If the forging industrial process is stable and steady, it generates profit!
If the forging industrial process is stable and steady, it generates profit!
Today more than ever it is very important that the industrial process, in our case the hot forging one, remains stable and steady during operations time. As a matter of fact, by achieving this goal it is possible to generate profit.
The costs increase in raw materials, energy and specialized personnel is a more and more important and relevant constant for every manufacturing business. The profit of each order or job must always deal with these variables which can hardly be controlled.
The production stability can be controlled: the process must always be repeatable in the performances and must grant steady operative costs.
The metals hot forging is not an exception. Annual productions can reach tens of millions of pieces and each of these must be produced following the expected and planned parameters, the profit expectation must be guaranteed!
How is it possible to manage, monitor and correct tens of parameters, for millions of parts, granting the stability?
It is possible to grant the process stability even when millions of parts are produced and the process parameters are numerous, in this way:
01
=> monitoring the variability factors that influence each process to understand if they are under control or not by means of the statistical control.
02
=> Obtaining highest rigidities, forging force, and positioning precision.
03
=> Real time check of the behaviour of the main process parameters.
04
=> Modification of the main forging values without interrupting the production.
Statistics teaches that Cp and Cpk parameters are fundamental for controlling the progress of the forging process, for each variable in fact they are the key to understand its stability.
The example of the shooting with darts game allows you to quickly understand the concept:
a good Cp indicates that we are very repeatable in our shots, but it does not mean that we are hitting the target.
Only by obtaining a good Cpk, too, as a matter of fact, the optimal result is guaranteed!
=> Cp e Cpk must be much higher than one.
Let’s move on to a practical forging example:
-
Forging a batch of 25,000 water meters.
-
or forging a batch of 50,000 gas control valves
The dimensions of the forged parts are determined:
- by the surfaces of the part shape created in the die.
Cp depends on the presses rigidity performance and on the die design.
Cpk depends on the correct evaluation of the material shrinkage, which is related to the forging temperatures, to the part geometry and raw material chemical composition.
- by the punches involved in the material deformation.
Cp is obtained from punches rigidity and thrust force.
Cpk is obtained from the possibility to adjust the punch arrival position.
During the forging tests carried out with our customers from all over the world, the dimensional statistical analyses carried out on the produced samples (batches of thousands of pieces) have demonstrated that Cp and Cpk parameters were always abundantly and stably higher than one.
The complex geometries or the parts dimensions are not a problem.
How could we maintain the forging industrial process stable on our ME Hydraulic Presses?
- Mecolpress presses are equipped with Calipso software for operative parameters setting and their continuous control. Calipso, software entirely developed by Mecolpress, allows you to control the main process parameters in real time (forging forces, position, speed, …). Even before measuring the pieces, it is possible to understand if the forging process is stable and guarantees constant performance.
- Our presses are designed with advanced calculation systems (FEM) which allow to predict the rigidity of the components with the utmost precision, minimizing their deformations, even if subjected to high loads.
=> Cp under control
- We have designed our hot forging presses in order to have the highest possible dies closing force and maximum punch thrust force.
=> Cp under control
- The stroke adjustment of the individual punches occurs in real time, thus allowing the related dimensions to be modified during production.
=> Cp under control
- The long experience in dies design and the collaboration with the best specialized companies in the sector have allowed us to create the dies with extreme accuracy, in order to guarantee stable production of the pieces.
=> Cp under control
Reduced energy consumptions with the new hydraulic ME presses
The new Mecolpress ME hydraulic presses grant reduced energy consumptions.
How did we get to achieve this goal?
Mecolpress has been working with its customers for more than 50 years providing the best forging technologies that allow to maximize the quality of the products and the related productivity.
The forging process improvement needs do not always seem to proceed in the same direction:
- the energy consumption reduction requires the reduction of the installed power;
- the high productivity and the raw material reduction require increasing installed powers.
Our customers and partners are dealing with this conflict and are wondering how to come out as winners.
“Which is the most abundant existing source of energy? the least polluting, least expensive, most immediately available one: that is, energy saving …”
Piero Angela
What does Mecolpress propose to grant in the same page reduced energy consumptions and high productivity?
Mecolpress is not afraid of challenges, indeed it knows that these represent an opportunity to grow and improve.
Thanks to the continuous and accurate control system, Mecolpress presses determine and memorize the process parameters at every fraction of a second, i.e. the minimum force and speed requirements to obtain a certain product with the best characteristics. Under these values it is not possible to obtain an acceptable product.
Our long experience has allowed us to evaluate numerous forging cases, from small connectors of ½” up to large valves/water meters of more than 2”, in standard and lead-free brass grades.
To reduce power when it is not needed and to maximize it when it is needed! This is the secret.
The forging process control system
The press control system learns (ADAPTIVE CYCLE) the trend of the forging cycle and regulates the pressure and the flow of the oil (REGENERATIVE CYCLE) in order to get as close as possible to the minimum forging force. A reasonable safety margin is maintained in order to compensate for eventual external parameters variation (billet temperature, material quality, dimensional tolerances, …).
During the forging cycle Mecolpress press will have three phases: power reduction, transition, maximum power.
We monitored the flash-free forging process of the body of a 1 1/4″ ball valve with a productivity of 12 pieces per minute, therefore 720 pieces per hour.
Thanks to the ADAPTIVE-REGENERATIVE cycle the energy consumption is reduced by 50%, reaching an average consumption of 45kWh.
But let’s not forget the other advantages acquired:
- production capacity more than doubled compared to the traditional cycle,
- high repeatability of the piece quality (cp>2),
- constant compliance (cpk>1.33) with very tight dimensional tolerances (± 0.1),
- minimized material consumption thanks to over 6% flash-free forging,
- improved workability thanks to a more uniform internal conformation,
- increased product quality thanks to the elimination of internal defects.
EMO 2023
EMO 2023
EMO is the world machine tools trade fair which is hosted by Italy and Germany and which this year will be held in Hannover from 18 to 23 September 2023.
Undisputed leader in the panorama of sector trade shows, EMO best represents the articulated world of metalworking, showing the best of vision and innovation.
Tooling machines, robots, enabling technologies and automations, solutions for the networked and digital factory, additive manufacturing and green innovations will be among the key players of EMO 2023.
Mecolpress as global leader in hot forging technology cannot miss this important event.
It will be a very important opportunity to meet our Customers and the new potential ones.
Mecolpress sales team and technical staff will be glad to welcome you in person to evaluate your requests and offer you our competitive solutions.
Mecolpress presents the latest innovations related to forging technologies:
- SEO and HEAVY eccentric mechanical presses from 320 to 600 tons, high productivity up to 40 strokes per minute.
- Hydraulic presses of ME series: flash-free forging with outstanding reduced energy consumptions.
- Direct drive screw presses: to produce parts of complex geometry.
Mecolpress innovations
The fair will be a useful opportunity to get to know the latest proposals regarding:
- reduction of raw materials consumption;
- reduction of electricity consumption;
- high production capacity and flexibility in product changes;
- continuous quality control of the forging process;
- operative continuity thanks to after-sales service.
Augmented Reality, the press just a click away
On our stand you will be able to view 2 presses in Augmented Reality: ME and the Heavy presses.
This technology allows you to overlap multimedia information on the reality framed by the camera of your mobile device, smartphone and/or tablet, enriching the view of the surrounding environment with additional contributions in digital format.
We are waiting for you: Hall 13 Booth D060
Get your free admission ticket
To facilitate the visit and access safely, it is advisable to register to obtain the free admission ticket.
You can request it by simply filling out this form:
ME 350 NEXT GENERATION PRESS
ME 350 Next Generation Press: still the most powerful press, now it also minimizes the energy consumption.
ME350 press is the powerful of Mecolpress hydraulic presses: the latest version we have developed is able to grant a significant reduction in energy consumption.
Our goal is to make our customers more competitive in a very challenging market. The increase in the costs of raw materials and energy is not yet stabilized and a substantial reduction is not yet in sight. Our customers have to manage and deal with variables such as:
- product differentiation,
- the need to adapt to high volume production batches,
- managing frequent product changes,
- the difficulty of finding a stable workforce,
- the need to produce just in time,
- the increasingly high quality required of the forged product.
Mecolpress technological innovation starts from the challenges the market imposes on producers with the aim of overcoming them.
The new ME350 Next Generation press incorporates all the latest innovations:
01
Maximum dies closing force and maximum one of the independent extruder punches => flash-free forging and reduced thicknesses => reduction in raw material consumption (up to 40% compared to traditional forging).
02
Regenerative hydraulic circuit and adaptive power control to harmonize the energy consumption with the effective forging demand => reduction of electricity consumption (up to 50% compared to the presses of previous generation).
03
Anthropomorphic loading robot and quick dies changing system => increased flexibility by changing a product with another, reducing the necessary machine downtime.
04
Possibility of forging more parts each cycle in the shortest time, reaching the production of 5,000 pieces per hour => high-volume production batches are completed in a short time.
05
The production process is fully automated and connected to existing MES\ERP systems (Industry 4.0) => better staff management who can easily manage multiple presses simultaneously without stress.
06
CALIPSO Software checks the trend of the forging parameters (forces, displacements, sequences, ..) by comparing them with the references => any possible criticality on the quality of the product is overlined in real time and the part is separated from the correct ones.
All these innovations are added to Mecolpress long-lasting experience in the forging field, gained in the province of Brescia, a key area in the global panorama of the production of brass components. Mecolpress offers to the customers a vast availability of spare parts to minimize the relative delivery times and a team of specialized technicians to carry out assistance interventions all over the world.
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!
