While not his first invention, the hammer – and in particular the hammer head – has helped man expand his universe like no other invention until the advent of the personal computer. Through the centuries, the hammer head has kept up with the times, evolving from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age to the Iron Age and through the Industrial Revolution (the Steel Age).

Andritz received an order from Thyssenkrupp rothe erde (Xuzhou) Ring Mill Co. Ltd. to supply eight chamber forging furnaces for its plant in Xuzhou, China. Thyssenkrupp rothe erde manufactures slewing bearings and seamless rolled rings used in applications ranging from industrial machinery, automotive engineering and aerospace facilities to wind turbines and tunnel-boring machines. Andritz’s scope of supply includes engineering, manufacturing, electrical equipment and automation software. The furnaces will include low-NOx burners that will minimize emissions and fuel consumption. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.

Germany’s SMS group acquired Italian companies Hydromec S.R.L. and OMAV S.p.A. to further expand its product range in the forging-press and extrusion-plant markets. Hydromec manufactures forging presses and ring-rolling mills, and OMAV supplies aluminum extrusion lines. With its extended product portfolio, SMS group is now able to supply complete extrusion lines and forging plants with all upstream and downstream equipment and process technology from a single source.

SMS group put a 31.5/34-MN open-die forging press into operation at Gustav Grimm Edelstahlwerk (GGE), a forge based in Remscheid, Germany. GGE specializes in the manufacture of high-alloy forgings. Because of the built-in hydraulic and control systems, GGE’s new high-speed forging press achieves time savings of about 10% compared to the old press. For the first time, SMS group has installed an additively manufactured machine component in an open-die forging press. The 3D-printed hydraulic manifold block is lighter, more compact and has a flow-optimized design. Designed by SMS group and made of an aluminum alloy, it weighs just one-tenth of the conventional steel component. The manifold block is used to distribute hydraulic oil for operating and venting the cylinders.

According to a report, Spain’s Alcorta Forging Group will open its first U.S. manufacturing operations and regional headquarters in Marysville, Ohio. The 100-year-old company, which develops and manufactures automotive components, will invest $15 million and create 50 new jobs. The 150,000-square-foot forging and manufacturing facility will be completed in three phases and include state-of-the-art machinery and equipment. Under the current uncertain circumstances, Alcorta will move forward with its pre-construction activities while remaining on hold for the construction launch.

If you are interested in this question, you will want to read this article. How AM will disrupt forging is different from how it is affecting casting. Authors suggest that directed energy deposition (DED) is the area to watch.

Wynnchurch Capital acquired the assets of Western Forge & Flange Co. Based in Cleveland, Texas, Western manufactures high-quality, specialty forgings and flanges used in petrochemical, nuclear, military and other industrial infrastructure applications. Founded in 1944, the company has the ability to provide high-quality products and solutions with quick turnaround times on orders ranging from standard to highly custom. Western will unite under one platform with Pennsylvania Machine Works (Penn Machine), a Wynnchurch portfolio company. According to Wynnchurch, the acquisition creates one of the largest domestic, vertically integrated manufacturers of fittings and flanges.

Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) announced a realignment of its business segments to further enhance its position as a leading specialty materials manufacturer and to accelerate sustainable long-term profitable growth. Starting with first-quarter 2020 financial results, ATI will report in two business segments: a streamlined High Performance Materials & Components (HPMC) segment and the new Advanced Alloys & Solutions (AA&S) segment.

L&L Special Furnace Co. Inc. shipped a floor-standing forging furnace and a floor-standing tempering furnace to a manufacturer of medical implant components located in the northeastern U.S. The forging furnace has working dimensions of 48 inches wide x 24 inches high x 24 inches deep and a maximum operating temperature of 1800°F (982°C). The parts that are blanks are heated in the furnace. Once at temperature, they are moved to the hot-forming press and formed into the required shape. The electrical heating system provides a clean atmosphere with no products of combustion that could affect the workload.

Premier Forge Group, a portfolio company of Wynnchurch Capital, acquired California Amforge Corp. Located in Azusa, Calif., Amforge manufactures closed-die, upset and rolled-ring forgings for the aerospace, defense and oil-and-gas industries. The company supplies critical components for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and engines in military and civil applications. Located in Portland, Ind., and Lebanon, Ky., Premier Forge provides high-value, complex forgings for OEMs in a range of markets. The company’s capabilities include comprehensive forging processes complemented by in-house design and engineering, product machining and heat-treating services.