An Analysis Of The Industrial Forging Process Of Flange In Order To Reduce The Weight Of The Input Material

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the industrial process of hot forging a flange. The authors developed several thermomechanical models of the forging process for which they carried out computer simulations using the MSC.Marc 2013 software. In the Jawor Forge flanges with a neck are manufactured by hot forging in crank presses with a maximum load of 25 MN. The input material, in the form of a square bar, is heated up to a temperature of 1150°C and then formed in three operations: upsetting, preliminary die forging and finishing die forging. The main aim of the studies and the numerical analyses, in which the geometry of the tools would be modified, was to maximally reduce the amount of the input material taking into account the capabilities of the Jawor Forge, and consequently to significantly reduce the production costs. Besides the Forge’s equipment resources, the main constraint for modifications was the flange-with-neck forging standard which explicitely defines the tolerances for this element. The studies, which included numerical modelling, infrared measurements and technological tests, consisted in changing the geometry of the tools and that of the forging preform. As a result, the optimum direction for modifications aimed at reducing the mass of the input material was determined. The best of the solutions, making it possible to produce a correct forging in the Jawor Forge operating conditions, were adopted whereby the weight of the preform was reduced by 6.11%. Currently research is underway aimed at the application of the proposed and verified modifications to other flange forgings.