A. Benevenuta & C. S.p.a. ordered a 2,500-ton mechanical forging press from Farina, a Schuler affiliate. The company produces hot-forged steel components for the automotive industry near Turin, Italy. The parts are used in suspension systems, transmissions, engines and brakes in passenger cars, tractors, trucks and earth-moving machinery. The press force of the Benevenuta production lines ranges from 1,200 to 2,500 metric tons.

Schuler and its affiliate Farina demonstrated what the companies say is the world’s largest mechanical forging line to an international group of 60 forging experts. A live video stream transmitted from the production site in Suello, Italy, highlighted the features of the 16,000-ton press, which has a stroke of 600 mm, in action. The press will be delivered to Germany’s thyssenkrupp Gerlach. Due to its Scotch Yoke design, the press has a total height of 14 meters – making it much smaller than conventional presses. This enables high off-center loads and a high number of strokes. From the outside, the GLF-type machine looks like a conventional press, including the flywheel, clutch and crown gear. However, the Scotch Yoke directly works in the slide, which is the reason for the compact design.

Airforge OH 40028 is a non-graphitic die lube formulated for aluminum forging.

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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.