SMS group
SMS MT 5000 eccentric press

New Closed-Die Press Design from SMS

Jan. 23, 2019
Eccentric press will produce rotationally symmetric forged parts for cars and trucks, starting in Q4

SMS group reported it is supplying a new type of closed-die forging press to Musashi Europe GmbH, producers of multiple types of automotive transmission, differential, engine, and driveline components in carbon, alloy, bearing, and stainless steels. The MT 5000, 5,000-metric ton eccentric forging press will be installed at a plant in Bockenau, Germany, during the fourth quarter of this year. It will produce rotationally symmetric forgings for car and truck manufacturers.

Musashi Europe manufactures automotive parts at six locations in Germany, and has production and distribution locations China, Hungary, Spain, and the U.S.

The press developer detailed that the MT 5000 will be designed so that the eccentric shaft and flywheel are directly driven by dynamic torque motors. “This type of drive separates the pure ram motion from the forging energy supply, and combines the advantages of servo presses with those of presses featuring a flywheel and conventional clutch-brake combination,” according to a statement.

The effect is a forging process that is both "energy-efficient and resource-friendly": energy generated during the deceleration phase can be used to "re-acceleration" the flywheel.

The SMS design incorporates its MEERtorque® servo-drive motion control, which, forging is precise, reliable and fully automatic.

In regard to the MT 5000 design, SMS detailed that the reduced number of mechanical components will decrease the maintenance and inspection costs for Musashi Europe.

More practically, the press enclosure will be easily opened for maintenance/inspection access. Power and utilities service will be supplied through a central “energy column," making another maintenance-friendly design attribute.

The press housing will have a "split tie-rod" design developed with finite-element modeling (FEM). Very large press windows will simplify process automation, including die and holder changes. So that individual dies may be replaced, the MT 5000 will have a die-change arm, fitted to the press housing.

An integrated die-spraying system will clean, cool, and dry the dies to maximize die service, process performance, and forging quality.