Forging Presses
A forging press, often just called a press, is used for press forging. There are two main types: mechanical and hydraulic presses. Mechanical presses function by using cams, cranks and/or toggles to produce a preset (a predetermined force at a certain location in the stroke) and reproducible stroke. Due to the nature of this type of system, different forces are available at different stroke positions. Mechanical presses are faster than their hydraulic counterparts (up to 50 strokes per minute). Their capacities range from 3 to 160 MN (300 to 18,000 short tons-force). Hydraulic presses use fluid pressure and a piston to generate force. The advantages of a hydraulic press over a mechanical press are its flexibility and greater capacity. The disadvantages include a slower, larger, and costlier machine to operate.
The roll forging, upsetting, and automatic hot forging processes all use specialized machinery.
| Force (tonnes) |
Ingot size (tonnes) |
Company | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16,000 | 600 | China National Erzhong Group | Deyang, China |
| 14,000 | 600 | Japan Steel Works | Japan |
| 15,000 | 580 | China First Heavy Industries Group | Heilongjiang, China |
| 13,000 | Doosan | South Korea |
| Force (tonnes) |
Force (tons) |
Ingot size (tonnes) |
Company | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80,000 | (88,200) | China Erzhong | Deyang, China | |
| 75,000 | (82,690) | VSMPO-AVISMA | Russia | |
| 65,000 | (71,660) | Aubert & Duval | Issoire, France | |
| (45,350) | 50,000 | 20 | Alcoa, Wyman Gordon | USA |
| 40,000 | (44,100) | Aubert & Duval | Pamiers, France | |
| 30,000 | (33,080) | 8 | Wyman Gordon | Livingston, Scotland |
| 30,000 | (30,108) | Firth Rixson | Georgia, USA |
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