Patent ID: 8839652

Claim:
A method for press-hardening a metallic formed structure made of a hardenable steel sheet, comprising the steps of: heating the steel sheet above a transition temperature Ac 3 ; placing the heated steel sheet in a cooled press tool having a forming tool with at least one uncooled contour section for forming a region of reduced hardness; clamping marginal regions of the steel sheet with a sheet holder arrangement, said sheet holder arrangement having an inner sheet holder and an outer sheet holder, wherein the inner sheet holder is located closer to the forming tool than the outer sheet holder, said sheet holder arrangement further configured to slow down flow of the marginal regions into the forming tool; and closing the press tool to form the steel sheet at the start of the forming phase; holding the marginal region of the steel sheet only with the outer sheet holder in a first portion of the forming phase while partially drawing the steel sheet into the press tool, and thereafter releasing the outer sheet holder and holding the marginal region of the steel sheet with the inner sheet holder in a second portion of the forming phase, while fully drawing the steel sheet into the press tool.