A New Concept in Formable High Strength Steel

A new approach to forming high strength steels is proposed and its feasibility demonstrated. The proposed method involves relationship between steel composition and heat treatment which allows specific steels to be formed at low strength levels and subsequently strengthened, without distortion, by a martensitic transformation. The steel chosen to demonstrate the concept could be formed at 40 ksi yield strength and subsequently strengthened by a short heat treatment to yield strengths in excess of 100 ksi.