The technology of the shape

The reasons why you should appreciate (and prefer…) the modularity

In the planning and realization of different forging lines there is a common denominator, and it is the main machine, the heart of the entire project: the press.

Even if it concerns aluminum or brass forging, the press manufacturer must have a broad view, that can contemplate the entire process, from raw material bars to the finished part. An optimum press has to be born “conceived” in such a way that allows it to be able to work in synergy with the other components of the line, in order to guarantee to the user the maximum efficiency and minimum wastefulness.

The most important manufacturer’s feature that every customer who buys machineries looks for is reliability: the certainty of providing themselves with a product that “performs”, that gives satisfactions and no worries. Obviously, the moment of the initial choice of the machine is crucial, and it is determined by understanding the variety and variability of customer’s necessities over time and by the manufacturer’s competence satisfying them.

And then, steps that cannot be considered “less” crucial will arrive: installation and activation of the machine, for example. These are moments you will spend calmly, if you have someone by your side that assumes wholly the responsibility to have delivered the machine, to have verified that it works during the entire working life of the machine, as expected by the costumer, since the manufacturer is present from the start up.

Putting effort into guaranteeing all this means to be completely “master” of their own technology and of all the components that compose the line, thought as many different “segments” of a whole. We all know that presses for working and going into production need accessories, like sawing machine, furnace, deburring machine…

The skilled press manufacturer knows how to give the right relevance to these segments, by addressing the customer to the most appropriate choice (both for technical characteristics and budget characteristics) for him, by offering the most correct solutions, even if these are supplied by the manufacturer himself or if these are reachable directly from the customer by other specialized manufacturers.

The habit to think and to study every single “segment” of the forging line so that it contributes to the best, in its peculiarity, to the line efficiency has a name: modularity. The numerous satisfaction “stories” of the “Top performer” customers indicate the modularity as the most efficient way to go.

How many elements, realistically, is the press connected to? The list is long:

• traditional gas heating furnaces,
• Induction heating furnaces,
• graphitizing machines,
• arms or external Robots and of third party for loading/unloading of the machine,
• trimming presses,
• sandblasting machines,…

In the face of a so articulate system, the experience shows us that the “compactness” is not enough.

There is no doubt that setting up a line according to the modularity criterion will request:

• Time and patience;
• active consultation of the manufacturer;
• the need of being informed and updated on the market proposals
• Once the choices are made and components are purchased, arranging the suitable places to place them.

But let’s resume exactly from here. The possibility to “save” spaces, indeed one of the main subjects of the offers of compact lines manufacturers, seems not to be a small advantage.
However, combining many specific machines in just a “compact” solution for the above-mentioned advantage to save space risks to compromise the production results. Unfortunately, the matter of fact is that a break of just one component is enough to stop the entire “compact line” activity. So, the risk is: I have optimized the space, but the banal breakdown, for example of a blade of the shearing machine could cause the stop of the total production. At that point, having saved space will not be a great consolation, unfortunately.

The style of modularity belongs traditionally to manufacturers who knows thoroughly the problems and matters that who forges must face every day. Who has this kind of knowledge also knows well that the fact of being able to intervene in a focused and independent way on every components of the line has no price.

The modular concept, that as we have already seen, provides to have the press in line but separated from the furnace and even not in line with the other machines (as, for example, the sawing-machine or the graphitizing machine, that working separately, can create “buffer” stock of semifinished parts along the line), it allows:

▲ The biggest flexibility: the customer can choose the components he prefers (gas or induction furnace, sawing machine or seaming machine…), changing them in the future to answer to new needs, and to adapt the line layout to a company that develops.

▲ The press, since it is independent from furnaces and sawing machine, can be used in the future for forging other types of brass alloy, or copper or aluminum.

If sawing-machine, furnaces and press are “melt” in just one machine, this is not possible.

▲ Every machine can give its best (a good sawing machine can cut more billets/hour than a press can print) and does not have to adapt to the speed of the slowest machine.

▲ The line will be able to be easily adapted to non cylindrical classic billets, but also, for example pre-bent, disc shaped, billets with special contour.

▲ The best efficiency: each machine is independent, the press can forge when the sawing-machine needs a blades replacement: on the contrary, when the die on the press is replaced, the sawing machine can continue to prepare billets.

A solid knowledge of the machineries is the fundamental base that allows the manufacturer to design and propose the best technical and economical solution for the customer’s needs. Since the manufacturer is specialized in the production of presses and since he is not obliged to provide with the press its own sawing/shearing machine and furnaces and not those of anybody else, will be able to suggest to the customer the best solutions to the specified needs.

The range of the proposal is very wide, and it is possible to range from new lines (in which each component is totally new and realized by the best specific manufacturer) to lines in which one or more parts are overhauled. But is welcomed also the costumer that, choosen the press manufacturer for trust and reliability reasons, then refers to him to have consultation and indications for the other components to add so to have a complete line, “ad hoc” both for the technical production requirements and for the “wallet” ones.

Regardless of your belonging sector: thermal-hydraulic, gas, automotive, railway, biomedical, special screws, clothing components, the modularity confirms always to be the winner, exactly for the flexibility that guarantees to the forging line and for maintaining its efficiency.