Hot stamping of steel was introduced in the late 1990s and used to make car parts such as door and bumper beams. Car manufacturers turned to the process as a way of improving safety and fuel savings while reducing vehicle weight, according to Fabricating & Metalworking.
The hot stamping process consists of heating the steel to high temperatures, forming it, and quickly cooling or quenching it in a die under a hydraulic press. More complex parts may be formed before heating, a process that increases their tolerance to stress.
The heating and quenching harden the steel. Quenching under pressure reduces spring back, the tendency of sheet metal to return to its original shape after bending. Hot stamping is especially useful in making precision parts with exact specifications.