This forging line begins with a 6,500-lbs capacity automatic bin tipper that deposits carbon steel billets into a rotary feeder, with automatic refill. The rotary feeder feeds billets end to end on a continuous basis, using a start/stop motion sensor, and supplies a pinch-wheel infeed system that delivers billets with precision through the induction coils on heavy-duty skid rails.
The 500-kW / 3-kHz power module supplies two, in-line forging coils and accurately heats the billets to 2,250ºF at a nominal rate of 300 pieces per hour. Process control is enhanced by IHAZ™ temperature modeling software, which enables advanced temperature control of the billet heating process. IHAZ™ software makes it possible to customize the billet-temperature profile (Induction Heat Affected Zone) tosuit the operation’s ideal billet-heating specifications. It can also generate the optimum-running parameters and set points for Standby and Rapid Start, which are stored as a recipe in the billet heater's AB Compact Logix PLC and AB PanelView 700+.
After the billets are heated to the ideal temperature profile, they exit the induction coil on a fastextractor conveyor, while the infrared temperature pyrometer activates the over and under accept / reject system.