Modern cars, which should be as light as possible and yet safe, consist of up to 40 percent so-called press-hardened components. The reduced weight significantly lowers CO2 emissions during vehicle operation. The manufacturing process of these components, on the other hand, is associated with high emissions. In the industrial press-hardening process, sheet metal blanks are usually heated in ovens up to 40 metres long. In order to bring these ovens to a temperature of 950 °C, fossil fuels are usually necessary. In addition, due to long heating and cooling times, the large furnaces often continue to be heated even during a production shutdown.
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