Press Facts
Forging of difficult to form materials
Siempelkamp: Order for two isothermal
forging presses
Complete solution for the forging of turbine blades made of titanium
aluminide
Krefeld, Germany, March 27, 2015 Leistritz Turbinentechnik
GmbH ordered from Siempelkamp the design and supply of
two 8 MN isothermal forging plants for the manufacture of
turbine blades made of titanium aluminide. The customer will
use these forging presses to manufacture a new generation of
aircraft engines which are, compared to the nickel-base alloys
currently used, up to 50% lighter while offering the same
strength. Thus, they allow for significantly reduced fuel
consumption.
Due to its intermetallic structure titanium aluminide is characterized
by its high strength and excellent creep resistance at high
temperatures. At the same time, at a density of 4 grams per cubic
meter, it is very light. Therefore, it is ideally suited for aircraft
engines. The material provides the potential to reduce the weight of
turbine blades for aircraft engines by up to 50% which also goes
along with a significant reduction of the centrifugal forces. The
lighter design of the engines, made possible with the new
components, will contribute decisively to reduced fuel consumption.
Intermetallic titanium aluminide was considered as not forgeable for
a long time. Compared to casting, forging generates a special recrystallization structure which is necessary for safety reasons for
the rotating engine parts. In addition, the process stability during
forging is higher than during casting and consequently, the turbine
blades meet the extremely high quality requirements of the aircraft
industry.
Leistritz has developed a new process where the blanks can be
formed without cracks under carefully defined conditions at
temperatures between 1,150 and 1,300 °C. The high forming
temperature and the long dwell time of the forgings in the die, due
to forming speeds of less than 0.1 mm/s, require heating the tools
to forging temperature.
The extremely low press speeds require the hydraulic drive control
to be especially accurate and uniform. Special guide and sealing
systems assure uniform compression and thus avoid the undesired
stick-slip effect. The symmetrical press design with a cross thread
guide located on the outside allows for high precision forging.
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Because the guide elements are isolated from the heat source
there is no thermal influence on the guide. The large distance
between the guidance elements and the high rigidity of the press
frame also contribute to precisely opposite aligned upper and lower
dies during the forging process.
Leistritz has been operating a Siempelkamp 50 MN isothermal
forging press since 1984. Due to the positive experiences and
Siempelkamp's expertise in the technologically sophisticated
isothermal forging process, Leistritz contacted Siempelkamp early
on and discussed different concepts. During pilot production,
engineering talks about the design of the later production line
started. In the beginning of 2014 both companies cooperated to
develop the requirement profile for the plant allowing series
operation. In November 2014 Leistritz commissioned Siempelkamp
with the development and production of two manufacturing plants
for the series production of turbine blades. Since the molybdenum
contained inside the dies sublimates in the open air at temperatures
over 600 °C oxygen has to be prevented from entering the dies.
Therefore, the entire plant is enclosed which allows the complete
automatic process, starting with the inserting of the blank at room
temperature to the unloading of the forged turbine blades, to take
place in an inert gas atmosphere.
Siempelkamp supplies both presses from a single source. The
scope of supply for both presses includes a rotary hearth furnace,
a loading manipulator, the forging press, the tool heating system,
the hydraulic drive system and the complete electrical system. The
process control monitors and documents the process parameters
according to the certification standards in the aircraft industry.
The first press will start series production in March 2016, the
second press one year later.
4,400 characters including blanks
About Siempelkamp
During several decades, Siempelkamp has accumulated vast experience in engineering and
manufacturing metal forming presses. These include sheet metal forming presses for the
production of large pipes and half shells, straightening presses, presses for the production of
side members, presses for heat exchanger plates, hydroforming presses, presses for the
production of rear axle housing as well as the full line of closed and open-die forging presses.
The company specializes in customized presses with high press forces.
With the three business areas Machinery and Plant Manufacturing, Foundry and Nuclear
Technology, the Siempelkamp Group is a leading technology provider with international scope.
The company enjoys worldwide reputation as systems supplier of presses and press lines for the
metals industry as well as turn-key plants for the wood-working industry.
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Figure
 Download of high resolution photo:
Siempelkamp press photo
Image 1: The complete plant – forging
press left, loading/unloading
device in center, in front of it the
rotary hearth furnace – is
enclosed and operates under an
inert gas atmosphere.
Picture by Siempelkamp
File name:
Siempelkamp leistritz_2c.jpg
Contact:
Press Contact:
Siempelkamp Maschinen- und
Anlagenbau GmbH
Ralf Griesche, Marketing +
Communications
Siempelkampstraße 75
47803 Krefeld / Germany
Tel.: +49.2151.92-4636
Fax: +49.2151.92-5683
www.siempelkamp.com
E-Mail: [email protected]
V.I.P. Kommunikation
Dr.-Ing. Uwe Stein
Süsterfeldstraße 83
52072 Aachen / Germany
Tel.: +49.241.89468-55
Fax: +49.241.89468-44
www.vip-kommunikation.de
E-Mail: [email protected]
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