Biography of our hot forging blog
At the beginning of 2017 Mecolpress decided to start a blog entirely devoted to the hot forging world.
We set for it 2 goals:
- Being a reference point for hot forging companies, above all if these are first-time forgers.
- Supporting the companies having a long hot forging experience but that want to optimize their process, to better use their presses and to find answers to the necessities they meet step by step.
We have realized, doing some internet researches that it is very difficult to gather information regarding the hot forging world.
On Google you can find anything, but you will barely find suggestions or detailed deepening on hot forging!
Frequently we happen to be contacted by beginner hot forging companies, or companies having inexpert or not particularly qualified personnel (for example you can read this article) and all of these want to have further information.
We are aware that it is not possible to become expert forgers or to learn a job from Google but it is equally true that in 2020 I have to find answers on the internet to my necessities and some deepening on the topic.
Who are we?
Mecolpress is a company specialized in the production and installation of hot forging presses for brass, aluminum, copper, titanium, steel and other alloys.
Mecolpress was established in 1969, therefore we have a long forging experience and knowledge.
In our production workshop we have persons extremely expert in brass hot forging, and recently we have inserted in our staff also a steel “technologist”, we have available a mechanic and electronic technical office completely internal and a highly appreciated customer-care service.
To date we have developed and installed more than 1.950 presses at more than 400 customers all over the world, used for the forging of brass, aluminum, copper, titanium and steel.
One of the features that our customers usually appreciate most is the after sales service: the great and guaranteed material availability is added to the expertise and solid knowledge of the machines. The efficient feedback of Mecolpress lies in the largeness of the areas dedicated to the storage of parts that can be requested by the customers (we have 2 devoted warehouses) and in the investments decided exactly in favour of the “warehouse”.
Why writing a blog regarding hot forging?
At this point we said “why not sharing part of our skills online? For example, with a company from South Africa that is wondering if it’s worth it to convert his production in a hot forging system?”
“And in addition, could all the expert forgers (Mecolpress customer or not) be interested to understand if there are improvements to apply to their production? The world has changed and even fields such as the hot forging one may seem as more “static” but, as a matter of fact, they are not. If you don’t stay up to date you will lose important commissions and the quality of your work won’t evolve!
Which kind of answers will you find on this blog?
With our blog we offer ideas and tips to improve each forging process. To manage the machines and the forging lines in the best way in order to obtain the best productivity, more flexibility and less maintenance.
The topics that according to us are easier to speak on are the technical ones, thanks to the experience acquired in 50 years of activity and to our numbers, but we try to maintain a character that can be easily understood also to the less experienced companies, remaining at disposal for further in-depth detailed explanation.
In the “Case Study” category you will find for example:
- How we could help a German customer of ours to win successfully a challenge, to forge a very complex set of parts that he didn’t dare to accept as an order.
- Is it possible to reduce the gate valves costs by forging without flash? It is possible by means of ME hydraulic presses.
- Is your screw press driving you crazy? You could have disregarded what for you is just a detail, but our experience taught us that it can make the difference!
We propose solutions to problems caused by a not optimal usage of the presses or screw presses, by the inexperience; these are requests that we collect from our after-sales department. We give voice to necessities that also for expertised hot forging companies sometime can appear as complex.
A challenge we can win for our customer means for us a great satisfaction!
The dies lubrication determines your forging success!
Knowing to take advantage of the correct dies lubrication is crucial in a hot forging system of brass, steel, aluminum, titanium or copper parts.
We have already highlighted many times in our previous articles how the lubrication can make the difference and solve many of the common problems that the forgers observe during the production of their forged parts. Our research of the perfect lubrication has evolved, becoming more and more precise and customizable, exactly like we are constantly required by the market.
A correct lubrication doesn’t mean that it must be of large quantity, but that it must be correctly dosed and the most appropriate lubricants must be chosen according to the metal types and required part to be forged.
The dies lubrication system of hydraulic presses of ME series and of eccentric press at continuous cycle of HEAVY series
With the hydraulic presses of ME series and the mechanical eccentric at continuous cycle presses of HEAVY series we have revolutionized the dies lubrication system:
- We drag the outgoing oil+graphite mixture on the lubrication point.
- We let the lubrication liquid and the compressed air flow in two concentric tubes of the control valves of the single points up to the usage point.
- For each of the points the pilot is independent and therefore for each of them we give the possibility to the user to choose from the operator panel how, when and how often to intervene.
But we were not satisfied yet!
Which are the requests the forgers most frequently address to us?
We have verified that some of the questions you ask our service department are regarding the lubrication system:
“My die has broken, what can I do to guarantee it a long-lasting life?”
“The dies lubrication system I am using is not satisfying.”
“Is it possible to reduce the waste of lubricants, in view of an even more ecological choice?”
“How can I obtain a successful forging system?”
Our Research and Development team has therefore perfected and developed a new lubrication system.
What’s new in the lubrication system of the HEAVY series
Heavy series is our new proposal of a mechanical eccentric at continuous cycle press. It is a very revolutionary machine, the result of 50 years of experience in the hot forging presses production, and of the continuous search for innovation and technology perfection.
As a result, we have completely reviewed even the automation and the dies lubrication.
First of all, the dies lubrication system allows for each single point the independent and programmable management.
It is possible to start the lubrication cycle in different ways: during the ascent or descent of the ram, during the loading or unloading cycle, with appropriate delay and duration times.
Each point can be used for the nebulization of the lubricant or for the cooling and cleaning of the dies.
The system can be implemented with 2 or more high capacity air blowing points.
It is possible to program the schedules: the pumping circuit, the automatic mixer and the heating resistance placed in the tank allow to prepare the liquid and the entire circuit for the starting time at optimal conditions.
The nebulization of the lubricant, thanks to the particular pipe system, is obtained only in proximity of the usage area: in this way the dosage, repeatability and the sensibility to the dosage variation are guaranteed.
40 lubrication/cooling points are foreseen, of which 16 are placed in the lower dies-holder and 16 in the upper dies-holder. The disposition of the lubrication/cooling points throughout the dies allows to reach efficaciously the critical points to be lubricated/cooled, in addition to drastically reduce the times of production change.
Reactive, smart system for creating your recipes
The responsiveness to the settings variations is immediate, unlike the traditional system that requires several minutes of production before it stabilizes.
In addition to this, we can have a strong blowing without the help of compressors (that are contributing to increase the consumptions and the general maintenances of the plant).
A smart software system helps moreover the operator to adapt automatically the dosage of the lubricant in the startup phase of the production, till to reach the correct forging conditions.
Our system can be adapted even to the use of lubricant/water-base release agent, e.g. used in the aluminum sector, that are different from the classic graphitized oil.
All the parameters, activation of the used points, start modalities, timers and counters, once they have been optimized, are saved in the recipe devoted to the type of the part to be produced, in order that for the following batches of the same article there is a fast production start without useless waste of time.
HOT FORGING PRESSES INTERVIEW WITH MECOLPRESS
Company manufacturing hot forging presses.
We report an interview of the digital magazine Easy Engineering of 28 April 2020.
Established in 1969, MECOLPRESS was founded as a manufacturing company of mechanical presses for brass components hot forging. Up to today, Mecolpress has developed and installed more than 1.950 presses, at over 400 customers all around the world, used for forging brass, aluminum, copper, titanium, steel. The current production site in Flero, in the highly productive area of Brescia, takes up a 30.000 square meters surface, 10.400 of them are covered and employees 55 people, reaching a turnover in 2018 of 11.5 million Euro.
In 2019, in occasion of EMO exhibition in Hannover, Mecolpress officially presented the new series of continuous and discontinuous cycle eccentric presses, the HEAVY series.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
MECOLPRESS: At the beginning all efforts were concentrated on brass hot forging field; in the time, also through the acquisition of the historical brands Osterwalder and Dellavia in the screw presses section, the variety of machines that we design and produce is now so wide and complete to satisfy the most different requirements of the customers: for each specific material, shape and quantity to be forged, we are in the position to offer the most suitable solution.
Mecolpress is today the only company among the manufacturers of presses for the hot forging of brass, aluminum steel, copper, titanium, with a so complete production program.
Our present production program consists of:
- TDS: direct drive with electrical servomotor;
- Dellavia and Osterwalder: Traditional disc friction.
PG Knuckle joint presses
for calibration and coining of parts.
Presse Meccaniche Eccentriche
- SOV and SEO/F: for the vertical hot forging;
- SEO and HEAVY: for forging with horizontal cores, in single or continuous cycle.
for forging brass and aluminum parts without flash.
- PO: single station;
- S: multiple station, rotary table with hydraulic motor;
- E: multiple station, rotary table with electric motor.
In addition, Mecolpress is particularly active in after-sales service. The heart and pride of Mecolpress is its large spare parts warehouse, which is able to supply accessories or spare parts for machines produced fifty years ago. For this reason, in addition to the sale of machinery, there is a wide activity related to the service and supply of accessories (such as tools, arms, spare parts, etc..).
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
MECOLPRESS: At the end of 2019 Mecolpress presented at EMO fair in Havvore a brand-new series of eccentric presses, named HEAVY, which defines a new standard for the hot forging of brass.
A machine concept that offer highest durability and reliability together with an innovative software system that allows the maximum control on the process and the a very easy operation.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
MECOLPRESS: As a manufacturer with an own wide range of products, the additional equipment that we simply trade is limited to ancillary machines, to offer complete forging lines (delivering a finished part from the input of a raw material bar) to those customer that prefer to have a turn-key plant from one source.
Typical traded machines are: billets heating furnaces, forging dies, sand blasting machines.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
MECOLPRESS: Since our machines are dedicated to a very wide panorama of applications (from house building to automotive, from gas control to biomedical) there are always new developments in these sectors.
This is for us very stimulating because we are constantly involved in the design of new solution, to support our customers with the most suitable equipment to manufacture parts that are chancing in the shapes, in the alloys and in the technical requirements.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
MECOLPRESS: In the past our customers were mainly subcontractors, producing many different kinds of parts for the most differentiated OEMs. We see now more and more companies that are interested in bringing back into their own activity the hot forging process, to have full control over the entire production line. And also, the subcontractors that still exists, are increasing in size, in capability, and in specialization: they are requested to be much more accurate, reliable, more flexible and fast in changing production and technologies.
For these reasons, the machines that both our customer types (the subcontractors and the OEMs) need, are machines that can easily switch from one application to the next, and that can record and control really in depth every aspect of the production process. The user is therefore becoming more an engineer, that study and program the process in advance and then let the machine run autonomously, instead of an operator that has to stay full time at the machine, checking and adjusting the settings.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
MECOLPRESS: As above indicated, one of the most innovative products that we offer today is the new range of Heavy presses.
In parallel to this, we are widening the offer for the ME hydraulic presses which are designed to forge net shape parts. These machines are extremely versatile, can communicate in two directions with the company ERP software to exchange production data, recipes, preventive maintenance information. And are also able to automatically detect a non-conforming product and separate it from the good ones. This makes the ME forging presses a fully automatic system, that does not require operators to work but also does not need regular presence of quality control staff to check periodically the output.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
MECOLPRESS: At the end of 2019 we planned a very aggressive budget of sales for the 2020, and supported it with several activities and strategies, from the participation to many international shows, to the production of machines for stock, to grant to our customer very fast deliveries.
Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 virus spreading, many commercial activities had to be reprogrammed or postponed. We are now investigating the world markets to assess what will be the customers’ propensity to invest for the remaining months of this year. We are very optimistic that we will in any case be able to reach most of our targets also thank to the availability of machines in our workshop, which is allowing us to complete deliveries in this year of machines ordered in the second and third quarter.
THE PRESS AUTOMATICALLY SEPARATES THE FORGED PARTS: GOOD IN ONE BOX, BAD IN ANOTHER!
Differentiated unloading of the forged pieces
The press automatically separates the forged parts and divide them into different boxes. The press has become intelligent!
The differentiated unloading of the forged parts is an interesting function that Mecolpress provides by default on all hydraulic presses, but it can also be added as an option on eccentric mechanical presses.
Hot forging for higher quality of forged parts
The metal hot forging differs from the cold one because it allows you to obtain high quality pieces through an important deformation of the starting material. By working brass, copper, titanium, steel and aluminium by means of hot forging presses, in fact, it is possible to produce particular shapes, even with complex geometries.
The metal hot forging therefore allows to obtain parts that are more resistant than those obtained through other production processes.
In particular, metal hot forging can increase the strength and resistance of the products. For these reasons, the production of hot forged pieces guarantees specific advantages in their mechanical characteristics compared to those produced with other technologies such as casting or mechanical machining with chip removal.
The hot forging, compared to the casting processes, allows to obtain mechanical characteristics and surface appearance of superior quality. We at Mecolpress know it well, so much that we have made “Technology of Shape” our motto.
The piece produced must therefore be perfect, its quality must be certified. For this reason, Mecolpress has designed a system that allows the press automatically separates the perfect forged parts from those to be evaluated as they may not be such.
Why is it so important that the press separates the perfect forged parts from those to be evaluated?
From the automotive sector, the Lean production method teach us:
- Companies can be competitive on small production batches (producing only what is necessary) instead of manufacturing high quantities at low prices, with the risk of keeping high stock levels, are rewarded with success.
- The second must of the “Lean” work methodology is the zeroing of the waste and dispersions, or in other words, of the useless productions because of defected parts.
One of the most recurring needs in our customers is to have an ever more intense control of the forging process: the machine must be able to control as many parameters as possible important for the forging process, record them to make statistical predictions on the deviation from the optimal production, carry out checks.
Mecolpress offers a series of forging presses that fully meet the needs described above: the ME hydraulic series.
The hydraulic presses can control numerous process parameters and on these manage the logic for rejects or collect the measured values for statistical analysis. For example, they can control:
- the temperature of the billets to be loaded,
- the coring punches penetration time,
- the punches real penetration force,
- the final position reached by each punch.
Here you can learn more about the most important process parameters that hydraulic presses are able to evaluate.
The machines of the ME series have the credentials to be competitive in a modern and controlled forging field; they operate at their best on medium / small batches, thanks to their flexibility.
In this video we show how our hydraulic presses perform the differentiated unloading of the forged parts:
The pieces that do not fully comply with the process parameters set by the operator and analysed by our powerful Calipso software to control the forging process, are unloaded in a separate bin.
For the customer this operation translates into an important saving method:
- Less waste of time,
- Less material / pieces to be discarded,
- Be sure that the forged piece complies with the required characteristics,
- Get perfect shapes.
Another company based in Brescia chooses Mecolpress hydraulic presses.
With regularity and continuity, Mecolpress gains new Italian customers, the hydraulic press is confirming to be the winning choice.
Case Study: How we acquired the latest customer from Brescia
We report the case of a new customer based in Brescia that we have just acquired, an interesting case study to understand which are the necessities of the companies working in the hot forging sector and how Mecolpress provides answers.
It is the case of a company established in the international market for the very high quality of its production, consisting mainly of mini valves, valves and fittings for the sanitary and heating sector. This company has its own brass hot forging department, developed to cover the 100% of the forged parts needs; the recourse to very few and highly selected external suppliers happens just in case of particular peak of volumes.
The presses equipment of this company consists of 5 machines, always full of work: 3 more traditional and “dated” (eccentric mechanical presses of the historic producer Rovetta, that now no longer exists) and two more recent little hydraulic presses of a particular type, proposed by an European producer.
Knowing better the company, now customer of us, we could appreciate right from the beginning some undisputed features:
- Advanced transfer machines;
- A working method focused on the precise and deep knowledge of all the productive processes;
- A forward-looking vision on the continuous training of all the personnel that is involved with the management regarding the strategic decisions and that creates a uniform a close-knit group;
- A quality department having knowledge, methodologies and instruments not only for the examination of the parts but also for the evaluation of the method used for their production.
During various meeting both at customer’s and Mecolpress site, we had the opportunity to present them our complete range of presses and in particular the functionalities of our hydraulic presses of ME series.
Mecolpress method
The customer wanted to test us, taking advantage of the Mecolpress strategy of having a selection of presses almost ready for delivery, for carrying out forging simulations with two parts of their production range on the specific press of their interest.
The result was that, thanks to the constructive collaboration of both teams (the customer and the Mecolpress ones), in just 9 weeks from the decision of beginning with the simulations, we could:
- Carry out the forging simulations of the two parts to be tested;
- Manufacture the related forging dies;
- Carry out forging tests with two dies (in manual and in automatic cycle, since Mecolpress has 2 high-performing push-type gas furnaces;
- Dismantle and demolish one of the old presses of the Customer;
- Deliver at customer site in Brescia a new ME150/4G62 hydraulic press, exactly the same one the customer saw and tried.
Why the company under consideration chose Mecolpress?
We thank the customer for the trust and for having tested us, and we are particularly proud that even they, as other customers, after having bought and used the hydraulic presses of our competitors, have chosen to purchase Mecolpress for the future.
The decisive points for this new positive result are in short:
- Mecolpress can offer to the customer not only any kind of new presses, but also exceptional expertise in the maintenance of old presses, of other manufacturers (in this case Rovetta).
- Mecolpress hydraulic presses, both for mechanical and construction project and for extremely developed software, offer to the user an incomparable ease and usage flexibility.
- Choosing Mecolpress, the possibility to conclude an investment in very short time, and to see it becoming rapidly productive; who wants to invest has no time to wait and must be helped to be competitive as soon as possible!
Would you too like to try a forging simulation?
Don’t waste your time,
test us!
STEEL HOT FORGING: THE WORD TO OUR EXPERT
We interviewed Luca Di Donato, Mecolpress specialist for steel hot forging.
Steel is a far different material from brass, for this reason Mecolpress has decided to increase its team with a devoted figure, to whom we have addressed some questions.
Let's talk about steel hot forging
What is your role in Mecolpress?
The role I currently play in the company context is project engineer manager specialized in steel hot forging and non-ferrous alloys (except brass).
Specifically, I mainly deal with the identification and definition of the hot plastic deformation process that is technically and economically most suitable for the production of semi-finished steel components but also aluminium and special nickel and Titanium alloys.
What kind of experience do you have in steel hot forging sector?
The gained background in the specific sector derives from many years of work experience acquired in the company field, initially as a designer and then as technical and operational director of companies located in Italy and abroad.
Which application sectors do usually use steel hot forging presses?
Presses for steel hot forging are widely used in many application sectors such as automotive, aeronautics, agriculture, construction, chemical, petrochemical and industrial sector in general.
Which type of machine is most suitable for steel forging? (mechanical presses, hydraulic presses, screw presses?)
From a metallurgical point of view, steel can be forged using every type of press, since the types of steel in general are little affected by the presses deformation speed as some aluminium alloys and the super alloys of Titanium and Nickel are affected.
Therefore, there are other parameters that influence the choice, in fact the geometry, the geometric and dimensional tolerances can certainly guide the choice on a mechanical press rather than on a screw press, but also on a hydraulic press.
Compared to brass, which are the distinctive traits of steel?
From the process point of view and therefore from the point of view of the relative presses, the first aspect that is typical for steel is certainly the forging temperature which is around 1200 ° C.
The other equally important feature is the steel deformability which is far more difficult than the one of the brass. The resistance to hot plastic deformation of steel forces the adoption of simpler geometries, the adoption of presses with increased capacity in terms of forces, moreover, pre-forming processes are often used.
According to your experience, which are the recurring critical issues that you could observe in the forging of this material?
As previously highlighted, steel is forged at high temperature, therefore possible overheating can be created in areas that are particularly subject to deformation, the involved forces are important and as a result the energy and disposition can approach the limit and cause no geometric conformity on the piece.
In the end, steel cannot be easily deformed and therefore it requires a specific study to understand which preforming processes are better to adopt in order to avoid cracks / folds of material.
Always according to your experience, when we want to choose the most suitable machine, what should we absolutely consider?
Obviously the geometry of the forged product to be obtained, together with the imposed geometric and dimensional tolerances, strongly influences the choice of the best process, first of all the type of press but also all the machines necessary to compose the line, from the cutting, heating, and preforming process up to the possible calibration of hot / cold forging.
Mecolpress, through the specific skills acquired in fifty years of working history and thanks to its professionalism, is able to support the customer from the very first stages of defining the most suitable geometry for the choice of the forging up to the realization of the line, also fully automated, turnkey.
What do you think that can really make the difference in a “guessed” press?
The heart of the production line in its entirety is the PRESS which has been designed to respect specific characteristics, as a result “guessing” the type of press is absolutely important, but it is equally essential to consider who designed and built it, in this regard the presses produced by Mecolpress are considered to be among the best on the market, both in terms of technological content and in terms of rigidity and reliability.
If you want further information regarding the topic “Steel hot forging”, we invite you to consult the U.NI.S.A. Italian National Union of Steel Forgers, of which we are aggregate members.
Screw presses
Come to discover the application sectors and the functioning of Mecolpress screw presses. Used for hot forging, these presses can be employed with every type of material and are distinguished by the realization of full parts.
Screw presses functioning
Mecolpress offers a wide range of presses both hydraulic and mechanical. Also screw presses fall into this last category, ideal for hot forging of parts of great dimensions or that require more passages for shaping. These mechanical screw presses can be provided with a disc friction control or a direct control with electric servomotor.
The screw press choice is determined according to the type of part you want to forge. Hallmark of the screw press is its ratio force-machine dimension, that results greater than the specific one of an eccentric mechanical press.
These mechanical presses can be used with every type of material and the frequency of strokes is quite reduced. For this reason, there is a tendency to use this machine for the production of little batches, that is often true for parts of great dimensions.
Mecolpress offers to its customers three lines of screw presses: Dellavia series and Osterwalder series that are friction screw presses, and TDS series with electric motor. All the screw presses models can be integrated with complete and automatic forging lines, that from bar raw material realize finished forged parts.
The tonnage can go from 170 tons up to more than 2.700 tons, to be chosen according to the geometrical shape you want to obtain and of course to the material to be forged.
The applications
The screw presses are used for the realization of parts destined to different application fields including for example, watch cases, parts for sport equipment, for automotive or for biomedical titanium prothesis.
So, it is possible to produce very small parts, such as for example, clothing zipper pullers till to aluminum sport bows of 1 m of length. The parts, produced by this type of machine, are not cored but full.
The screw presses are very used also in the fashion field to realize belt and bag buckles, with brand-specific shape.
In order to understand which model is more suitable to your production needs, all you have to do is to address to Mecolpress sales department. Thanks to the experience gained with years of activity in the hot forging field, we can suggest the most performing machine according to the type of part you want to forge, and it is possible to carry out a test directly at our premises.
Mecolpress range of presses
For metals hot forging it is possible to use both mechanical and hydraulic presses. Mecolpress proposes high-tech and of different types machineries in order to satisfy nearly all production needs.
Mecolpress presses are indicated for copper, brass, steel, titanium and aluminum hot forging.
Mechanical presses
Among Mecolpress hot forging mechanical presses there are eccentric mechanical presses that are classified according to the nominal force. SOV model for vertical forging: they require an average energy consumption and are characterized by their high productivity. Instead, the SEO presses are developed for the forging of parts with coring and are divided in:
- SEO: (at single cycle): presses for forging with horizontal coring, high energy, medium Productivity
- SEO- CVE/CS: (at continuous cycle): presses for hot forging with horizontal coring, high energy, high Productivity
- SEO-F: (a ciclo singolo): (at single cycle): presses for forging with vertical coring, high energy and medium productivity
Another type of mechanical press offered by Mecolpress is the screw press.
The screw presses are divided according to the screw diameter and there are three available models:
- TDS: direct control with electrical servomotor. The screw diameter goes from 240 mm to 525 mm.
- Dellavia: friction discs control. The screw diameter goes from 130 mm to 460 mm.
- Osterwalder: friction discs control. The screw diameter goes from 150 mm to 220 mm.
Hydraulic presses
Our hydraulic presses are part of ME series and are characterized by their dies closing force that goes from 100 to 500 Tons.
These are the tonnages we have realized so far, but we can realize tonnages with greater closing force, as well. The horizontal coring punches force goes at present from 30 to 350 tons and also in this case, upon request, it is possible to produce the machine with a greater force than the indicated one.
Presses for parts coining and calibration
Mecolpress offers to its customers that need presses for parts coining and calibration the knuckle joint press of PG series, that are characterized for their low stroke and very high productivity.
These are classified according to their nominal force.
Machineries for parts trimming:
Mecolpress trimming machines are classified according to nominal force, as follows:
- PO:trimming machine with single station, low productivity, generally used for manual loading, H structure. Tons from 10 to 60.
- S: trimming machine with multiple stations, provided with rotary station with hydraulic motor. It is characterized by a medium productivity rate and it is used for manual or by automation loading, H structure. Tons from 10 to 60.
- E: Trimming machine with multiple stations, equipped with rotary table with electrical motor, high-medium productivity, more suitable for loading by automation or robot, C structure. Tonnage from 10 to 60.
Thanks to the variety of offered machineries, our sales department can suggest you the press that best fits for your project according to the type of part to realize and according to the specific conditions in which the customer operates.
Mechanical press or hydraulic press?
Thanks to the long experience as press manufacturers, Mecolpress can offer to its customers a wide choice of mechanical and hydraulic presses for hot forging and our sales department team can suggest the most suitable machine for the realization of a specific geometry.
Differences between mechanical press and hydraulic press
The mechanic press develops the movements necessary for forging thanks to mechanical connections between the ram and the horizontal coring system of the parts. The upper die close against the lower one and the punches enter laterally. The movements of the mechanical components are therefore all connected with each other and their planning results to be a little bit restricted because if you adjust the movement of a component, you will automatically modify the other ones, as well.
The movements of the components of the hydraulic press are adjusted by hydraulic cylinders instead and you will have an independent control on each axis. This implicates a superior programming flexibility because you can operate on the single components and obtain a better material flow management inside the die.
When it is better to choose a mechanical press
The mechanical at continuous cycle presses for metals hot forging have a higher productivity compared to the hydraulic presses, and this certainly represents an advantage.
There are vertical forged parts, such as the straight junctions or the nuts, that due to their shape are very suitable to be forged by high productivity mechanical presses.
When it is better to choose a hydraulic press
The hydraulic presses allow a major control on the movements of the single components and are more suitable for the realization of parts of complex geometry, such as the slide gate valves. The punches that contribute to the realization of the part are indeed independent and are generally four, placed at 90° of distance from each other, but one or even two punches can be set up with a variable angle of entry, for example of 45° compared to the adjacent one. This implicates a higher flexibility and the possibility to realize some very complex shapes maintaining a high-quality standard.
Another characteristic of hydraulic presses for metals hot forging is the fact that they need less structure inside the productive area because they do not need to be placed on a pit, that is compulsory for the mechanical presses. The positioning of the hydraulic press on simple floor allows a higher flexibility in the factory layout.
The best choice? Ask Mecolpress!
The choice to buy a mechanical or a hydraulic press is almost exclusively made based on the shape of the part to be forged and not based on the material. Both the presses typology forge indeed different types of metals. The only case in which the material can be a decisive factor refers to steel productions that often require the use of a screw press because of the high tonnage.
Mecolpress offers excellent mechanical and hydraulic presses according to the part geometry that the customer wants to realize, and suggests the best and most performing press, that can indeed optimize the production and sparing on the costs.
If you want to receive information regarding our hot forging presses, you can write to: sales@mecolpress.com
Mecolpress hydraulic presses: features and advantages
Mecolpress boasts a wide range of hydraulic presses of different tonnages, ideal for the realization of hot forged parts with complex geometry. The presses are equipped with a Mecolpress proprietary software, “Calipso”, that allows to monitor the entire productive cycle of the hydraulic press according to numerous parameters.
Features of hydraulic presses
Hallmark of every hydraulic press is the programming flexibility. Since the ram and the punches are independently controlled by hydraulic cylinders, this allows to carry out some corrections during the working cycle to remedy some eventual defects by acting on the movement of a single component through software.
Hydraulic presses can hot forge different materials including brass, copper, aluminum, steel and titanium alloys.
Range of Mecolpress hydraulic presses
Mecolpress offers to its customers a wide range of presses with a die closing force that currently goes from 100 to 500 tons and a minimum punch force of 30 tons that can arrive till 350 tons.
Moreover, our hydraulic presses are provided with a loading arm for warm billets and with an unloading arm for the forged part. Based on the customer’s needs concerning the layout for the hot forging production line, the arms can be placed on the same side and working in sync, otherwise placed on the opposite sides and working autonomously. Thanks to “Calipso” software developed by Mecolpress and installed on every hydraulic press, the press can detect which parts are not in compliance with the programmed parameters, and these parts will be automatically separated from the others by the unloading arm, flowing into a box for wastes.
This management allows to optimize the checks and to save time on the productive cycle.
Possible configurations of a hydraulic press
Mecolpress hydraulic presses can be set up in a custom-made way according to production needs expressed by the customer. For example, one or two punches can be placed with an entry angle different from the classic 90°, allowing the realization of particularly complex shapes such as, for example, Y-junctions and filter bodies.
Further possible configurations are:
- the addition of a fifth vertical punchthat operates under the die,
- the loading of one or two billets at the same time till a maximum of four,
- the addition of pyrometers for billet temperature detection,
- the application of extra sensors on the punches for both physical and mechanical data collection that are then sent to the PLC and that allow to better monitor the production cycle.
Indeed, the sensors always check the movement carried out by the punches during the stroke and it is possible to obtain a representation of the different acceleration and deceleration phases. This real time analysis allows to notice eventual problems and to understand if these derive, for example, from the die or if these are of hydraulic or mechanical type.
In this way also the Mecolpress service team can intervene in a more to the point and prompter way, reducing the machine stop costs.