About the industrial flange production process

About the production process of forged flanges:

The forging process generally consists of the following steps, namely, selecting high-quality steel billets for blanking, heating, forming, and cooling after forging. The forging process methods include free forging, die forging, and membrane forging. During production, different forging methods are selected according to the quality of the forgings and the number of production batches. Free forging has low productivity and large machining allowances, but the tools are simple and versatile, so it is widely used to forge single pieces and small batches of forgings with simpler shapes. Free forging equipment includes air hammers, steam-air hammers, and hydraulic presses, which are suitable for the production of small, medium, and large forgings, respectively. Die forging has high productivity, simple operation, and is easy to mechanize and automate. Die forgings have high dimensional accuracy, small machining allowances, and more reasonable fiber structure distribution of forgings, which can further increase the service life of parts.

(1) Basic process of free forging

During free forging, the shape of the forging is gradually forged from the billet through some basic deformation processes. The basic processes of free forging include upsetting, drawing, punching, bending, and cutting.

1. Upsetting Upsetting is the process of forging the original blank along the axial direction to reduce its height and increase its cross-section. This process is often used to forge gear blanks and other disc-shaped forgings. Upsetting is divided into full upsetting and partial forging.

2. Drawing Drawing is a forging process that increases the length of the blank and reduces the cross-section. It is usually used to produce shaft blanks, such as lathe spindles, connecting rods, etc.

3. Punching is a forging process that uses a punch to punch through holes or non-through holes on the blank.

4. Bending is a forging process that bends the blank into a certain angle or shape.

5. Twisting is a forging process that rotates one part of the blank relative to another part at a certain angle.

6. A forging process that cuts and splits the blank or cuts off the head.

(2) Die forging

Die forging is the full name of model forging. The heated blank is placed in a forging die fixed on the die forging equipment to forge and shape it.

1. The basic process of die forging process: blanking, heating, pre-forging, final forging, punching, trimming, tempering, and shot peening. Common processes include upsetting, drawing, bending, punching, and forming.

2. Common die forging equipment Common die forging equipment includes die forging hammers, hot die forging presses, flat forging machines, and friction presses.

In layman's terms, forged flanges are of better quality and are generally produced through die forging. They have a fine crystal structure and high strength, but of course, they are more expensive. Both cast and forged flanges are common flange manufacturing methods. It depends on the strength requirements of the parts to be used. If the requirements are not high, turning flanges can also be used.

(3) Cutting flanges

Directly cut the inner and outer diameters and thickness of the flange on the middle plate, and then process the bolt holes and waterlines. The flange produced in this way is called a cut flange. The maximum diameter of this type of flange is limited by the width of the middle plate.

(4) Rolled flange

The process of cutting the middle plate and then rolling it into a circle is called rolling, which is mostly used in the production of some large flanges. After the rolling is successful, it is welded, then flattened, and then the waterline and bolt-hole processes are processed.