OTTO FUCHS, based in Meinerzhagen, Germany, has recently ordered a GUF4-type hydraulic closed-die forging press from the SMS group. The pit-mounted press will be designed for a press force of 540 MN. OTTO FUCHS will install the new press for large forgings at its U. S. subsidiary Weber Metals located in Los Angeles. At the end of 2017, the press will start producing extra-large forgings made of nickel and titanium-based alloys for the aerospace industry.
“This large-scale investment underpins our strategic alignment in the global aerospace market,” says Dr. Klaus Welschof, Manager Sales of Products for the Aerospace Industry at OTTO FUCHS.
The pit-mounted hydraulic closed-die forging press will feature a press force of 54,000 tons, a 6,000 by 3,000 millimetre die clamping area and a stroke of 2,000 millimetres. The press will be designed for hot and cold forging.
The steel castings for the press will weigh up to 350 tons. The four-column press will be prestressed by means of four forged tie rods. The load balancing feature integrated in the press will allow forging to extremely tight tolerances.
