular non-forming, procedural steps is subjected. In this case, this is done at least one optional, in particular non-forming, process step after the end of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium used in carburizing or carbonitriding, but before heating for the purpose of hot forming.

For this purpose, hardening in the form of quenching the / of the at least one thermochemically treated board or preform is preferably selected as a further optional non-forming process step. In the course of this between the termination of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium and the heating for the purpose of hot forming non-forming process step, the / at least one board or preform starting from or with a temperature T _quench greater than or equal to the material- _specific Ac ₁ Temperature of the / at least one board or preform is quenched, wherein the / at least one board or preform is present in full or area by section at the beginning of the quenching process at the temperature T _quench . It is advantageous, when fully or surface sections of said non-chemically treated layer / the is at a cooling rate v _quench, the _ukrit greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific lower critical cooling rate v of at least one board or preform, namely at least up to below the martensite start Temperature M _{s of} the thermochemically treated layer is deterred. This ensures that, during quench hardening, at least one partial martensite transformation takes place both within the non-thermochemically treated layer and the thermochemically treated layer of the at least one blank or preform. In this case, it has been determined by the inventor that the quench hardening of the / of the at least one board or preform under at least partial martensite transformation surprisingly enhances the deflecting property of the armor component to be produced, especially with regard to bombardment, although the / at least one board or preform is at least partially downstream in time is reheated at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, hot worked, and press cured under at least partial martensite transformation both in the non-thermochemically treated layer and in the thermochemically treated layer. Preferably, the / at least one board or preform is quenched without exerting a form compulsion. Inventors side is therefore recognized that by between the completion of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium and the heating for the purpose of hot forming method practiced quench under martensite transformation despite downstream reheating at or above Ac ₁ temperature and hot forming of the product to with subsequent press-hardening the defense property Armor component can be further optimized.

Particularly preferred extent is completely or surface portion, with a cooling rate equal to or above the workpiece-specific upper critical cooling rate v of the core zone or not thermochemically treated layer _okrit of / of the at least deterred a board or preform, since then below martensite start temperature M _s of the thermochemically treated layer, the rate for austenite to martensite conversion is maximum.

Advantageously, the quench hardening of the / of the at least one circuit board or preform is carried out by means of water or at least one oil as quenching medium.

According to a preferred aspect of the method according to the invention, the / at least one board or preform after the thermochemical treatment - and in the case of performing a quenching process separate from the press-hardening after the quenching process - but tempered before heating for the purpose of hot forming. In this case, it has been found by the inventor that by tempering the / of at least one board or preform, the deflection property of the armoring component to be produced is increased, although the / at least one board or preform after the starting time downstream at least partially on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ - Reheated temperature, hot-formed and press-cured under at least partial martensite transformation both in the non-thermochemically treated layer and in the thermochemically treated layer. Moreover, the tempering of the thermochemically treated at least one circuit board or preform and the associated reduction of stresses occurring therein achieves, above all, the risk of brittle fracture of the thermochemically treated at least one printed circuit board or preform, which is in particular due to their being or being moved Transport from the location of the carburizing or carbonitriding plant to the location of the hot working and press hardening process is reduced.

According to an advantageous aspect of the method according to the invention, the at least one molded component is coated completely or in sections by electrochemical dip coating after the at least partial press hardening in the stamping press. The electrochemical dip coating is preferably carried out as cathodic dip coating. Thus, by performing the cathodic dip painting, an electrocoating layer is applied to the at least one molded component completely or in areas. Since the molecular constituents of this electrodeposition coating layer are crosslinked three-dimensionally with one another, the applied electrodeposition coating layer has a stable structure, as a result of which the deflecting property of the armor component to be produced can be further increased with respect to bombardment and in particular to impacting. In addition, the effect made in the course of cathodic dip painting separate acts or related heating of the mold component in addition positive on the Abwehr property of the armor component to be manufactured.

The invention also includes an armor component, in particular for a motor vehicle, which comprises at least one, in particular three-dimensional, molded component. The mold component has been obtained by carburizing or carbonitriding at least one / s steel plate or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and by a at least partial hot forming process after the carburization or carbonitriding process in a die press with an at least partial press-hardening process in the stamping press. The molding component has a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 mass percent in both the non-thermochemically treated and the thermochemically treated.

Furthermore, the molded component of the claimed armor _{component is} thermochemically treated over a surface area or surface area to a surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm in such a way that the thermochemically applied layer or boundary layer of the at least one molded component has a carbon content of at least 0.5 percent by mass and maximum 1.5 percent by mass and the at least one molded component, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass percent.

Fig. 1:

Eine Draufsicht auf eine Stahlblechplatine, die durch eine beschriebene Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens bearbeitet wird, vor Beginn des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 2:

Einen Querschnitt durch einen Ausschnitt der Stahlblechplatine nach Fig. 1 vor Beginn des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 3:

Eine Übersicht über die Prozessstationen, denen die Stahlblechplatine nach Fig. 1 gemäß der beschriebenen Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens im Zuge der einzelnen Verfahrensschritte zugeführt wird;

Fig. 4:

Einen Querschnitt durch den Ausschnitt nach Fig. 2 der Stahlblechplatine nach Fig. 1, die durch eine beschriebene Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens bearbeitet wird, im aufgekohlten Zustand nach der Entnahme aus einem Gasaufkohlungsofen;

Fig. 5:

Einen Querschnitt durch eine gegenüber Fig. 4 vergrößerte Ansicht durch einen Ausschnitt der aufgekohlten Stahlblechplatine nach Fig. 4 zusammen mit dem zugehörigen Verlauf des Kohlenstoff-Gehalts der Stahlblechplatine und

Fig. 6:

Einen Querschnitt durch einen Ausschnitt eines dreidimensionalen Formbauteils, in das die Stahlblechplatine nach Fig. 1 im Zuge der beschriebenen Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens umgeformt worden ist, nach Abschluss des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens

The at least one molding component has been obtained by forming the at least one thermochemically treated blank or preform, based on its total or partial area, starting at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature by means of the stamping press, in particular three-dimensionally and immediately thereafter, completely or in sections, in the die press with a cooling rate v greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate c _{ukrit of} the core zone or the non-thermochemically treated layer at least below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the boundary layer or the thermochemically treated layer has been cooled. The invention will be explained in a concrete embodiment with reference to drawings. In this case, from the description of the embodiment further goals, advantages, features and / or applications of the present invention. All described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination form the subject matter of the present invention, also independent of their summary in the claims or their dependency. The figures show:

Fig. 1:

A plan view of a sheet steel plate, which is processed by a described embodiment of the method according to the invention, before the start of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 2:

A cross section through a section of the sheet steel plate after Fig. 1 before the start of the process according to the invention;

3:

An overview of the process stations, which the sheet steel plate after Fig. 1 is supplied according to the described embodiment of the method according to the invention in the course of the individual process steps;

4:

A cross section through the neckline after Fig. 2 the sheet steel plate after Fig. 1 which is processed by a described embodiment of the method according to the invention, in the carburized state after removal from a gas carburizing furnace;

Fig. 5:

A cross section through one opposite Fig. 4 enlarged view through a section of the carburized sheet steel plate after Fig. 4 together with the associated course of the carbon content of the sheet steel plate and

Fig. 6:

A cross section through a section of a three-dimensional mold component into which the sheet steel plate after Fig. 1 has been reformed in the course of the described embodiment of the method according to the invention, after completion of the method according to the invention

The concrete embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing an armor component described here is an embodiment of the method according to the invention which has the features of the first basic type of method of the invention according to independent claim 1.

A coiled steel strip of 6.5 mm thickness is at least partially unwound, and then at least one steel plate 10 is cut off, which in Fig. 1 is shown in plan view before the beginning of the inventive method. The individual cut sheet steel plate 10 has a thickness c of 6.5 mm and a rectangular basic shape with edge lengths a and b of 100 x 80 cm. Thus, the sheet steel plate 10 has two opposite side surfaces or base surfaces 11 with the side lengths a equal to 100 cm and b equal to 80 cm and further four total opposite edge surfaces, namely, two first and two second edge surfaces. In this case, the two first edge surfaces each have a long edge length equal to the side length a of 100 cm, and a short edge length equal to the thickness of the steel sheet 10 of 6.5 mm, and the two second edge surfaces each have a long edge length , which is equal to the side length b of 80 cm, and a short edge length which is equal to the thickness of the sheet steel plate 10 of 6.5 mm. In Fig. 2 is a cross section through a section of the sheet steel plate 10 after Fig. 1 shown before the start of the inventive method, wherein the cross section through the sheet steel plate 10 is parallel to the longer edge with the edge length a executed.

• Kohlenstoff-Gehalt 0,2 bis 0,4 Massenprozent,
• Silicium-Gehalt 0,3 bis 0,8 Massenprozent,
• Mangan-Gehalt 1,0 bis 2,5 Massenprozent,
• Chrom-Gehalt 0,1 bis 2 Massenprozent,
• Molybdän-Gehalt 0,1 bis 1 Massenprozent,
• Nickel-Gehalt bis maximal 2 Massenprozent,
• Stickstoff-Gehalt bis maximal 0,05 Massenprozent,
• Phosphor-Gehalt bis maximal 0,05 Massenprozent,
• Schwefel-Gehalt bis maximal 0,02 Massenprozent,
• Aluminium-Gehalt bis maximal 0,08 Massenprozent,
• Kupfer-Gehalt bis maximal 2 Massenprozent,
• Cobalt-Gehalt bis maximal 2 Massenprozent,
• Bor-Gehalt bis maximal 0,01 Massenprozent,
• Niob-Gehalt bis maximal 0,08 Massenprozent,
• Wolfram-Gehalt bis maximal 1 Massenprozent,
• Vanadium-Gehalt bis maximal 0,4 Massenprozent,
• Titan-Gehalt bis maximal 0,05 Massenprozent,
• Rest Eisen und erschmelzungsbedingte Verunreinigungen.

The starting steel strip and thus the abgecoilte and cut steel plate 10 have a steel alloy with the following alloy composition:

• Carbon content 0.2 to 0.4 mass%,
• Silicon content 0.3 to 0.8 mass%,
• Manganese content 1.0 to 2.5 mass percent,
• Chromium content 0.1 to 2 mass%,
• Molybdenum content 0.1 to 1 mass%,
• Nickel content up to a maximum of 2% by mass,
• Nitrogen content up to a maximum of 0.05% by mass,
• Phosphorus content up to a maximum of 0.05% by mass,
• Sulfur content up to a maximum of 0.02 mass%,
• Aluminum content up to a maximum of 0.08 mass percent,
• Copper content up to 2% by mass,
• Cobalt content up to 2% by mass,
• Boron content up to 0.01 mass percent,
• Niobium content up to a maximum of 0.08% by mass,
• Tungsten content up to 1% by mass,
• Vanadium content up to 0.4 percent by mass,
• Titanium content up to a maximum of 0.05% by mass,
• Remaining iron and impurities caused by melting.

It is clear to the person skilled in the art that these alloy contents are spatially averaged values, ie. that is, within typical alloying element specific tolerance ranges, there are scatters in the alloy contents around these averages. With regard to the described embodiment of the method according to the invention, the averaged values in all three spatial dimensions have been averaged in the formation of these over any spatial direction over a range of at least 0.1 mm.

In the present embodiment, prior to the carburizing step of the method of the invention, the sheet steel blank 10 is not formed in one or more upstream forming processes into a sheet extending in all three spatial directions. Rather, the sheet steel plate 10 without previous forming process and thus subjected to the carburization process of the method according to the invention as a flat surface element.

Furthermore, according to the embodiment described here, no hardening protective paste which shields against carburization is applied to the sheet steel plate 10. Further, in the embodiment under consideration on the sheet steel plate 10, neither by arrangement or locking one or more separate, the carburizing shielding or at least reducing laminated body nor a side surface 11 or edge surface of the sheet steel plate against the carburization shielded by opposing arrangement and mutual locking another sheet steel plate.

According to the present embodiment of the method according to the invention, which in Fig. 3 in a general overview of the process stations to which the steel sheet 10 is supplied according to the described embodiment of the method according to the invention in the course of the individual process steps, the steel plate 10 is completely for the purpose of carburizing in a gas carburizing furnace 20, which includes a carburizing section 21, brought in.

The gas carburizing furnace 20 in the present embodiment is an atmosphere furnace. Within the gas carburizing furnace 20, the steel sheet 10 is _heated to a temperature T _{carburize greater} than the workpiece specific Ac ₃ temperature within a period of Δt _heat , _carburize . It is known to the person skilled in the art that the Ac ₃ temperature is also dependent on the heating speed. However, in the case of the embodiment described here, the heating rate is so low that the Ac ₃ temperature for this heating process is only a negligible value above the Ac ₃ temperature, which is for the present alloy composition for the idealized case of a quasi-static, ie quasi infinitely slow, warming applies. According to the specific embodiment, the steel sheet 10 in the gas carburizing furnace 20 is evenly heated to the temperature T _carburize , which is substantially 50 ° C. above the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature.

After heating the steel sheet 10 to the temperature T _carburize , the steel sheet 10 is carburized within the carburizing portion 21 of the gas carburizing furnace 20. In the embodiment described here, the carburizing zone 21 coincides with the interior of the gas carburizing furnace 20, so that no introduction of the heated sheet steel blank 10 into a separate carburizing area is carried out here within the gas carburizing furnace 20.

Subsequently, the heated steel sheet 10 is at or above the temperature T _carburize over a period of time .DELTA.t _carburize , which is _presently held embodiment 0.5 to 10 hours held, and by contact with at least one medium to the heated board 10 at least carbon the surface of the board 10, ie at the side surfaces 11 and edge surfaces, gives off, carburized on their total surface.

As stated above, according to the present embodiment, the gas carburizing furnace 20 is an atmosphere furnace. In the atmosphere furnace, a carrier gas comprising carbon monoxide as carbon releasing carburizing agent, besides hydrogen and nitrogen in the carrier gas, and methane as an enriching gas are also present. This achieves a controlled carburizing process. In the specific embodiment, the individual proportions in the carrier gas are essentially: about 20% carbon monoxide, about 40% hydrogen and about 40% nitrogen.

By the contact of the steel sheet 10 with the gas mixture at the gas mixture facing side surfaces 11 and edge surfaces of the steel sheet 10 diffuse carbon atoms from the side surfaces 11 and edge surfaces of the sheet steel plate 10 in the direction of the interior of the sheet steel plate 10 during the carburizing process. The sheet steel plate 10 is thereby carburized in its surface area.

Fig. 4 shows in cross section that section of the sheet steel plate 10, the in Fig. 2 is shown before the beginning of the process according to the invention, in the carburized Condition of the board 10 after completion of the diffusing action of the carburizing agent.

It can be seen that compared to the geometrical properties exhibited by the board 10 prior to the start of the carburizing process, the finished carburized board 10 has numerous distortions 12. That is, in many places, the outer dimensions 13 of the carburized board 10 deviate in an irregular manner from those outer dimensions 14 of the board 10 which they exhibited before the start of the carburizing process. Here are in Fig. 4 the outer dimensions 14 of the board 10, which has exhibited these before the start of the carburizing process, shown as dotted lines. Overall, therefore, deviates the outer profile of the carburized board 10 in an irregular manner from that outer course of the board 10, which has exhibited this before the start of the carburizing process.

In the context of the present invention, after completion of the carburizing process with respect to the gaseous mixture facing and - as in the present embodiment - not protected against the diffusing effect of the carburizing side surfaces 11 and edge surfaces in this particular case, a total contiguous and the entire surface area of Board 10 relevant edge layer has been formed, in which the carbon content is equal to or above 0.5 percent by mass. The edge layer extends to the so-called edge layer _depth d _carb into the interior of the board 10th

The formation of the boundary layer is in Fig. 5 , which in their lower part of a cross section through one opposite Fig. 4 enlarged view through a section of the carburized and the Gasaufkohlungsofen 20 removed sheet steel plate 10 shows, together with - in the upper part of Fig. 5 shown - associated course of the carbon content in the sheet steel plate 10 along a perpendicular to the side surfaces 11 of the board 10 stationary way d represented by the cross section shown. For the sake of clarity are in this lower part of Fig. 5 no distortion of the board 10 has been drawn.

In this case, as the edge layer _depth d _carb that distance from the gas mixture facing and not protected against the diffusing effect of the carburizing surface, ie here the side surfaces 11 and edge surfaces, the board 10 perpendicular to the inside of the board 10 to the point at which the carbon content has a value of 0.5 mass percent defined. Both in the lower part of Fig. 5 showing the section of the carburized steel sheet 10 as well as in the upper part of FIG Fig. 5 showing the course of the carbon content in the carburized sheet steel plate 10, the position or the course of the edge layer _depth d _carb is shown in dashed lines with respect to both side surfaces 11 of the board 10.

According to the present embodiment, the temperature T _carburize , the time interval .DELTA.t _heat , _carburize and the concentrations of the carrier and enrichment gas, in particular the carbon monoxide concentration in the enrichment gas, matched to one another such that the sheet steel plate 10 at the boundary layer 15 facing the gas mixture , That is, in the present case on the side surfaces 11 and edge _surfaces, carburized to a _surface layer _depth d _carb such that the carburized layer has a carbon content between 0.5 and 0.8 mass percent. In the _exemplary embodiment described here, the edge layer _depth d _{carb has} a value of 1.5 mm.

In the embodiment of carburizing the sheet steel plate 10 described here, the term or the size of the _surface layer _depth d _{carb is} synonymous or identical with the term or the size of the carburizing depth At _0.5 . In the context of the present invention, that region of the carburized sheet steel plate 10, which faces away from the carburizing medium during the carburization process and has a carbon content of less than 0.5 mass percent, is referred to as core zone 16 or as a non-carburized layer of thickness e. In the embodiment described here, the core zone 16 lies inside the carburized sheet steel plate 10 and is enclosed by the edge layer 15 of the board 10 with respect to the environment.

In addition, in the context of the present invention, that portion of the carburized sheet steel blank 10, which during the carburization process the Carburizing medium facing and has a carbon content greater than or equal to 0.5 percent by mass, referred to as the edge layer 15 or edge zone or as a carburized layer.

After completion of the diffusing effect of the carburizing agent, the carburized board 10 is removed from the gas carburizing furnace 20 in the still-heated condition and immediately thereafter completely introduced into an oil bath 30 where it is quenched and hardened by the action of the oil present therein. The oil present in the oil bath 30 thus acts as quenching medium or quenching agent on the circuit board 10. Due to the fact that the carburized board 10 has been held immediately after the termination of the diffusing effect of the carburizing agent, the board 10 being held at the time of termination of the diffusing effect at the temperature T _carburize , which in turn is above the workpiece specific Ac ₃ temperature is the carburized board 10 with a temperature T _quench which is greater than or equal to the Ac ₁ temperature, introduced into the oil bath 30.

In this case, at least the parameters type, amount and initial temperature of the oil present in the oil bath 30 are coordinated so that the effect of acting in the oil bath 30 on the oil with the temperature T _quench , which is greater than or equal to the Ac ₁ temperature, the board 10 completely or areawise with a cooling rate v _quench greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _ukrit the core zone 16 and the non-carburized layer without exerting a form constraint at least until below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the edge layer 15 and the carburized layer is deterred.

Since the quench hardening of the carburized board 10 within the oil bath 30 starting at a temperature greater than or equal to the Ac ₁ temperature at a cooling rate greater than or equal to the lower critical cooling rate v _{ukrit of} the core zone 16 at least below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the boundary layer 15, martensite formation occurs throughout quench hardening within the entire board 10. Since the Carbon content in the boundary layer 15 is greater than in the carbon content in the core zone 16, while the hardness of the martensite formed in the edge layer 15 is greater than the hardness of the martensite formed in the core zone 16. In the specific embodiment of the present embodiment of the method according to the invention, the carburized board 10 is cooled to room temperature in the course of quenching.

In the course of the quench hardening of the carburized board 10, martensite formation occurs both within the boundary layer 15 and within the core zone 16. In this case, in analogy to the martensite formation described for the basic types of process of the invention in the course of subsequent press hardening, the edge layer 15 has a greater hardness compared to the core zone 16 after the quench hardening has been carried out, since the carbon content of the surface layer 15 is greater than the carbon content the core zone 15 is. These strength properties present after the quench hardening have an advantageous effect on those strength properties which the molding component 60 has after the completion of the entire process according to the invention.

Due to the quench hardening of the carburized board 10 within the oil bath 30 without exercising a form constraint while the delays 12 of the board 10 with respect to the outer dimensions, which has shown the board 10 before the beginning of the carburizing process, even more.

According to a further embodiment, it is conceivable that in deviation to the in Fig. 3 sketched embodiment of the method according to the invention, following the quench hardening spent the quenched board 10 in a tempering furnace and there is tempered by heating up to and holding at a tempering temperature T _temper . The tempering process reduces or reduces stresses generated by quenching. After tempering, the thus treated board 10 cools down to room temperature. In a specific embodiment of this further embodiment, the tempering temperature T _{temper has} a value of 200 ° C. and the tempering time t _{temper has} a value of 2 hours.

According to the present embodiment of the method according to the invention, which in Fig. 3 is shown in a general overview of the process stations, the cooled to room temperature board 10 is heated for the purpose of subsequent hot forming and press hardening by means of a heating device 40 completely at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature. For this purpose, the circuit board 10 is placed in an oven 40 and heated there at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature. In the specific embodiment of this present embodiment, the furnace 40 is a chamber furnace. In an alternative embodiment of this present embodiment, it is provided that the furnace 40 is a continuous furnace, specifically a roller hearth furnace.

The carbon content of the core zone 16 is below 0.5 percent by mass and thus completely in the hypoeutectoid region. Since, in the present exemplary embodiment, the carbon content of the boundary layer 15 is between 0.5 and 0.8 percent by mass, the carbon content of the boundary layer 15 is thus completely in the hypoeutectoid region. Therefore, it is conceivable according to an advantageous variant of the present embodiment of the inventive method, if the cooled to room temperature board 10 for the purpose of subsequent hot forming and press hardening completely or surface sections even on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature of the surface layer 15 and the carburized Layer is heated. Since here also the carbon content of the surface layer 15 is completely in the hypoeutectoid region, it comes in the course of caused by the heating austenization above the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature of the surface layer 15 and the carburized layer not to coarse grain formation, the strength properties of To be manufactured armor component is detrimental.

Subsequently, the board 10 heated at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature is spent from the furnace 40 into the mold cavity 53 of an open die press 50 by means of an automatic gripping device well known in the art. Thereafter, the die press 50 continues to perform the actual hot forming step, ie, by reducing the distance between the lower die 51 and the upper die 52 of the Die press 50, the carburized and heated board 10 is formed into a desired three-dimensional mold member 60. In this case, according to the present exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, the forming process concerns the complete circuit board 10. It is ensured by a narrow time interval between the movement of the heated blank 10 into the mold cavity 53 and the start of the hot forming that the blank 10 at the beginning of the hot forming above the Ac ₁ temperature is present.

The mold component 60 present after the hot-forming step has a three-dimensionally extending edge layer 65 or a carburized layer with the edge layer _depth d _carb , the edge layer 65 of the edge layer 15 formed during the carburizing of the board 10 taking into account the three-dimensional deformation equivalent. Furthermore, the mold component 60 comprises in its interior a three-dimensionally extending core zone 66 or a non-carburized layer with a thickness e, the core zone 66 corresponding to the core zone 16 formed during the carburizing of the circuit board 10 taking into account the three-dimensional forming.

According to the present exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, starting with the forming, the at least one shaped component 60 in the die press 50 is completely at a cooling rate v greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the core zone 66 or the non-carburized layer of the mold component 60 is, at least until below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the edge layer 65 and the carburized layer of the mold member 60 cooled, the die press 50 is at least temporarily closed during cooling. That is, the molding member 60 is press-hardened in the die press 50. Since the lower critical cooling rate of the edge layer 65 of the mold component 60 is less than or equal to the lower critical cooling rate v _{ukrit of} the core zone 66 of the mold member 60 due to the higher carbon content of the edge layer 65 and also the cooling in the course of press hardening at least until below martensite start Temperature M _{s of} the edge layer 65 takes place, it comes in the course of press hardening within the entire mold member 60 to martensite formation. Here are the Strength properties of both the edge layer 65 and the core zone 66 of the mold member 60 again increased or positively influenced against those strength properties, as they have been present in the board 10 after completion of quenching.

Furthermore, hot forming and press hardening in the die press 50 ensures that the mold component 60 no longer has any distortions. D. h., At any point deviates from the outer shape of the mold member 60 of the planned or intended course, the at least one mold member 60 in the armor component to be manufactured at least constructively within the tolerance fields should or must.

A cross section through a section of a three-dimensional mold component 60, in which the sheet steel plate 10 after Fig. 1 has been converted in the course of the described embodiment of the method according to the invention, after completion of the method according to the invention, ie after completion of the press-hardening, is in Fig. 6 shown.

The mold component 60 present after execution of hot forming and press hardening is also completely coated by cathodic dip coating according to the exemplary embodiment described here. As a result of the cathodic dip coating, an electrocoating layer is thus completely applied to the molded component.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Steel sheet metal blank

11

side surface

12

Distortions of the sheet steel plate

13

Outer dimensions of the carburized sheet steel plate

14

External dimensions of the sheet steel plate before carburizing

15

boundary layer

16

core zone

20

Carburizing plant, gas carburizing furnace

21

carburizing

30

oil bath

40

Heating device, oven

50

die press

51

lower die

52

upper die

53

mold cavity

60

mold component

65

boundary layer

66

core zone

a, b

Side or edge length of the sheet steel plate

c

Thickness of the sheet steel plate

d

Running variable of the thickness of the sheet steel plate

d _carb

Case depth

e

Thickness of the core zone

Claims (19)

A method for producing an armor component by at least partially carburizing at least one steel sheet (10) or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and the carburizing time-lag, in particular three-dimensional, at least partial hot working and subsequent at least partial press hardening in a die press (50), wherein - the / at least one board (10) or preform before carburizing has a carbon content less than 0.5 mass percent, both the at least one printed circuit board (10) or preform and the armor component produced have a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass, - for the purpose of carburizing the / said at least one circuit board (10) or preform is introduced into a Aufkohlungsanlage (20) and there under heating at or above a temperature T _carburize, which is greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature, and then holding at or above the temperature T _carburize over a period of time Δt _carburize by contact with at least one medium, the at least one heated board (s) (10) or preform at least carbon at those surface portions which are in a carburizing region ( 21) of the carburizing plant (20) and have not been protected from the diffusing effect of the at least one medium emits, is carburized on its / its total or partial area up to a _surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm such that the carburized layer of the at least one board (10) or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 mass and at least one finished carburized board (10) or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone (16) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass% is after expiration of the period of time .DELTA.t _carburize for the / the at least one circuit board (10) or preform, the diffusing effect of the at least one medium is terminated, - The / at least one board (10) or preform between the termination of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium and the heating for the purpose of hot forming one or more further optional, non-forming process steps can be subjected - the / at least one carburized and the carburizing system (20) removed board (10) or preform, regardless of the making of one or more additional optional, non-forming process steps after the termination of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium, in particular until is cooled to room temperature, cooled, for the purpose of at least partial hot forming by means of a heating device (40) completely or area by section at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, - the / at least one heated board (10) or preform is placed in the mold cavity (53) of the open die press (50), - Then the / the at least one board (10) or preform is formed by closing the die press (50) in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, shaped component, wherein at the beginning of the forming step, the / at least one board (10) or preform completely or surface sections is still at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and starting at or after the forming, the at least one shaped component in the stamping press (50) is completely or areawise with a cooling rate v which is greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the non-carburized layer, at least until below the martensite start temperature M _{s of} the carburized layer is cooled, wherein the die press (50) is at least temporarily closed during cooling. A method for producing an armor component by at least partially carburizing at least one steel sheet (10) or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and the carburizing temporally downstream, in particular three-dimensional, at least partial hot working and subsequent at least partial press hardening in a die press (50) - the / at least one board (10) or preform before carburizing has a carbon content less than 0.5 mass percent, both the at least one printed circuit board (10) or preform and the armor component produced have a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass, - for the purpose of carburizing the / said at least one circuit board (10) or preform is introduced into a Aufkohlungsanlage (20) and there under heating at or above a temperature T _carburize, which is greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific Ac ₃ temperature, and then holding at or above the temperature T _carburize over a period of time Δt _carburize by contact with at least one medium, the at least one heated board (s) (10) or preform at least carbon at those surface portions which are in a carburizing region ( 21) of the carburizing plant (20) and have not been protected from the diffusing effect of the at least one medium emits, is carburized on its / its total or partial area up to a _surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm such that the carburized layer of the at least one board (10) or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 mass and at least one finished carburized board (10) or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone (16) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass% is after the expiry of the period of time Δt _carburize for the / the at least one (n) board (10) or preform by their removal from the Carburizing plant (20) the diffusing effect of the at least one medium is terminated and the / at least one board (10) or preform is placed in the mold cavity (53) of the open die press (50), - Then the / at least one board (10) or preform by closing the die press (50), in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, molded component is formed, wherein at the beginning of the forming step, the / at least one board (10) or preform completely or surface section is still present on or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and starting at or after the forming, the at least one shaped component in the stamping press (50) is completely or areawise with a cooling rate v which is greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the non-carburized layer, at least until below the martensite start temperature M _{s of} the carburized layer is cooled, wherein the die press (50) is at least temporarily closed during cooling. A method for producing an armor component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carburizing plant (20) is a Gasaufkohlungsofen (20) and the at least one medium, the carbon to the / at least one (n) board (10) or preform emits , is present in gaseous form. A method for producing an armor component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carburizing region (21) is a carburizing bath and the liquid is present at least one medium, the carbon to the / at least one (n) board (10) or preform , A method for producing an armor component by at least partially carbonitriding at least one steel sheet (10) or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and the Carbonitriding temporally downstream, in particular three-dimensional, at least partial hot working and subsequent at least partial press hardening in a die press (50), wherein - the / at least one board (10) or preform before carbonitriding has a carbon content less than 0.5 mass percent, both the at least one printed circuit board (10) or preform and the armor component produced have a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass, - For the purpose of carbonitriding the / at least one board (10) or preform introduced into a carbonitriding plant and there under heating at or above a temperature T _carbonitride , in particular greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and then hold at or above the temperature T _{carbonitrides} over a period of time Δt _carbonitride by contact with one or more media, the at least one heated board (s) (10) or preform at least carbon and nitrogen on those Surface areas which have been introduced into a carbonitriding area of the carbonitriding plant and have not been protected from the diffusing effect of the at least one medium, at its total area or partial area up to a boundary layer _depth d _carb of at least 0, 3 mm is carbonitriert such that the carbonitrided layer of / at least one board (10) or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 percent by mass and at most 1.5 percent by mass, and the at least one finished carbonitrided board (10) or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone (16 ) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass%, after expiration of the period of time Δt _carbonitride for which the at least one circuit board (10) or preform the diffusing effect of the at least one medium is terminated, - The / at least one board (10) or preform between the Termination of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium and the heating for the purpose of hot working may be subjected to one or more further optional, non-forming process steps, the at least one carbonitrided board (10) or preform, which has cooled independently of the execution of one or more further optional non-forming process steps after the end of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium, in particular up to room temperature, for Purposes of at least partial hot forming by means of a heating device (40) is heated completely or surface sections at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, - the / at least one board (10) or preform is placed in the mold cavity (53) of the open die press (50), - Then the / the at least one board (10) or preform is formed by closing the die press (50) in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, shaped component, wherein at the beginning of the forming step, the / at least one board (10) or preform completely or surface sections is still at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and starting at or after the forming, the at least one shaped component in the stamping press (50) is completely or area-wise with a cooling rate v which is greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the non-carbonitrided layer, at least until below the martensite start Temperature M _{s of} the carbonitrided layer is cooled, wherein the die press (50) is at least temporarily closed during cooling. Process for the production of an armor component by at least partially carbonitriding at least one steel sheet (10) or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and carbonitriding in time, in particular three-dimensional, at least partial Hot forming and then at least partial press hardening in a die press (50), wherein - the / at least one board (10) or preform before carbonitriding has a carbon content less than 0.5 mass percent, both the at least one printed circuit board (10) or preform and the armor component produced have a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass, - For the purpose of carbonitriding the / at least one board (10) or preform introduced into a carbonitriding plant and there under heating at or above a temperature T _carbonitride , in particular greater than or equal to the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and then hold at or above the temperature T _{carbonitrides} over a period of time Δt _carbonitride by contact with one or more media, the at least one heated board (s) (10) or preform at least carbon and nitrogen on those Surface areas which have been introduced into a carbonitriding area of the carbonitriding plant and have not been protected from the diffusing effect of the at least one medium, at its total area or partial area up to a boundary layer _depth d _carb of at least 0, 3 mm is carbonitriert such that the carbonitrided layer of / at least one board (10) or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 percent by mass and at most 1.5 percent by mass, and the at least one finished carbonitrided board (10) or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone (16 ) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass%, - After expiration of the period .DELTA.t _carbonitride for / the at least one (n) board (10) or preform by their / removal from the carbonitriding plant the diffusing effect of at least one medium is terminated and the / at least one board (10 ) or preform into the mold cavity (53) of the open die press (50) is spent - Then the / the at least one board (10) or preform is formed by closing the die press (50) in at least one, in particular three-dimensional, shaped component, wherein at the beginning of the forming step, the / at least one board (10) or preform completely or surface sections is still at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature, and - starting with or after the forming, the at least one molding component in the die press (50) completely or surface sections with a cooling rate v which is greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _ucrit the non-carbonitrided layer, at least until below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the carbonitrided layer is cooled, wherein the die press (50) is at least temporarily closed during cooling. A method for producing an armor component according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the carbonitriding is a salt bath and the at least one medium, the carbon and nitrogen to the / at least one (n) board (10) or preform is liquid. A method for producing an armor component according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the carbonitriding is a carbonitriding and at least one medium, the carbon and nitrogen to the / at least one (n) board (10) or preform emits gaseous. A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that both the / at least one board (10) or preform and the armor component produced a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.3 mass percent, in particular 0.35 Percent by mass, preferably 0.45 mass%. A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the / at least one board (10) or preform at its / its total or partial area up to an edge layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.5 mm, in particular 1.0 mm, preferably 1.5 mm, particularly preferably 2.0 mm, is thermochemically treated in such a way that the thermochemically treated layer of the at least one board (10) or preform has a carbon content of at least 0.5 mass percent and at most 1.5 percent by mass, and the at least one finished thermochemically treated board (10) or preform, based on any point of its total area, has a core zone (16) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass percent , A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one molded component based on any point of its thermochemically treated layer, the thermochemically treated layer has a portion having a carbon content greater than or equal to 0.6 mass percent, in particular 0.7 mass%, preferably 0.8 mass%. A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1, 3 to 5 and 7 to 11, characterized in that the / at least one board (10) or preform for the purpose of at least partial hot working completely or areawise on or above the Ac ₃ - Temperature of the non-thermochemically treated layer is heated and is still present at or above the Ac ₃ temperature of the non-thermochemically treated layer at the beginning of the forming step. Method for producing an armor component according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the cooling rate v, with which the at least one molding component in the stamping press (50) is cooled completely or in sections, beginning with or after the forming, greater than or equal to the workpiece specific upper critical cooling rate v _{okrit of} its non-thermochemically treated layer. A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the / of at least one board (10) or preform based on its / its outer dimensions a minimum surface area of 100 cm ² , in particular of 1,600 cm ² , preferably of 2,500 cm ² , more preferably of 10,000 cm ² , most preferably of 22,500 cm ² , with a minimum extent in a direction of area of 10 cm, in particular 40 cm, preferably 50 cm, more preferably 100 cm, most preferably 150 cm , A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1, 3 to 5 and 7 to 14, characterized in that the / at least one board (10) or preform after completion of the diffusing effect of the at least one medium but before heating to The purpose of hot forming starting from a temperature T _quench greater than or equal to the Ac ₁ temperature completely or area by section with a cooling rate v _quench greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _ukrit the non-thermochemically treated layer, in particular without exerting a form compulsion, at least to below Martensite start temperature M _{s of} the thermochemically treated layer is quenched. A method for producing an armor component according to claim 15, characterized in that the / of at least one board (10) or preform is quenched by means of water or at least one oil as a quenching medium. A method for producing an armor component according to one of claims 1, 3 to 5 and 7 to 16, characterized in that the / at least one board (10) or preform after the thermochemical treatment - and im Case of performing quenching separate from press-hardening after the quenching process - but tempering before heating for hot-forming. Armor component, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one, in particular three-dimensional, molded component, wherein the at least one molded component by carburizing or carbonitriding at least one / s steel plate (10) or sheet steel preform with a minimum thickness of 2 mm and by a the carburization or carbonitriding process in time downstream at least partial hot forming process has been obtained in a die press (50) with a subsequent at least partial press hardening process in the die press (50), wherein the at least one molded component has a silicon content greater than or equal to 0.2 percent by mass, - Wherein the at least one molded component is thermochemically treated so to the surface layer _depth d _carb of at least 0.3 mm over the entire surface or surface _sections , that the thermochemically applied layer of at least one molded component has a carbon content of at least 0.5 percent by mass and a maximum of 1.5 Has mass percent and the at least one molded component based on any point of its total area has a core zone (66) in which the carbon content is less than 0.5 mass percent, and - wherein the / at least one thermochemically treated board (10) or preform, based on its / its total or partial area, starting at or above the workpiece-specific Ac ₁ temperature by means of the die press (50), in particular three-dimensional, reshaped and directly thereafter has been cooled completely or in sections in the die press (50) at a cooling rate v greater than or equal to the workpiece specific lower critical cooling rate v _{ucrit of} the non-thermochemically treated layer at least below martensite start temperature M _{s of} the thermochemically treated layer. Use of an armor component according to claim 18 for arming a person or an object, in particular a building, a building, an aircraft, a watercraft, a land vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle, both in the military and in the civil area.

Images