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Resource efficient forging process chain for complicated high duty parts (REFORCH)
Start date: Oct 1, 2012, End date: Sep 30, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Many high duty parts for the automotive sector are forging parts made of steel (e. g. crankshafts and connecting rods). In common forging processes for complicated high duty parts, especially crankshafts (each produced motor vehicle needs one), an excess on material (flash) is technically needed which results in a material utilization between 60 and 80 %. Together with energy the material costs are a main cost part in the forging industry, which delivered more than 6 billion tons of forgings (2010). Flash reduced forging reduces this excess on material significantly and increases the material utilization up to 90 %. The whole European forging industry with their surrounding processes like heating, spraying and tool manufacturing is mainly prorated to SME companiesThe aim of the project REForCh is the development of a new resource efficient process chain for high duty parts based on flash reduced forging. It includes preforming in closed dies, a multidirectional working die and a conventional finish forging operation. In this way a material utilization of about 90 % can be achieved by having good forging properties and enabling suitable die life-time. Furthermore the needed energy for the process and CO2-emissions will be reduced by save on material and using highly efficient induction heating systems. This improvement gives the European forging companies as a technological key industry best competitiveness against the Asian market.The whole process chain including three presses with five dies, an induction heating system, an induction reheating system and an adjusted automatic spraying system will be installed within the project REForCh. Afterwards the forged parts and the used equipment will be analysed for evaluating the process abilities. The project results will reduce material and energy consumption and therefore strengthen the position of the participating SMEs in the national and international market.

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