In the aerospace and medical product manufacturing industries, component parts have long been machined using CNC equipment to achieve the tight tolerances required in these industries. Now, advanced forging equipment is being utilized to create near-net-shaped titanium parts that require minimal machining. This is producing a potential revenue generating opportunity for forgers to supply the high-value parts to machine shops that will finish them.
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There are significant advantages to this approach, including reducing the cost of titanium parts for the ultimate customer. With recent advances in the controls and automation of hydraulic forging presses, precision titanium parts can be forged to extremely tight tolerances, and at relatively high volume. Forging also significantly lowers titanium input costs by as much as 50%.
To forge titanium to precise specifications, however, forging operations require the right equipment with exceedingly tight control of the production parameters. Fortunately, advances in hydraulic press design, controls, and automation are helping to optimize component quality, production, and price.
To cost-effectively produce large, complex titanium parts, Pennsylvania-based FPD Company, a machine shop with in-house forging capabilities, decided to invest in a unique new custom press capable of greater control with higher tonnage.
&#;We wanted to increase our forged parts envelope, and that required a larger press with more sophisticated controls for the titanium parts. We already had a 2,500-ton press, which is relatively small for titanium. At the same time, we needed to improve control, quality, and cycle times,&#; says Jeff Speicher, General Manager of FPD.
To achieve its production goals, FPD partnered with Erie Press Systems, a manufacturer of mechanical forge presses and individually engineered hydraulic presses since that is now part of the largest forging equipment supplier in North America: Ajax-CECO-Erie Press.
Although Erie Press designed, engineered, and built the system, FPD provided significant input on the design requirements. The result was a customized high-speed hydraulic press capable of producing 3,000 tons at a fully controlled, programmable speed and load profile through full travel.
&#;The custom press, along with our engineering and tooling, allows us to hold extremely tight tolerances consistently when creating titanium parts for the aerospace and medical device industries. With the right equipment, the forgings are extremely consistent, and we can produce near-net shapes that require minimal to no machining. If a part needs additional machining for holes, bores, and other secondary features, we can do that as well,&#; explains Speicher, adding that FPD provides extensive 5-axis CNC machining services on site.
Precise Control of Forge Stroke, Force
According to Speicher, the Erie Press forging equipment is designed with a unique servo hydraulic system that allows greater control of the forging stroke and applied force. The press control modulates the servo proportional accumulator discharge valves to maintain the programmed velocity regardless of the load, ensuring consistent forging performance. This arrangement provides flexibility to forge parts across a wide velocity range not possible with a mechanically adjusted accumulator discharge rate configuration.
For some part geometries, the deformation rate of the titanium may require variable velocity profiles throughout the forming process. Altering the deformation rate enables FPD to achieve improved die life while creating greater detail by filling the die cavity webs and corners later in the stroke. According to Speicher, the servo-hydraulic system allows extremely high resolution in defining those parameters. Furthermore, the press position controller publishes (to FPD&#;s plant server) a high-speed plot or digital signature corresponding with each part&#;s forging cycle for historical records and reference.
FPD can also control the press to strike the part at a specific force or to a pre-defined tonnage limit. In addition, the press can stroke to a programmed position within a positional accuracy of less than .01&#;.
Erie Press&#;s Human-Machine Interface (HMI) allows operators to see how the press functions and anticipate how it should be performing. This is accomplished with dynamic animated models and schematics, live trending, and diagrams. The HMI is a software application that graphically presents information to operators about the state of various processes in a format that looks like the actual machine or display panel. The information can be accessed locally (at the machine) or remotely (within the plant or offsite) via PC, laptop, or smartphone.
&#;Erie Press incorporated a very user-friendly, graphics-based HMI into the design that can walk even someone unfamiliar with the forging process through it step by step,&#; says Speicher, adding that the forging press manufacturer&#;s HMI system is a virtual &#;digital twin&#; of the actual machine as it functions.
&#;The press has sensors that monitor the ram position, pump output, valve positions, etc. and all these parameters are monitored in a digital representation of the press. With the HMI, the operator sees how the machine is performing in real-time,&#; adds Speicher.
The HMI also helps operators monitor what is happening with enough insight to successfully troubleshoot and promptly get the equipment back online when required. For example, operators can quickly &#;drill down&#; from a top-level animated schematic to review the performance of specific components, such as valves and pumps, and locate information on part numbers and wiring schemes. Up-to-date PDF technical documents and the schematics of each component on the machine are also searchable and can be quickly displayed as needed.
The Erie Press forging equipment incorporates automation that enables the operator to change-out hot dies in less than ten minutes. A forging change-over is completely hands-off, requiring only inputs to the HMI. Titanium billet and workpieces are pre-heated in an electric furnace, while the tooling is pre-heated offline. The operator, working behind an interlock gate system for safety, uses a joystick to transfer the tooling into the press, which is hydraulicly clamped into place. A barcode is scanned on the production router, which calls up a part-specific forging program in the controller.
FPD worked with Erie Press to incorporate safety features such as preventing the program from executing if the bar codes of the toolsets and parts do not match the router, and a safety stroke the operator must execute before proceeding to automatic mode.
&#;Because we produce a lot of short runs, we can set up multiple times a day and this gives us tremendous production capacity,&#; says Speicher.
Extending Longevity, Lowering Cost
Controlling stroke speed has also helped to prolong tool life.
&#;With the hydraulic servo control, the operator can vary the press&#;s stroke speed with far more control, which prolongs tool life. According to our internal statistics, the new press has extended tool life by about 50%,&#; says Speicher.
There are also significant cost savings versus the conventional machining approach. &#;Depending on the part geometry, we can normally reduce unit price in the 30% to 50% range over a hog-out part [machined from bar, plate, or billet]. That is due to using less input material &#; and titanium is very expensive,&#; explains Speicher.
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For forgers, adding advanced forging of titanium parts to their existing capability is an opportunity for increased revenue when near-net-shaped parts are sold to metalworkers for further machining and finishing. With an advanced press with improved controls, forgers can now do this effectively and profitably.
Please visit the Ajax-CECO-Erie Press website at www.AjaxErie.com or them at . Or, if you prefer, call 814-455-. Also, visit the FPD Company website at www.fpdcompany.com or contact Jeff Speicher, Mike McAllister, or Dan Gordon for inquiries at 724-731-.
Forging is the procedure of shaping and forming metals using processes like rolling, pressing, and hammering. The entire process will usually start with a cast ingot or a cogged billet with materials like titanium.
The cogged billet will then be heated into a temperature that&#;s considered its &#;plastic deformation,&#; and it&#;s kneaded between dies to form their desired shapes and size. You may want to check out the process of titanium forge that&#;s used in many industries. The applications can involve companies that are into submarines, ships, pressure vessels, rockets, helicopters, heat exchangers, and aircraft.
The Process of Forging
Buyers should choose processes from a supplier for the production of the metal component. When it comes to materials and metals, many people are faced with lots of choices and alternatives. Many companies are offering metalworking processes that have their own advantages, specific costs, and capabilities as well.
The forging process is well-suited when it comes to making parts, like helicopters, automobiles, or gearboxes. However, some may not be aware of these advantages, and they may need further research, especially if they are not familiar with the forging industry.
The process can provide optimum quality to parts, costs, and durability. The custom parts with suitable sizes are critical when it comes to their performance. For instance, a single part used in helicopters should be precise and strong to withstand wind and pressure in the air.
Several of the processes may include cold forging, closed die, and extrusions. There are pros and cons to be considered, but many may want to get the seamless rolled rings and the open die because of their known benefits. You can know more about die forging on this page here. Meanwhile, here is formation that you may want to know about the production of the metal parts.
The industries were changing, and to meet their massive needs for parts, the forging industry had evolved with several advances. In the past decades, many companies had incorporated robotics, electronic controls, computers, and sophisticated equipment to meet many demands.
Some of the tools proved to be beneficial because they complement human skills well, and they are essential for the success of many companies. The modern forging plants are superior to their older counterparts, and the parts can be produced in various shapes, sizes, finishes, and materials.
About Open Die Forging
The open die process tends to break up the cast&#;s coast structure and replace them with finer ones afterward. The gas porosity and shrinkage usually found in cast metal are consolidated together through a reduction process that the ingots undergo. Since there&#;s the growth of new and refined grains that stick together, the overall structural integrity of metals like aluminum becomes robust.
Therefore, a metal&#;s mechanical property is improved through the reduction, segregation, and making voids on the overall cost structure. The forging process may also mean aligning the grain flow so that the strength direction will be more uniformed.
The secondary treatments like processing in heat can further refine the grains. You can read more about grain refinement in this link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/_Grain_Refinement_in_a_Low_Carbon_Steel_Through_Multidirectional_Forging. You can choose from myriad shapes and sizes with enhanced properties in forgings, and they are ideal for material manufacturing compared to assemblies or casting.
Information to Know on Forged Titanium
Using titanium as a material is often common in heavyweight industries. This is because this metal provides excellent weight ratios and strength coupled with corrosion resistance. Over 90% of mined titanium is used in the manufacturing process of titanium dioxide, which is a pigment used in cosmetics, plastics, and paints. Only about 5% are refined into its metal form.
Titanium is still a record holder when it comes to density ratio and the highest strength. It provides resistance to corrosion and excellent durability that is not present in other metals. Because of its advantages, it&#;s often used in saltwater, off-shore, and marine environments. It&#;s also well-suited in the industry of defense and aerospace because it can withstand intense conditions.
Choosing the Right Company
If you&#;re a business owner, you may need forging for more durable parts of automobiles. Choosing the right company means that they can provide you with the prototype of the part that you need in no time and they can deliver them faster. For customers who are new in this industry, finding a trusted supplier that can meet all of their specifications can be a challenge.
It&#;s essential to research the company that you ideally want to manufacture the forged parts, and they should have a track record of delivering high-quality materials. Some can offer engineering guidance, destructive testing, metallurgical review, and finished machine options. You may want to know about other products, including bars, complex shapes, rotor shafts, and different unique geometries that you may need in your company.
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