A Systematic Review of Factors Affecting the Process Parameters and Various Measurement Techniques in Forging Processes

This study refers to an analysis of the dies used in the first operation of producing a valve forging from chromium-nickel steel NC3015. The analyzed process of manufacturing forgings of exhaust valves is realized in the co-extrusion technology, followed by forging in closed dies. This type of technology is difficult to master, mainly due to the increased adhesion of the charge material to the tool substrate as well as the complex conditions of the tools’ operations, which are caused by the cyclic thermo-mechanical loads and also the hard tribological conditions. The average durability of tools made from tool steel WLV (1.2365), subjected to thermal treatment and nitriding, equals about 1000 forgings. In order to perform an in-depth analysis, a complex analysis of the presently realized technology was conducted in combination with multi-variant numerical simulations. The obtained results showed numerous cracks on the tools, especially in the cross-section reduction area, as well as sticking of the forging material, which, with insufficient control of the tribological conditions, can cause premature wear of the dies. In order to increase the durability of forging dies, alternative materials made of hot work tool steels were used: QRO90 Supreme, W360, and Unimax. The preliminary tests showed that the best results were obtained for QRO90, as the average durability for the tools made of this steel equaled about 1200 forgings (with an increase in both the minimal and maximal values), with reference to the 1000 forgings for the material applied so far.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities of Increasing the Durability of Dies Used in the Extrusion Process of Valve Forgings from Chrome-Nickel Steel by Using Alternative Materials from Hot-Work Tool Steels

Hawryluk,

Janik,

Zwierzchowski

et al. 2024

“…The application of such functions by the user makes it possible to significantly shorten the implementation time of a new project and limit the errors, e.g., during the design of new instrumentation taking into account the gripping by the robots’ grippers [ 43 ]. Although numerical modeling and IT tools [ 44 ] significantly change the role and scope of the experiment to the virtual dimension, the real experiment remains, on the one hand, the best and most necessary verification, and on the other hand, it is the most expensive and time-consuming stage of design [ 45 ]. Nonetheless, numerical modeling has been and still is a very convenient, fast, and most commonly applied tool for the analysis and optimization of production processes, including the robotization and automatization of die forging processes [ 46 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improvement of the Technology of Precision Forging of Connecting Rod-Type Forgings in a Multiple System, in the Aspect of the Possibilities of Process Robotization by Means of Numerical Modeling

Hawryluk,

Dudkiewicz,

Polak

et al. 2024

The study refers to the application of numerical modeling for the improvement of the currently realized precision forging technology performed on a hammer to produce connecting rod forgings in a triple system through the development of an additional rolling pass to be used before the roughing operation as well as preparation of the charge to be held by the robot’s grippers in order to implement future process robotization. The studies included an analysis of the present forging technology together with the dimension–shape requirements for the forgings, which constituted the basis for the construction and development of a thermo-mechanical numerical model as well as the design of the tool construction with the consideration of the additional rolling pass with the use of the calculation package Forge 3.0 NxT. The following stage of research was the realization of multi-variant numerical simulations of the newly developed forging process with the consideration of robotization, as a result of which the following were obtained: proper filling of the tool impressions (including the roller’s impression) by the deformed material, the temperature distributions for the forging and the tools as well as plastic deformations (considering the thermally activated phenomena), changes in the grain size as well as the forging force and energy courses. The obtained results were verified under industrial conditions and correlated with respect to the forgings obtained in the technology applied so far. The achieved results of technological tests confirmed that the changes introduced into the tool construction and the preform geometry reduced the diameter, and thus also the volume, of the charge as well as provided a possibility of implementing robotization and automatization of the forging process in the future. The obtained results showed that the introduction of an additional rolling blank resulted in a reduction in forging forces and energy by 30% while reducing the hammer blow by one. Attempts to implement robotization into the process were successful and did not adversely affect the geometry or quality of forgings, increasing production efficiency.

“…The authors of this study, throughout their many years of R&D work, have analyzed numerous greater or lesser tool life improvement methods [47], and additionally, each forging process, even its particular operations, should be treated individually, which also determines the selection of durability improvement methods [48][49][50]. This article presents results regarding the possibility of increasing the durability of tools by using one of the easiest to evaluate methods, the obtained results of which are also easy to interpret, i.e., the method of increasing the durability of forging punches, which involves the use of an alternative tool material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities of Increasing the Durability of Punches Used in the Forging Process in Closed Dies of Valve Forgings by Using Alternative Materials from Tool Steels and Sintered Carbides

Hawryluk,

Janik,

Gronostajski

et al. 2024

This study refers to an analysis of the durability of forging tools applied in the second operation of producing a valve forging from the chromium–nickel steel, NC3015. Due to the extreme working conditions of the tools, caused by cyclic thermo-mechanical loads, the average durability of tools made from tool steel WLV (1.2365) equals about 1500 forgings. An in-depth, complex analysis was performed on the technology, using macroscopic tests combined with a measurement of the wear/allowance on the tool working surface through 3D scanning; microstructural tests by means of light microscopy; observations of the changes taking place on the working surface with a scanning electron microscope; microhardness measurements; and multi-variant numerical simulations. It was established that the key issue is the proper selection of the process technological parameters, such as the input material and tool temperature, friction, lubrication, tribological parameters, type of tool material, or punch design, because even small changes made to them significantly affect the service life of forging punches. Therefore, to increase the durability of the forging dies, alternative materials made of W360, as well as two high speed steels, S600 and S705, were applied. However, the implemented punch materials did not bring the assumed effect of increased durability, as the highest average durability of steel W60 equaled only 1500 forgings, whereas in the case of the tool steels, this was below 900 forgings. For this reason, at the further stage, punches with sintered carbide inserts were introduced, which made it possible to significantly improve the durability up to the level of as many as 20,000 forgings, which, at the same time, points to a promising direction of further studies on the use of materials and solutions of this type.