Boron-manganese steel 22MnB5 is extensively used in structural automotive components. Knowledge about its microstructural evolution during hot stamping and resistance spot welding (RSW) is extremely relevant to guarantee compliance with application requirements. Particularly, corrosion properties are critical to the application of uncoated sheet steels. However, microstructural studies are usually simplified to top-hat geometries, which might not be fully representative of the complex thermomechanical cycles locally faced by a real component. Therefore, the present work brings an extensive characterization of a hot-stamped 22MnB5 automotive B-pillar in terms of microstructure, hardness and corrosion resistance, which were correlated with a reverse engineering of the process using numerical simulation. Physical simulations of the subcritical heat affected zone (SCHAZ) of RSW were done to assess the influence of microstructure on martensite tempering. Results showed that the component undergoes a complex strain distribution along its body during hot stamping. Most heavily strained regions presented higher amounts of ferrite, leading to poorer corrosion resistance, since ferrite behaves as an anode. Physical simulations of the SCHAZ showed that the softening degree due to martensite tempering is solely affected by peak temperature, while other microstructural features appear to exert negligible or no influence. Boronmanganese Boron manganese MnB 22MnB components (RSW requirements Particularly steels However tophat top hat geometries Therefore hotstamped stamped Bpillar B pillar simulation (SCHAZ anode temperature

Rare earth elements reportedly improve high temperature strength and creep resistance of Mg alloys. In the present work, ZK60 Mg alloys containing different amounts (0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 wt.%) of rare earth additions were prepared by thixocasting and submitted to solution and ageing heat treatments (T4, T5 and T6). The as-cast and heat treated microstructures were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and hardness was evaluated as a function of heat treatment parameters. In the as-cast state, the alloys are formed by globular α-Mg grains reinforced by a network of composite Mg-Zn-RE precipitates with either smooth or lamellar/acicular morphologies. Solution of the smooth precipitates took place in alloys containing 0.5 and 1.5wt.%RE for T4-500 ºC but no precipitates were dissolved with T4-380 ºC. The optimum temperature for T5 and T6 was identified as 175 ºC, while T6-500 ºC led to the highest hardness, followed by T5 and T6-380 ºC, respectively.