The object
Siegfried Kolnberger co-developed corrosion-protected press-hardened steel for vehicle components. The manufactured material combines high strength, lower component mass and zinc-based corrosion protection in industrial automotive production, with team-level attribution spanning alloy, coating and forming development.
What Siegfried did
Co-developed zinc-coated press-hardened steels and manufacturing methods for lighter, corrosion-protected automotive components.
Why it matters
The technology made zinc-coated press-hardened car-body components viable at production scale, linking safety, weight reduction and durability.
Living-status check
A 2 October 2025 patent publication names Kolnberger as co-inventor of a process for conditioning heat-treated galvanised steel sheets, and a 7 October 2025 grant names him on high-strength press-hardened steel material.