Armco Adds Forging Capability For Stainless-Steel Products —Free Literature Available

Armco's Stainless Steel Division, Baltimore, Md., producer of boat shafts and stainless steel for other marine and industrial products, has become the country's first integrated specialty steelmaker to begin operation of a precision rotary forging complex.

"The finished products will have significantly improved mechanical properties and surface quality, among other things," said F.H. Cheffy, president of the division. "Quality and variety will be far greater than possible with most conventional forging processes.

"The forging facility is part of a $30-million program which will also add continuous casting capability to the Baltimore Works," Mr.

Cheffy said.

Forging is done with four high-powered hammers striking the workpiece at the rate of 200 strokes a minute. Each stroke reduces the diameter of the ingot and increases the length until the billet or other desired shape is completed.

The manipulators feed and rotate the piece so that it will not be moving at the instant the hammers strike, eliminating twist and stretch that can mar the quality of the forged piece. Internal quality is superior because the precision rotary forging machine does not require repeated re-heating and conditioning.

Its high forging speed maintains the temperature of the workpiece. Round forged shapes can be produced as small as 4 inches in diameter, and flat forged shapes can be produced with cross sections ranging from 2.5 by 5 inches to 12 by 14 inches; all configurations can be made up to 39 feet long.

Operators can use computers to direct and monitor the complete forging operation or, if desired, operate the machine manually or semi-automatically. Dennis Jensen, general foreman of precision rotary forging, said forging times can be reduced from up to six hours to as little as 15 minutes, depending on the alloy, conditioning requirements and finished product. The machine is capable of forging several shapes on a single bar, giving the mill new flexibility in handling smaller orders or orders for unusual shapes and sizes.

For additional information on Armco stainless steel products, Write 15 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 45, Nov 1983

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.