Flash Bainite Processing employs rapid thermal cycling (<10s) to strengthen commercial off the shelf (COTS) steel sheet, plate, and tubing into advanced high strength steel (AHSS). In a continuous process, induction technology heats a narrow segment of the steel cross section in just seconds to atypically high temperatures (1000-1300°C). Quenching substantially immediately follows. Flash Processing optimizes the inherent heterogeneity of steelmaking to form a complex intra-granular multi-chemistry, mixture of bainite, martensite, and other morphologies. Carbon migration and carbide dissolution are controlled by limiting time in the austenitic range. Unlike conventional heat treating, homogeneity is intentionally avoided. Flashing steel such as AISI1010 (1100MPa UTS), AISI1020 (1500MPa UTS), AISI1330 (1800MPa UTS), and 13Cr (1800MPa) has shown excellent room temperature stampability. Flash 1500 has room temp stamped into complex shapes including B-pillars and automotive seat components. Flash 1800 has shown <2T bends in complex geometry from 1 to 2mm thick 400x2000mm sheets.

Flash Bainite Processing employs rapid thermal cycling (<10s) to strengthen commercial off the shelf (COTS) steel sheet, plate, and tubing into AHSS. In a continuous process, induction technology heats a narrow segment of the cross section in just seconds to atypically high temperatures (1000-1300°C). Quenching substantially immediately follows. Flash Processing utilizes inherent heterogeneity of steel creating multi-chemistry, complex mixtures of approximately 20% bainite and 80% martensite. Carbide dissolution and carbon migration are controlled by limiting time in the austenite temperature range. Unlike conventional heat treating to create advanced high strength steels (AHSS), homogeneity is intentionally avoided and non-equilibrium conditions are created. The leanest prior ferritic regions transform to bainite while prior pearlite forms martensite. A 7-10% higher yield/tensile strength product results with the beneficial ductility of the bainite constituent. Flashed AISI1010 (1100MPa UTS) and AISI1020 (1500MPa UTS) have shown exceptional room temperature stamp-ability to 0T/1T bend radii. The 1500MPa formability of 3G-AHSS is achievable. Flash Bainite offers simultaneous weight and cost savings.