Brass hot forging: from the mechanical technology to the hydraulic one with me series presses
Metals hot forging is a reliable and repeatable process which allows to obtain components with high mechanical properties, minimizing the raw materials consumption.
Over more than 50 years Mecolpress has been at the service of its Customers, providing the best forging technologies that allow to maximize the products quality and the related productivity.
Not always changing means improvement, but to improve you need to change
Mecolpress is committed every day to sharing experiences with its partners to follow a common path with the aim of overcoming the performance limits of existing production processes.
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent one, but the most responsive one to changes.
Exclusively from the merge of the complementary activities:
- Development of innovative technologies;
- From consolidated experience in the hot forged parts production, the way for barriers overcoming in the productive processes can be born;
- Increase of production capacity;
- Improvement of product quality;
- Reduction of raw material consumption;
- Reduction of energy consumption;
- Reduction of resources consumption (lubricants, cooling water,…).
The experience shown in this article is related to the brass hot forging
and more precisely to the passage from the mechanical to the hydraulic technology (Mecolpress ME Series). The product subject of the evaluation is the body of a sphere valve with dimension 1” and ½. Even if it may seem a standard and consolidated product, each customer has his own design and specific features.
Mecolpress has collaborated with an Italian industry-leader company to the production of the new die and to its industrialization. After two working days and proactive information sharing, by using our ME hydraulic press, we have reached:
- Production capacity more than doubled;
- Material consumption minimized of about 6.5% thanks to the flashfree forging;
- Improvement of the workability thanks to a more uniform internal conformation;
- Increase of product quality thanks to internal defects removal.
Even if at first sight a forged part may seem perfect, its integrity can be granted only from the internal analysis.
The material flow is unbalanced, the flowing speeds are not uniform, the material tends to detach from the die and to fill some areas before others (picture 1). When the flows meet each other again, they have such temperatures that they cannot be properly welded. The cold welding, indicated by the red circle, can cause problems during the machining phase, if it is included, even partially, in the surplus metal, or if during the assembly phase when the tightening torque of the front nut mechanically stresses the defected side.
Mecolpress hydraulic presses of ME Series, even without any previous simulation numerical analysis, allow to set the correct sequence of part forming according to the material flow dynamics.
Thanks to this precious pre-forming function a progressive modification of the penetrations of the 3 punches has been applied and this has leaded to the desired result: the repositioning of the defect in a marginal zone (picture 2).
Then simple modifications to punches shape were taken into consideration in order to totally eliminate the cold junction (picture 3).
Two really efficient working days, product industrialization with new dies and more than 5500 good parts in the boxes, ready for the machining tests! A thank goes to our Customer for the precious collaboration, a thank to our team for the availability and speed of action and a thank to our hydraulic ME press that tirelessly, once again, allows to overcome the production limits and to permit a great improvement!
Wait!!! And what about energetic consumptions?!?! We are collecting data… a little patience… in the next article you will be informed about everything!
SEO/320: THE MECHANICAL PRESS ADDRESSED TO THE MODERN FORGING
The new continuous and discontinuous cycle mechanical press
Mecolpress is proud to introduce the new model of continuous/discontinuous cycle mechanical press for hot forging, size 320 tons.
This press is designed to improve the features of all the previous machines in the size range from 200 to 360 tons. Finally just one single press will be able to guarantee the performances of the historical SEO/27 CVE-CS or SEO/36 CVE-CS presses, and it will be the new mechanical SEO/320 press, indeed!
The experience acquired in more than 50 years of activity brought us to analyze every day the forging needs of many worldwide Customers. The main topic that emerges is that the greatest force capacities are needed to deform new materials, high alloys\without lead that are considerably more high-strength.
The result is a totally innovative press that includes all the improvements that Mecolpress applied over the recent years.
SEO/320 press was born to satisfy all the new productive needs demanded by the ongoing changes in the world of “modern forging”.
Recurring problems for a forger
If you are a forge manager or an owner of a forging factory, it surely happened to you that, to satisfy your Customers request, you brought your presses to the higher limit of the performances. Consequently one of the following situations will surely happened at least one time::
- breakage of the gears, and in particular of the teeth;
- breakage of the transmission shafts;
- maintenance on bearings and clutches….
Forcing you to unexpected machine stops, with all the related inconveniences\additional costs!
Solutions proposed by Mecolpress
Machine downtimes cannot totally disappear. We must remember that we are talking about mechanical presses that forge metals at very high temperatures and that can be subjected to overloads! But these can be drastically reduced.
”Why often we say that years ago the machines did not break down?”
The answer is easy! They were sized and studied specifically for the productive needs of that time that do not coincide with the modern ones any longer!
Mecolpress answer to the new required performances in the forging operations is the new SEO/320 press that is what each forger needs today!
Technical characteristics of mechanical press SEO/320
- The machine has a monolithic structure in welded steel in order to ensure the maximum stability and duration over the year.
- The gears have a total innovative structure and extremely simplified that does not consist only in the dimensions increase, as you might think, but it consist of a series of improvements that allow the machine to work to the maximum performances without any breakage risk.
- The cushion was simplified, with the removal of the manual adjustments and of the mechanical parts generally subjected to wear.
- The flywheel was developed to guarantee enough deformation energy even at low turns. This particular characteristic is very appreciated by who has to forge the material requiring low deformation speeds.
- We have paid close attention to the ergonomic aspects: the operator can set up the tooling of the machine very quickly and without excessive efforts. Therefore you will find the equipment without tight spaces with wide visibility and, above all, safe and reliable.
We summarize in the following table the main technical characteristics of the new SEO/320:
An opportunity for the forgers
Mecolpress offers to every potential customer the possibility to inspect at least one version for each machine model at the production site based in Flero (Brescia). As a matter of fact, the main versions of the most requested models are always in production.
This results in an important advantage for you Customer because we are offering:
- the opportunity to see/experience the new machines with the support of our specialized personnel at your disposal to clarify any doubts or curiosities;
- A very competitive delivery time In case of purchase!
Smart Brass Forging
We report the article below FIA Magazine, the Forging Industry Association, that speacks of us.
Smart Brass Forging
By Danilo Fagnani
MECOLPRESS started their activities in Brescia (Italy) more than 50 years ago, in 1969, providing solutions for the hot brass forging industry. MECOLPRESS then widened its portfolio including hot forging steel, aluminium, titanium, and special alloy applications. MECOLPRESS is now offering the most modern technologies available for mechanical (HEAVY family), hydraulic (ME Family) and screw driven (TDS, FPN family) presses.
The region of Brescia, located East of Milan, is generally considered the cradle of brass production, at least 20% of the total world production is firmly located here. The Brescia region is still able to compete with Chinese brass manufacturers (35% of the brass total world production) even if the production costs are not comparable in terms of manpower, energy and etc… The secret of this success is the know-how of the full brass production chain, industrially started from the 19th century, from melting process passing through forging then achieving the final product completion. MECOLPRESS was born and built in this interesting and dynamic environment, participating and contributing to solve the main challenges of brass producers (Smart Brass Forging).
These challenges are cyclically recurring in the market, and they can be summarized as follows:
- raw materials availability and costs;
- high variability in the market for parts from the peaks of high demand to small lots with frequent parts changeovers;
- difficulties to find the necessary manpower, from highly skilled operators, to maintenance technicians, to standard operations workers;
- availability to grant the best products quality reducing the non- compliant ones;
- reduction of the energy consumption approaching the green economy
MECOLPRESS is supplying to the market the most powerful hydraulic presses (ME family) offering horizontal\vertical coring performances achieving:
- flash-less forging;
- reduced part material thicknesses;
- deeper and deeper punch coring
These features drive achieving parts with less weight and avoiding any further downstream process as trimming. ME hydraulic presses family (more than 60 units supplied from 2010) has standard sizes:
- 100 to 500t as die closure force
- 30 to 350t of punch coring force
The coring punches have independent movement guiding and optimizing the flow of material inside the die’s cavity. The punches forces, speeds, displacement sequences can be flexibly implemented in the HMI operator panel depending by the products to be forged (Smart Brass Forging). One of the four horizontal punches can be orientable (without losing coring force!) with the variable angle from from 0 to 45° allowing sloping coring for the parts.
The ME family hydraulic presses grant production performances that, depending by the equipment size, can reach up to 30 cycles per minute and they allow to forge multiple parts per stroke, throughout of some thousands of parts per hour is easily achievable. This will allow to complete productions lots is shortest time even if they are relevant in the number of parts to be reached. If the market conditions are changing and the market moves to lower number of parts per lot with frequent shifting between the products, the quick dies changing system will allow to dramatically reduce the down time. The fully automatic tools locking\unlocking and the servo-moved supporting arms allow one operator to accomplish the change in the quickest time (about 15-20min), in the complete safety conditions and without the help of any tools (Smart Brass Forging).
Mecolpress ME Next Generation series hydraulic press hot forging EG coring tool
The MECOLPRESS policy to reserve relevant stock of spare parts for all the presses that have been supplied is a key point to avoid unwanted down time in case of maintenance of the equipment.
Mecolpress ME Next Generation series hydraulic press outstanding parts weight reduction
MECOLPRESS is developing all of the control software for the presses: CALIPSO (Smart Brass Forging). This user interface is based on a touch screen model, it is very easy and intuitive, and it has been developed in several different languages; it allows any end user operator to work with continuity on the press and it does not require any particular skills or knowledge. Many functions have been simplified as input parameter requests to reduce the human factor effect in the press working conditions. CALIPSO defines and controls automatically all the ME family presses operations, from raw material loading up to forged parts unloading. The main parameters of each product receipt are saved in the internal memory, and can be easily retrieved for future production and transferred to customer MES\MRP. The press has an Ethernet OPC-UA connection module that grants this function as well the remote teleservice assistance by the MECOLPRESS technicians.
The MECOLPRESS R&D department is able to define the optimized process parameters and/or the best die geometry through FEA software which allows them to analyze both material flow and forging force. This on-demand service is appreciated by customers who are searching for a reliable supplier.
ME hydraulic presses can be paired with all types of furnaces: billets, bars, natural gas, electric induction, keeping in mind that the reliability on the heating temperature, the billet weight tolerance and the material metallurgical microstructure properties are key parameters to grant effective flash-less process success.
High production capacity, flexibility to switch from one product to another and high equipment reliability vanish if the forging process is not under full control. CALIPSO software is leading the game supporting the customers to control, with minimal effort. The forging forces, punches displacement parameters and sequencies, billets temperature, and so on can be monitored in the maximum\ average values or continuously during the working cycle. The desired thresholds can be set in the system to monitor the trends of the parameters and if any mismatch is found, the parts can be diverted automatically to the dedicated collecting box for further checking.
MECOLPRESS is fully committed to be an effective part of the green transition of the industry, reducing the energy consumption, pollution emission, and media consumption. This application shall not decrease or compromise the outstanding powerful performances of the ME family presses. CALIPSO and in-house engineering are the main characters of this target:
- hydraulic auto-adaptive regenerative function circuits;
- ECO mode for working pressure optimization;
- actuators optimized geometry;
- flexible set up of the operating pressure;
- AC frequency converters\variable flow hydraulic pumps;
- CALIPSO software that learns from experience optimizes the working parameters without relevant operator required intervention (Smart Brass Forging)
Mecolpress ME Next Generation series hydraulic press main view
These points collaborate to reduce the energetic consumption up to 50% in comparison with standard technology presses.
The dies lubrication system, very important in the flash-less forging, is using innovative pipe to pipe technology supplying alternative air and oil flows just with the needed quantities. All the dies lubrication parameters are set into the control software and up to 30 points can be reached; they can be integrated into the dies or with external nozzles. The proper pumps are installed on the machine bottom to collect all the remaining quantity of oil avoiding any overflow. The press lubrication is selective and only the components active are reached by the media, proper collecting box avoid leaking. No more waste of fluids!
Pressa idraulica Mecolpress ME Next Generation: esempi di particolari stampati a caldo senza bava
Mecolpress ME Next Generation series hydraulic press four parts flash less hot forging examples
The innovative suction hood embedded in the press structure collects the emission very close to the sourcing point, decreasing any possible spread into the environment and granting the best cabinet inside view of the process to the operators.
As all MECOLPRESS products, the ME series fulfills the most severe international safety standards and can be produced in compliance with North American and Canadian ones.
Danilo Fagnani Sales Manager Mecolpress
Danilo Fagnani Sales Manager Mecolpress Spa
Phone: +39-030-2560110
Email: d.fagnani@mecolpress.com
EXHIBITIONS 2022: MECOLPRESS AT CASTFORGE (GERMANY)
CastForge 2022
Castforge Exhibition from 21 to 23 June in Stuttgart.
Today costumers of the “Casting and Forging” field are looking for high-quality products ready for installation. As complexity and specific requests are constantly increasing, it is essential to stay on top with the latest news.
This Exhibition represents an important opportunity to meet face to face and discuss these topics in one of the largest markets in Europe.
For this reason, from 21 to 23 June 2022 Mecolpress will be in Stuttgart at Castforge (Stand 5B57).
Augmented Reality, the press just a click away
On our stand it will be possible to view 2 Augmented Reality presses: ME hydraulic press and Heavy Mechanical Forging Presses.
This technology allows to add the multimedia virtual information to the actual view that is captured by the camera of mobile device, smartphone and/or tablet, enriching the surrounding viewing with additional digital contents.
Get your free ticket
To facilitate the visit and access in safety, it is appropriate to register to get the free admission ticket.
You can request it by simply filling out this form:
EXHIBITIONS 2022: MECOLPRESS AT BIEMH (Spain)
BIEMH Bilbao 2022
This event will be held at the Bilbao exhibition centre from 13 to 17 June 2022.
Mecolpress will present its latest technological innovations regarding metal forging.
Besides Spanish companies also international ones will be participating in this event, operating in sectors such as: metallurgy, welding, articles and equipment, machine tools, technological solutions, and much more.
You can find us in Pavilion n°5 Stand D34
Augmented Reality, the press just a click away
On our stand it will be possible to view 2 Augmented Reality presses: ME hydraulic press and Heavy Mechanical Forging Presses.
This technology allows to add the multimedia virtual information to the actual view that is captured by the camera of mobile device, smartphone and/or tablet, enriching the surrounding viewing with additional digital contents.
Get your free ticket
To facilitate the visit and access in safety, it is appropriate to register to get the free admission ticket.
You can request it by simply filling out this form:
Exhibitions 2022: Mecolpress at GLOBAL INDUSTRIE (France)
Global Industrie Paris 2022
In three editions, Global Industrie has established itself as one of the leading exhibitions in the world dedicated to industry.
Its resolutely modern positioning geared both to the industry of the future and to international business explains the success encountered by its previous editions held in even years in Paris and odd years in Lyon. A geographical diversification which enables it to enhance both its offer and the variety of its visitors.
Global Industrie returns to the capital from the 17th to the 20th of May, at Paris Nord Villepinte.
We are waiting for you Stand 6M91
Augmented Reality, the press just a click away
On our stand it will be possible to view 2 Augmented Reality presses: ME hydraulic press and Heavy Mechanical Forging Presses.
This technology allows to add the multimedia virtual information to the actual view that is captured by the camera of mobile device, smartphone and/or tablet, enriching the surrounding viewing with additional digital contents.
Get your free admission ticket
To facilitate the visit and access safely, it is advisable to register to get the free admission ticket.
You can request it by simply filling out this form:
HYDRAULIC PRESS, Mecolpress leap into a new eco-green modality
Main features of the new ME eco-green Hydraulic Press
Mecolpress S.p.a. is glad to introduce the new improved features of ME family hydraulic presses, born from the need to offer to the Customers a more flexible and performing machine in terms of product quality and energetic consumptions.
We are currently proposing the family of ME presses having the die closure force that is in the range from 100 to 500 tons (as standard equipment) and with a minimum side punches force of 30 tons that can achieve up to 350 tons. Each of these last ones has completely independent operation, adjustable speed and set-able movement phases (forward-stop-backward); depending by the type of part to be forged , the hydraulic closure cylinder allows to apply the necessary forging force also before the dies contact.
The new presses can be fed by one anthropomorphic robot for the billets loading and one synchronized unloading arm for the forged products that eliminate the set up difficulties of the traditional past technologies; regarding the fumes suction, after a careful analysis of the actual state of the art, we have implemented and optimized the system making it more functional and effective.
The fume suction hood collects the emission very close to the sourcing point decreasing any possible spread into the press cabin, granting to the operators the best inside view of the process and reducing the oil collection and its possible overflow.
In this regard, the machines of the new series are integrated with the walkable grids that surround the press and prevents the eventual drip on the floor of the working area.
The hydraulic presses can be supplied customized with optional equipment according to the production needs.
For example, one of the punches can be oriented with the coring angle that is different from the classic 90° configuration , allowing in this way the realization of particularly complex shapes, like y-joint or filter body.
Other possible configurations are of new ME eco-green Hydraulic Press are:
- the addition of a fifth vertical punch acting from under the die,
- the loading of one or two billets at the same time up to a maximum of four,
- the addition of a dies-holder arm lightening the machine tooling process,
- the addition of a quick dies changing system with hydraulic locking,
- the addition of an induction dies heating system which the machine is particularly compatible with,
- fire extinguishing system integrable with the machine.
Moreover the main innovation is related to the energy saving achievements if compared to the previous series.
From 2022 all the ME presses can minimize autonomously the energy amount that is needed to produce the desired forged part: the press learns automatically the optimal pressure to be addressed to each forging punch: ECO cycle (settable from the control panel). Furthermore, during the movement of each forging punch, Calipso control software optimizes the time in which it is necessary to switch to the maximum achievable pressure (regenerative self-adapting cycle function): all the press parameters will be consequently harmonized according to this requirement.
This behavior represents the key economic and competitive advantage for the press user that can save up to 50% of the total installed energy without losing or reducing the punches force and can optimize the forging process parameters in order to minimize the energetic consumptions. To do this the operator direct intervention is no longer necessary. The operator is not required to have a long term experience or particular skills : he will simply have to activate the ECO cycle from the control panel, ME press will care of the rest!
he will simply have to activate the ECO cycle from the control panel, ME press will care of the rest!
Discover Mecolpress
“𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀”:
Discovering Mecolpress: a journey through backstage pictures.
With some pictures “caught here and there” and with some related comments we will try to let you know more about our Company.
We will drive you to the discovery of Mecolpress world, about our constant dedication to growth and innovation of hot forging technologies, and how we work hard to guarantee you the best reliability and Customer Care service of all over the world.
Our aim is to use a point of view that is not “stick” or simply related to the ordinary catalogue pictures; we will use the reportage style showing aspects that are usually hidden, but that, according to us, can reveal interesting and valuable peculiarities.
A path that tends to highlight, to reveal that behind the machines, technology and mechanism there are women, men that thanks to their ideas and passion constantly contribute to develop new solutions for the evolution of our products and services.
This is a way to show a “human” aspect of Industry, made not only of aseptic engineering but also of ability, expertise, experience of people who lives daily the company, the productive workshop and the administration/management offices.
Pictures revealing a soul made of personal skill, methods rich in creativity that can be found also in the details of the productive process.
It is also through these initiatives that companies can share aspects, information and pictures that tangibly contribute to the growth and strengthening of the relationship between companies.
This was a little extract of “Discover Mecolpress” pictures, if you want to see further pictures, please follow the campaign we launched on our social media channels in December 2021 and that it still continues.
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BORN WITH HOT FORGING OF BRASS, ENLARGING TO ALUMINIUM AND STEEL: THE VISION OF MECOLPRESS
Read the Corriere della Sera special dedicated to the metallurgical industry. This article talks about the vision of Mecolpress as a supplier and manufacturer of hot forging machinery. Click here:
METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY THE EXCELLENCE OF MADE IN ITALY
BORN WITH HOT FORGING OF BRASS, ENLARGING TO ALUMINIUM AND STEEL: THE VISION OF MECOLPRESS
… as undisputed leader in the production of hot forging presses for brass components, in recent years we added the focus on technologies for steel and aluminum applications.
MECOLPRESS AT MECSPE 2021
THE EXCELLENCE OF TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO INDUSTRY
It has been the most important event dedicated to innovations for the manufacturing industry and it counts 19 editions.
The fair will be held in Bologna from 23 to 25 November.
MECSPE, the main event in Italy on innovative technologies for manufacturing 4.0 industry promoted by Senaf, joins this outlook of restart and business confidence by following its commitment to support this sector and representing itself for 19 editions of over 2,300 exhibitors and trade associations.
This year’s appointment, rescheduled at BolognaFiere, from 23 to 25 November 2021, will have as its main theme “digitalization, training and sustainability”, subjects that visitors will be able to explore through 13 synergistic salons divided by thematic areas, demonstration of talent, commitment and creativity of Italian Companies.
A field, the industrial one, has always been supported by MECSPE which promotes fruitful collaborations between the various players in the supply chain, sharing visions and projects with them, as demonstrated by the historic partnerships with Confartigianato Meccanica and CNA Produzione.
At MECSPE 2021 we will exhibit the FPN 220 Turbo HS screw press.
This is the best evidence of the outstanding performances of the OSTERWALDER screw presses, part of by Mecolpress family from more than 20 years.
These screw presses are particularly suitable for processes where high precision\tight tolerances of forged components are required, for example in the production of gears. They are suitable for hot forging of steel parts, but also of all other materials.
The TURBO version allows to reach higher speed, increasing productivity from 20% to 40%.
Augmented Reality, the press just a click away
In addition to the FPN Turbo screw press, it will be possible to view two other technologies thanks to the Augmented Reality: the ME Hydraulic and the Heavy Mechanical Forging Presses.
This technology allows to add the multimedia virtual information to the actual view that is captured by the camera of mobile device, smartphone and/or tablet, enriching the surrounding viewing with additional digital contents.
Get your free admission ticket
To facilitate the visit and access safely, it is advisable to register to get the free admission ticket.
You can request it by simply filling out this form: