Simufact Engineering GmbH (Hamburg, Germany):

Schafstall H., Dr. Eng., CEO, CTO, hendrik.schafstall@simufact.de
McBain G., Dr. Eng. General Manager Simufact India i.f.
Barth Ch., Dr. Eng. Assist. Technical Director

Saarschmiede GmbH Freiformschmiede (Völklingen, Germany):
Terhaar J., Mag. Eng., Head of Forging
Jarolimeck J., Mag. Tech., Engineer for Process Development

For a number of years the German as well as the European forging industry has been facing some sustainable market trends, which have led to a paradigm shift that still lasts. The continuing shift of mass production to low cost countries and shorter product life cycles force the manufacturer to greater flexibility and efficiency in development and manufacturing. There is still a certain potential for cost savings. Utilizing these opportunities becomes especially important for very complex and energy-consuming incremental forming technologies like open die forging and ring rolling. Additional (local) property demands of the customers for their parts/components become more and more standard requirements — a change of design-oriented towards property-oriented manufacturing. In this context, the approach of an integrated simulation of entire process chains is becoming increasingly essential. The paper presents open-die forging of ingots at Saarschmiede GmbH Freiformschmiede in Völklingen. The process chain from the cast ingot to the final heat treated product includes casting, open-die forging and machining (via Simufact for ming), as well as heat treatment (via Simufact premap). Most important physical effects on the microstructure during forming and heat treatment are examined and macroscopic blowholes from casting simulation as initial geometry for cogging simulation in Simufact forming using a hexahedral mesh are investigated. Initial relative density and after 89 strokes in six passes, cross section lengthwise and crosswise are displayed while content of alloying elements after casting simulation as initial condition for forming simulation is measured. Temperature distribution and plastic deformation at the end of the first pass in the first heat are evaluated and microstructural changes based on plastic deformation during forming and phase transformation during heat treatment are analyzed. Automatic process control for ring rolling of  non-profiled and profiled rings with machine specific customization under consideration of pre-stages and properties are observed.