This work proposes a more energy efficient process chain for the zinc coating and austenitisation of 22MnB5 steel. It proves the proposed process´s feasibility by producing demonstrator components.

Four experiments and a simulation were developed to investigate whether the proposed new process is feasible. These included hardness and tensile tests to determine if the process could improve the physical properties of 22MnB5.

Iterative experiments were used to find a usable zinc alloy employed in the austenitisation and coating of 22MnB5. Hot strip draw tests were used to investigate the surface friction characteristics of 22MnB5 coated with the developed zinc alloy. The forming characteristics of 22MnB5 after austenitisation were investigated by producing a bulge shaped component that was austenitised in a bath filled with the developed zinc based heating alloy.

The simulation clarified how 22MnB5 influenced the zinc bath during the dipping process. It was evident from the results that the proposed new process is feasible and that this process can result in significant energy savings.