The ring forging refining process is an advanced manufacturing technology that refines ring components using the ring rolling method. This process is widely used in high-end industries such as aerospace, energy, and chemicals. It plays a key role in improving production efficiency, reducing material consumption, and enhancing product precision. Ring rolling, also known as ring forging or hole-expansion, is a plastic forming technique conducted with specialized equipment such as ring mills, rolling machines, or hole-expanders. It reduces wall thickness, increases diameter, and shapes the cross-section of the ring, resulting in precise dimensions and a uniform internal structure.
Ring rolling technology combines mechanical component manufacturing and rolling techniques, creating a new type of local plastic forming method. With ongoing improvements in raw material refinement and advancements in measurement and control systems during the process, the precision of ring forging has significantly improved. Today, the diameter precision of precision ring components can reach 1/1000, far exceeding the accuracy of traditional forging methods.
Compared to traditional forging, ring rolling has numerous advantages. It reduces impact and noise, improves production efficiency, conserves materials, lowers energy consumption, and minimizes equipment requirements. These advantages make the ring forging refining process essential in modern manufacturing.
The ring forging refining process is widely used in high-end manufacturing due to its unique production characteristics and technical benefits. Compared to traditional forging methods, it offers major advantages in production efficiency, material savings, and product precision. It also enhances the overall performance of the products. Below are the key application advantages:
Ring rolling can produce rings with high precision. The geometric accuracy of these rings can match or exceed that of die-forged rings. Unlike traditional free forging, ring rolling reduces blank skin thickness and avoids material waste caused by flash and shape errors from free forging. Additionally, rolled rings have denser internal structures and fine grain alignment. The fiber structure along the circumference enhances their mechanical strength, wear resistance, and fatigue life.
The ring rolling process significantly improves the efficiency of alloy material usage. For example, in aerospace engine components such as magazine assemblies, the ring forging refining process saves substantial amounts of high-temperature alloy material without compromising structural performance. This material saving reduces costs and boosts economic benefits.
A major advantage of the ring rolling process is its high production efficiency. Compared to traditional die-forging, the deformation force in ring rolling is much lower, requiring less tonnage for equipment and thus reducing investment costs. Ring rolling equipment can process rings with diameters 3-5 times larger and weights dozens of times heavier than other equipment can handle.
Furthermore, the production cycle in ring rolling is typically around 10 seconds, with speeds as fast as 3.6 seconds per cycle and a production rate up to 1000 pieces per hour. This speed surpasses free and die forging, making the ring forging refining process invaluable for large-scale production.
The ring forging refining process delivers high-precision and high-quality products with low energy consumption. The high efficiency of ring rolling equipment shortens processing time and reduces energy consumption. This results in lower production costs, making ring forging refining ideal for producing high-precision, high-strength rings.
The ring forging refining process is increasingly used in high-end manufacturing sectors, especially in industries such as aerospace, energy, and chemicals, where components require high precision, strength, and durability. Its unique advantages make it an essential part of producing critical components. Below are key applications of the ring forging refining process in high-end manufacturing:
As the thrust and thrust-to-weight ratios of aerospace engines increase, the materials used in these engines have shifted to expensive and specialized materials like high-temperature alloys and superalloys. These materials require higher processing standards. The ring rolling process meets these standards, producing high-strength, wear-resistant, and fatigue-resistant precision rings. These rings are widely used in critical aerospace engine components, such as magazines and bearing rings.
The process not only improves material utilization but also reduces waste. For example, the consumption of unrefined forged materials can be as high as 308 kg, while after refinement, it can be reduced by 50 kg. This reduction is significant, especially in high-temperature alloys and nickel-cobalt-based materials.
The ring forging refining process is also used to produce key load-bearing components, such as gas turbines, gas turbine casings, installation ends, spacers, high-pressure vessels, and flanges. These components require extremely high strength and reliability. The ring forging refining process ensures that these components meet the strict material and processing accuracy requirements in high-end manufacturing.
The ring forging refining process has become an indispensable technology in modern high-end manufacturing due to its efficiency, material savings, precision, and exceptional mechanical properties. As equipment technology continues to improve, the ring forging refining process will expand its applications, especially in industries like aerospace, energy, and chemicals. Its advantages will become more pronounced, and with further optimization, it will continue to play a critical role in the production of high-precision, high-performance components.
