Process and installation for producing a press-hardened sheet steel component

The invention relates to a process and an installation for producing a press-hardened sheet steel component, comprising the steps of: a) heating (step S1) a component blank, formed from a hot-workable steel sheet, at least to the austenitizing temperature of the steel material by means of a heating device (20), b) hot working (step S2) the component blank by means of a forming tool (24), c) cooling (step S3) the component blank in the forming tool (24) to a temperature above the material-specific martensite finish temperature, preferably to a temperature of at least 200 DEG C, d) transferring (step S4) the component blank from the forming tool (24) to a heating device (26), e) tempering (step S5) the component blank while stabilizing the austenite by means of the heating device (26), wherein the component blank is transferred directly from the forming tool (24) to the heating device (26) (step S4) while avoiding cooling of the component blank to less than the material-specific martensite finish temperature, preferably less than 200 DEG C.