Aviation discs and turbine blades for the Chinese aviation industry
by Hans Diederichs
China-based AVIC Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of AVIC Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd, in partnership with SMS group , has put the world's largest clutch operated screw press into operation at its site in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China. The inauguration of the new press was celebrated together with numerous customers and invited guests who had the opportunity to see the impressive technology for themselves.
The SPKA-type clutch-operated screw press, which was supplied by SMS group, has a screw diameter of 1,330 millimeters, a hard-on hard blow force of 365 MN, a gross power of 27,000 kJ, and a weight of 2,900 tons. It is already the worldwide third clutch-operated screw press of this size supplied by SMS group, and exceeds with its performance data the other two existing presses delivered before.
The clutch-operated screw press from SMS group offers tremendous flexibility when it comes to optimizing the forging process and requires far less stroke to achieve the preset ram speed than a conventional slipping-wheel screw press. The maximum ram speed is attained after just ten percent of the ram stroke and remains at a constant level until the ram hits the part being forged.
This type of press is particularly suitable for high-energy forging as typically used for turbine blades or structural aircraft components, for example.
AVIC Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging is one of the largest manufacturers of structural components, aviation discs and turbine blades for the Chinese aviation industry. By investing in the new press, the company intends to increase its production volume and component portfolio, and supply the aircraft industry with forgings produced on the new press from high-alloy steel, titanium and nickelbased alloys.
Source and photo: SMS group