Patent ID: 8820615

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a steel component comprising the steps of: providing a first steel part and a second steel part, the first and second steel parts each having a carbon content up to 1.5 percent by weight, heating at least a portion of the first steel part and at least a portion of the second steel part to a first temperature above an alpha/gamma transformation temperature of the first steel part, the second steel part, or both, after heating the first and second steel parts, joining the first steel part and the second steel part by welding the heated portions of the two steel parts to form the steel component, the welding taking place in an environment that is at a second temperature above the alpha/gamma transformation temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature, cooling the heated portions of the two steel parts to the second temperature, after joining the first steel part and the second steel part; and cooling the heated portions of the two steel parts from the second temperature to below the alpha/gamma transformation temperature such that hardening of the component is avoided.