日本高周波鋼業 Company Profile

We will be exhibiting at the Automotive Technology Exhibition, "The Technology of People and Cars 2012," held at Pacifico Yokohama from May 23 (Wednesday) to May 25 (Friday), 2012. The Japan High-Frequency Steel Group has a long history as a pioneer in the special steel industry in our country and has always been committed to the development of new products and technologies. Currently, our group companies are collaborating across a wide range of businesses, including tool steel, special alloys and bearing steel, cast products, mold and tool products, and distribution, receiving high praise from many customers. We invite you to visit our booth during this opportunity. Venue: Yokohama International Conference Center (Pacifico Yokohama) Address: 1-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture Dates: May 23 (Wednesday) to May 25 (Friday), 2012, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Admission: Free We look forward to your visit.

We applied for the 22nd Technology Award from the Japan Society of Die and Mould Technology with our NOGA and KS-G as "High Durability High Tensile Steel Plate Forming Molds." As a result, we are pleased to announce that we have been awarded. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who supported us. With this announcement, we can now state that "the award has been decided." The expression "has been awarded" will be possible after the award ceremony on June 21.

**Content Overview** Kobe Steel's subsidiary, Japan High-Frequency Steel, has developed a surface treatment technology that increases the durability of molds for automotive steel sheets by 4 to 5 times compared to conventional methods. As automotive steel sheets are being strengthened for weight reduction, the increased damage to molds has become a challenge. The new technology alleviates the impact on molds during the steel sheet forming process, allowing automotive companies to reduce the hassle of mold replacement and enhance production efficiency. Toyota Motor Corporation and Hino Motors have decided to adopt this technology. Toyota reportedly uses it for processing suspension components. A 10-micrometer film is formed on the mold surface using titanium-based or chromium-based materials. By reviewing the composition of the film material, the durability against heat and impact generated from the friction between the mold and the steel sheet has been improved. The overheating temperature during film formation is set at 450 degrees, which is over 500 degrees lower than conventional methods, thus minimizing mold distortion due to high temperatures. **Features of KS-G** - High surface pressure resistance → Possesses excellent surface resistance and does not break even under high surface pressure - Wear resistance → Does not wear even under harsh press forming conditions - Heat resistance → No degradation of film performance even at high temperatures - Dimensional characteristics → Pressing is possible as usual even with high-tensile materials exceeding 780 MPa