LCManufacturing, the holding company that operates Lake City Forge in Lake City, MI, has received a 1,000-kW induction heating system for forging billets from Ajax Tocco Magnethermic Corp. The closed-die forging operation processes carbon and alloy steel into products like pitman arms, upper control arms, driveline yokes, marine yokes, steering arm, lateral links, tension links, connecting rods, and shift forks for automotive, light and commercial truck, agricultural equipment, and mining sectors.
The TS16949- and ISO14001-certified plant operates three 6,000-lb CECO drop hammer machines and two Lasco programmable hammer machines, as well as four cross-wedge rolling machines.
Ajax TOCCO’s 1,000-kW, 1.3- to 3.3-kHz PowerZone billet-heating system is designed to heat 1.06- to 2.875-in. diameter x 6.0- to 20.0-in. long, carbon steel billets to forging temperatures. The system is capable of changing frequency automatically for differing billet sizes, and operators will access the custom ForgeView Plus operating software via a touchscreen-display PLC system.
For Lake City Forge, the new system will be loaded with billets by a vibratory bowl feeder.
According to Ajax, LC Manufacturing selected the system due its comprehensive operating capability; the availability of the multi-frequency PowerZone functions. in order to run a wide variety of parts; the availability of maintenance services, when necessary; and its own prior experience with Ajax induction heating systems.
Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic designs and manufactures induction heating and melting equipment, and offers lab process development, preventive maintenance, equipment repair and parts, coil repair facilities, and installation services in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
In addition to Lake City Forge, LC Manufacturing operates New Boston Forge, in New Boston, MI; and Northland Precision, a Lake city CNC machining operation.
