BEST PERFORMANCE IN GREEN BRASS FORGING: DISCOVER THE INNOVATIVE MECOLPRESS SOLUTION
In recent years, all production sectors have been looking for sustainable and innovative solutions, seeking alternatives with low environmental impact, based on recycling, where possible, with particular attention to the health of all of us.
The international environmental policies are trying to reduce, as much as possible, the presence of potentially toxic materials in products that are on sale and in use.
The aim is to enable a circular economy that allows the recycling of components that have reached the end of their life, preventing them from representing a threat to the environment and health. The regulations launched in the United States and Europe (RoHS, ELV, CSPIA, DWD, ..) have been adopted by most of the world’s states or at least indicated as guidelines to follow.
A relevant part of the forged brass pieces is in contact with water, even drinking water, the presence of lead increases the risk of contamination, the use of lead-free brass alloys therefore limits the health risks.
In the production of brass, the material under investigation is precisely Lead, which has always been used as an alloy element to:
- improve workability on tool machines;
- improve the quality of cast products (low porosity);
- decrease contact friction.
The percentage of lead used in brass alloys goes from 1.5 to 3.5% and is incompatible with the target of limiting its presence to 0.1% for each homogeneous material.
Using lead-free brass alloys
The companies that are involved in hot forging of brass are therefore faced with the challenging choice of using lead-free alloys, but there is no shortage of doubts:
- What consequences could, this change in chemical composition, have on the production process?
- Can the current forging capabilities still be considered valid?
- What updating\improving should be planned in the forging department?
Over the past few years, we have worked to find the answers, and based on our experience we can therefore provide some practical adviceto successfully produce lead-free brass forged parts!
Sustainable forging, how to do it?
· Bar cutting
Cutting bars using rotating disc blades is recommended to ensure correct weight accuracy.
Tool steel/high speed steel (HSS) discs are no longer sufficient to guarantee an acceptable service life. It is necessary to switch to discs with tungsten carbide base material inserts (TCT).
Below we propose a balance of the pros/cons for each of your technologies, usually when the production of lead-free brass is around 70-80% total, TCT blades are economically advantageous.
HSS BLADE | TCT BLADE |
Low unit cost | High unit cost |
Extremely short service life | High service life |
Re-sharpenable | Not re-sharpenable |
Reduced blade thickness | Reduced blade thickness |
Oil lubrication of the blade is necessary to reduce frictional heat.
The cutting precision must be extreme to avoid problems during the forging process, especially if it is without burr\flash. The cutting machine and the blade guidance system must have an extremely rigid body. The maximum error allowed is 0.1mm.
It is also suggested an optimization of the cutting process to minimize/eliminate material waste, given the ever-increasing costs.
Modern cutting technologies allow:
- 5mm head cuts;
- cutting of the same bar with different lengths to eliminate tail waste;
- differentiated unloading for the different cuts: head, length A and length B.
· Characteristics of lead-free brass
Lead-free brass has physical and mechanical characteristics that are very different from traditional brass.
Standard Brass with Lead | Lead Free Brass | |
Specific Gravity [g/cm3] | 8,5 | 8,3 |
Thermal Conductivity [W/m] | 114 | 35 |
Electrical Conductivity [%IACS] | 26 | 8 |
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion [X10-6/℃] | 21 | 20 |
Liquidus Temperature [℃ ] | 900 | 890 |
Solidus Temperature [℃] | 885 | 855 |
Tensile Strength [Mpa] | 435 | 650 |
0.2%Yield Strength [Mpa] | 295 | 450 |
Elongation [%] | 25 | 20 |
Hardness [HV] | 140 | 200 |
Lead-free brasses are tougher, more resistant and more refractory to heat transmission.
This trend is also confirmed when the heating temperature increases.
At the same heating temperature:
- Lead-free brass has a higher resistance to deformation value;
- Lead-free brass has a higher sensitivity to change in resistance to deformation in case of temperature variation.
Maintaining a heating temperature with the lowest possible variance (+- 5°C) is the key to have a reliable hot forging process.
The mechanical presses of a few decades ago were not designed with safety criteria that are suitable for these materials: simply because these materials did not exist at the time!
· Mechanical presses suitable for stamping lead-free brass
It is therefore essential to choose a press suitable for forging the new types of lead-free brass alloys.
Mecolpress SEO\HEAVY mechanical presses guarantee:
- Greater rigidity and safety margin of the structures (+50%) with capacity up to 700t.
- Greater safety margin of the transmission systems (up to +50% with epicyclic system).
- Hydraulic reaction cushions with increased capacity (+20%).
- Hydraulic cushions with SOFT IMPACT or OVERBOOST system to mitigate the impact force or increase the closing forces (+100%), with capacity up to 120ton.
- Air\oil lubrication system up to 30 points to lubricate and cool the critical points of the die (integrated\external).
- Water cooling of the most critical components.
- Hydraulic unlocking in the slide in case of overload to preserve the mechanical components.
- CALIPSO control system that memorizes the fundamental parameters for each die cycle to have full control of the process.
The ME hydraulic presses by Mecolpress guarantee:
- Net die closing force up to 350 tons.
- Thrust force of the lateral and vertical punches up to 240 tons.
- Maximization of flash-free die.
- Punch kinematics system that maximizes force in the final phases of the stroke.
- Air/oil lubrication system up to 30 points to lubricate and cool the critical points of the die (integrated/external).
- Water cooling of the most critical components.
- CALIPSO control system that memorizes the fundamental parameters for each die cycle to have full control of the process.
Don’t be caught unprepared, current regulations have started to reduce the use of lead and future ones will be even more restrictive, Mecolpress’s hot brass forging technology is ready to go!

EXHIBITIONS 2025: MECOLPRESS AT TIMTOS (TAIWAN)
Timtos 2025
This exhibition will be held at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.
The global machine tool industry prepares for TIMTOS 2025, the international trade exhibition with the participation of more than 1,000 exhibitors.
TIMTOS 2025 represents a platform of excellence to discover technological innovations and advanced solutions for manufacturing production.
Mainly the exhibition focuses on three main macro-topics: AI & Robotics, Future Smart Manufacturing and Green Power & Sustainability.
For this reason, from 3 to 8 March 2025 Mecolpress will be at Stand Q0733.
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:
EMO 2019: We unveil the technology of the future!
Mecolpress is ready for EMO 2019, the most important metalworking machinery fair, in Hannover from September 16th to 21st.
Mecolpress has always participated in EMO, the leading trade fair for the metalworking sector.
At each edition we always present some innovations, and this year more than ever!
On the Mecolpress stand there will be the possibility to see 2 machines running!
1- THE BRAND NEW HEAVY 400
Mecolpress will officially present the new HEAVY series of continuous cycle eccentric presses at EMO2019!
Its main features are:
- an extremely innovative and modern structure, more robust and also designed with an eye to ease and accessibility for maintenance and to safety;
- we have completely renewed die automation and lubrication;
- we have mounted a special hydraulic cushion that enhances the ability to forge cored parts, as well as to strongly reduce vibrations and noise;
- as on all our presses, also on the HEAVY series is installed Calipso, the intelligent software of Mecolpress for the analysis of the production process and for predictive maintenance.
The Mecolpress HEAVY Series represents the state of the art in hot forging with eccentric presses and can mount all the most modern accessories, production, programming and control systems.
2- The ME100/4L30 superfast – high productivity hydraulic press.
It is a compact machine, dedicated to the forging of small complex pieces, with an extremely high productivity.
This machine is the latest model of the now known and appreciated Mecolpress ME hydraulic presses, installed all over the world, from Japan to Mexico, from Korea and from China to Germany and Italy.
ME hydraulic presses have been for years a real innovation in the world of hot forging. They allow printing without flash thus significantly reducing material waste.
The ME100 / 4L30, like all Mecolpress hydraulic presses, is equipped with a powerful statistical process control software developed by us, called Calipso.
As stated by the official Hannover Magazine, this year EMO will focus more and more on digitization, with many insights and eyes still on the subject of Industry 4.
Among the most interesting aspects of Industry 4.0 there is undoubtedly the development of the so-called “platform economies”, also Mecolpress in this regard will present a new way of experiencing hot forging machines: connected in the cloud the press becomes intelligent, smart and easily monitored!
We will demonstrate how it is possible to integrate our presses with cloud or local applications that allow to carry out analysis of multiple operating and process parameters, thus representing, through dashboards, a real-time visualization for an optimal understanding of the data collected by the machine.
We will present all this at EMO 2019,
follow the event on our social media channels, we will soon reveal important news!