The Hot Forging Line shown features three hydraulic presses, along with automated handling and heating equipment. They are all integrated by transfer robots to create a complete forge line.
Typical Hot Forging Lines comprise:
- Induction heating equipment
- High tonnage upset, piercing and blanking presses
- Final profiling and sizing presses
Each robot is equipped with end-of-arm tooling (grippers), whose construction and protection are appropriate to a hot forging production environment. The automated handling ensures labour cost savings and safer working practices.
A down-stroke hydraulic upsetting press forms a round billet from a cut bar 200mm x 200mm. The press produces a defined dimensional billet to the correct length and diameter. A down-stroke hydraulic piercing press takes the upset billet and forms a cup-shaped ‘bottle’. Finally, an up-stroking hydraulic draw press takes the pierced billet and ‘draws’ it to its final length and diameter.
Billet Heating
The induction heater offers 2 MW of power to heat the cut-to-length billets to 1,300°C. The induction heater utilises a twin opposed heavy-duty pinch wheel drive system, complete with a rugged gearbox and variable speed drive mechanism, all to achieve a throughput of one component every minute.
Benefits
- Produces accurate high-strength components
- In many cases reduces the need for final machining
- Eliminates fabrication processes
Applications
- Artillery shells
- Aircraft engine rings
- Forklift arms
