In its simplest explanation hot stamping consists of five operations: (1) blanking (or cutting-to-length), (2) forming, (3) heating, (4) cooling (quenching) and (5) trimming/piercing. Each process route listed below has a distinct order or type of these operations.| AHSS Guidelines
Steels with a fully martensitic microstructure are associated with the highest tensile strength – grades with a tensile strength of 2000 MPa is commercially available, and higher strength levels are under development.| AHSS Guidelines