Introduction to the metallurgic characteristics of advanced high-strength steels for automobile applications

摘要

The development of steels for use in automobile manufacture has attempted to satisfy the continuing demand for reduced weight, even in consideration of the increased weight due to the presence of ever more efficient and sophisticated safety devices. However, resorting to traditional high strength steels in place of carbon steels or other conventional grades can have negative aspects, such as reduced formability; for this reason, the Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) represent an optimal solution to both, apparently conflicting, demands, thanks to their fine multiphase microstructure. The scope of this article is to provide an overview of the fundamental characteristics of such steels, now regularly used industrially both domestically and overseas.