A REPORT ON IN-PLANT TRAINING ATfrom 31st August 2012 to 5th September 2012 DONE BY, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Nishad A Neeraj S Deth Arun S J Ahmad Mashhoor U M Manoj M P Sandeep C G Anuraj A R Chavarcode, Parippally P.O. , Thiruvananthapuram, Pin 691574 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We have undergone 6 days of In plant Training at Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) Athani P.O., Thrissur-680581, Kerala, India, to fulfil the requirements of curriculum of my course B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering). We have immense pleasure in expressing our deep sense of gratitude, indebtedness and sincere thanks to Dr. P.K Balasubramanian Professor in ME & Academic Director and P Sreeraj Professor, ME College Valia Koonambaikulathamma College of engineering and technology, Parippally faring me an opportunity to undergo in-plant training at, SIFL, Thrissur. We express our sincere thanks to Lakshmi Narayanan (General ManagerWorks), E.V. Abdul Majeed (Deputy General Manager - Administration & Human Resource Development), M.A. Gopy (Sr. Manager), A.V. Mohanan (Heat Treatment Lab Manager), Anil Bose (QA Manager) and Babu (Deputy Manager Production) for giving us chance to undergo in-plant training at Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) Athani, Thrissur. And also we express our sincere thanks to all members of SIFL for their valuable inspiration, guidance & unforgettable co-operation during the training period. We take this opportunity to thanks our family members, friends and all others helping me directly or indirectly in in-plant training and stay at Thrissur only. Facilities at SIFL .CONTENTS 1. About SIFL 2. main battle tank being developed by CVRDE for INDIAN ARMY. SIFL continued with landmark development. Trichy. Automobile. .1. The company has became a partner in the prestigious Brahmos missile development program by obtaining an order from M/s Brahmos Aerospace Ltd. Railways. Rs 300 Crore by 2015 and Rs 500 Crore by the year 2020. ABOUT SIFL Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) is a Government of Kerala undertaking commenced commercial production in 1986 and gradually forged ahead to become a name to reckon with. The company has to look beyond 2012 and set its sights higher. Earthmoving Equipments. The preliminary production has been started and trial batch of forgings will roll out in March 2012. The remarkable products developed includes seven items for Arjun Mark-II. Aero Space. Aluminium and Stainless Steel Alloys. This involves indigenization of forgings in Titanium.. to realize its vision of becoming “ A globally well known enterprise making significant contribution to the wealth and welfare of the Nation ” with its mission of achieving Rs 100 Crore in 2012-2013. This includes. Agriculture etc. Hyderabad .. Heavy engineering. Integral axle arms which are indigenized for the first time in the country and are of very complex in design Another technological feat which was successfully completed is the development of stainless steel valve body (S410) for BHEL. This is the heaviest forging done by SIFL so far and weighs 550KG/piece. during the last quarter also. SIFL cater to a wide range of Industries in Defence. The company has been recommended for AS9100 certification . All these qualities have helped SIFL grow quickly into a premier forging unit. Other supporting facilities include shot blasting machines. SIFL is equipped with standby Power Generators. Our annual capacity is around 7500 Metric Tons.2.lb) and 6Ton(10650 ft.1 DIE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT SIFL's design & engineering capabilities are ably backed by a well equipped Die Shop. The design. SIFL has equipped itself with CAD. The company has got the capability to manufacture forgings out of Carbon steels. The care that goes into the design of each die. Heavy Duty Plano miller. Tool & cutter grinders. To keep pace with hi-tech developments. thereby minimising the development cycle time . Billet shearing machines and a number of oil-fired and electric furnaces for soaking as part of forging process. CNC Turning Centre. capable of producing forgings with close dimensional tolerances . Die & Tool design etc.. Lathes. etc. is based on the specific requirement of each case. Pneumatic trimming press of 1000Ton and 500Ton capacity. set up along modern lines with Double Spindle Copy Milling Machines. Radial Drilling machines. To facilitate uninterrupted operations. There is a modern heat treatment plant equipped with number of furnaces both LDO fired and electrically heated and a charging machine which takes care of loading and unloading of heat treatment charges. Titanium alloys. Inconel(Su 718)etc 2. We manufacture closed die forgings in the weight range of 5 kg to 450 kg and open die forgings within 1kg to 75kg net weight per piece and ring rolling upto 650mmOD. we design both single-impression and multi-impression dies.CAM facilities like DELCAM for three dimensional modeling of Product. of course. Alloy steels. is related to the forging drawings.lb) capacity. Aluminium alloys. Stainless steels. Open die forgings requirements are met with a 1Ton clear space hammer. At SIFL. FACILITIES AT SIFL Main production machinery of SIFL comprise closed die forging hammers of 10 Ton(16000 ft. Electrical Die Sinking Machine. The design and development of the die holds the key to blemish-free forgings. Hydraulic trimming press of 1200Ton capacity. also goes into the selection of raw materials and the sequence of operation that follows. Maraging steels. And the decision on the type of die to be used. CNC Die Sinking Machine. closely controlling the temperature to reduce the scale formation and overheating so that the metallurgical properties are ensured in the final product. the destructive test including tensile. We are now equipped with a new digital ultrasonic flaw detector which has got a range of 5mm to 5m in steel. in-process inspection is carried out at all stages and 100% inspection for visual defects after forging. solution treatment etc or other operations as specified by our customer. Close temperature control and process monitoring with the help of temperature recorders ensures uniform properties duly supported by evaluation of metallurgical properties through representative test pieces. Calibration of electrical furnaces of SIFL are done by NABL accredited laboratories like HAL. SIFL is able to maintain greater control over heat treating process.CUSAT etc. to carry out annealing. The accepted forgings are duly heat treated to ensure its mechanical properties. Magnaflux crack detection. . solution treatment etc. normalising. SIFL has set up a system of total quality control consisting of an array of stateof-the-art speciality equipments where your products go through a series of rigorous tests. By providing heat treatment services in-house. continuous electrical heating furnaces. wet analysis. iso-thermal annealing.4 MANUFACTURING SIFL’s production machinery comprises of 10Ton & 6Ton imported air drop power hammers to manufacture closed die forgings in carbon and alloy steel. tempering. hardening. 2.2 FORGING & HEAT TREATMENT FACILITIES The billets for forging are heated in oil fired or electric furnaces. insitu metallography (where microstructure can be observed without destroying the job) and non-destructive tests using Spectrometer. Die Penetrant. carbon-sulphur determination. The facility comprise batch furnaces both oil fired & electrical. jominy and impact testing.3 TESTING/INSPECTION FACILITIES Surface conditioning is done by shot blasting/grinding and final inspection is carried out once again to ensure quality requirements. Ultrasonic flaw detection etc. 2.STIC.2. Setting and control of quality standards at all stages right from the receipt of raw material to the finished product through quality plan makes us deliver superior quality forgings with close dimensional tolerances and metallurgical properties. stainless steel. In addition. Non-conformities are taken care of by timely corrective and preventive action. Microscope. titanium and nicked base alloys etc. With a single piece of forging weight ranging from 10kg to 400kg.aluminium. . The different billets used at SIFL are Steel Aluminium Titanium 3. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) designates SAE steel grades.375 °C (2. its content in the steel is between 0.1 Steel Steel is an alloy made by combining iron and other elements. depending on the grade. which melts at approximately 1. These strips are cut at regular intervals and allowed to cool. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF SIFL 3.100 °C (2.2% and 2. is a common form of raw purified metal. known as smelting. For example. Iron is found in the Earth's crust only in the form of an ore. Other alloying elements sometimes used are manganese. where the first digit indicates the main alloying element(s). the second digit indicates the secondary alloying element(s).3. such as magnetite. in hundredths of a percent by weight. also colloquially known as billet. In comparison. Carbon steels and alloy steels are designated by a four digit number. This process. such as tin. usually an iron oxide. hematite etc.00% max) Resulfurized . SAE designation Carbon steels 10xx 11xx Type Plain carbon (Mn 1. the most common of these being carbon. a 1060 steel is a plain-carbon steel containing 0. When carbon is used.1.010 °F). was first applied to metals with lower melting points.1% by weight. each segment becoming a piece of bar stock.507 °F). vanadium and tungsten. Most metal produced by a steel mill or aluminium plant is formed (via rolling or extrusion) into long continuous strips of various size and shape. Iron is extracted from iron ore by removing the oxygen and combining the ore with a preferred chemical partner such as carbon. which melts at approximately 250 °C (482 °F) and copper.1 RAW MATERIALS Bar stock.60 wt% C. used by industry to manufacture metal parts and products. and the last two digits indicate the amount of carbon. cast iron melts at approximately 1. chromium. 80% or 0.65%) Mn 1.25% Ni 1.82%.50%.45%. Cr 0. Cr 0.82%. Cr 1.00% Ni 1.50% or 0. Cr 0. Mo 0. C 1.77% Mo 0.12% Ni 0.75% . Cr 0.02%. Mo 0.25% Ni 3.92% or 1. Mo 0.35% Ni 0.80%.50%.00%.25% Ni 3.27% or 0.85% or 1. Cr 0.03% min Ni 1. Cr 1.35%.12xx 15xx Manganese steels 13xx Nickel steels 23xx 25xx Nickel-chromium steels 31xx 32xx 33xx 34xx Molybdenum steels 40xx 44xx Resulfurized and rephosphorized Plain carbon (Mn 1.45%.55%.95%.55%.12% or 0.80%[3] Cr 1.00%.20% Ni 1.05% Cr 1.25%. V 0. Cr 0.20% or 0.50% or 1.12% Ni 0. Cr 0.60% or 0.50% Ni 5.87% or 0. Mo 0. C 1.65% or 0.45%. Mo 0.50%[3] Cr 0.80%.28% or 0.10% or 0.12%[3] Ni 0. Mo 0.00% to 1.00% min Cr 0.25% Cr 0.50% or 0.25%.40%.40% or 0. Mo 0.75%.82%.20% Ni 0.95%.07% Ni 3. Mo 0.50%. Mo 0. Cr 0.52% Chromium-molybdenum (Chromoly) steels 41xx Cr 0.30%. Mo 0.12% or 0.20% or 0.20%.50% to 0.05%. Cr 0.25% or 0.40%.80% Ni 1.57% Ni 3.25% or 0.20%. Mo 0.25%. Cr 0. Cr 1.80% or 0. Mo 0. Cr 0.00% min Cr 0. C 1.25% Ni 0.40% or 0. Mo 0.25% Mo & 0.75% Ni 3.20% or 0.30% Nickel-chromium-molybdenum steels 43xx 43BVxx 47xx 81xx 81Bxx 86xx 87xx 88xx 94xx 97xx 98xx Nickel-molybdenum steels 46xx 48xx Chromium steels 50xx 50xxx 50Bxx 51xx 51xxx 51Bxx 52xxx Chromium-vanadium steels 61xx Tungsten-chromium steels 72xx Ni 1.50%.15% min W 1. Cr 0.042 S[3] Mo 0.00% or 1.45%.50%. Cr 0.55%.20% or 0.12% Ni 0. Mo 0.50%. V 0.65% Cr 0.80% or 0.00% min Cr 0.30%. Also aluminium components such as surgical tools.Silicon-manganese steels 92xx 0.2 Aluminium Aluminium is a chemical element in the boron group with symbol Al and atomic number 13. Structural components made from aluminium and its alloys are vital to the aerospace industry and are important in other areas of transportation and structural materials.65% or 0. It is silvery white. in the Earth's crust. garden implements and even Golf Club heads are almost always produced through aluminium forging.3500C to 4400C . Cr Various SAE grades Boron steels Leaded steels Forging temperature Steel .1. Instead. It makes up about 8% by weight of the Earth's solid surface. Forging temperature .00% or 0. Aluminium is remarkable for the metal's low density and for its ability to resist corrosion due to the phenomenon of passivation. it is found combined in over 270 different minerals. and it is not soluble in water under normal circumstances.65% High-strength low-alloy steels 9xx xxBxx xxLxx Si 1. Aluminium Forgings are predominantly used in the automobile. at least on a weight basis. electrical and pneumatic tools industry.9600C to 12500C Stainless Steel . Mn 0. The most useful compounds of aluminium.00%. The chief ore of aluminium is bauxite.9000C to 11500C 3.85%.82% or 0. Aluminium metal is so chemically reactive that native specimens are rare and limited to extreme reducing environments. and the most abundant metal.40% or 2. Aluminium is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon). are the oxides and sulphates. 8500C to 9400C . Forging temperature .1. non-magnetic and a poor conductor of heat and electricity. as the material will soften and gall if sharp tools and proper cooling methods are not used.3 Titanium Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. lustrous. The two most useful properties of the metal form are corrosion resistance and the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. corrosion-resistant (including sea water. Titanium is fairly hard (although not as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel). Machining requires precautions.3. but 45% lighter. It has a low density and is a strong. aqua regia and chlorine) transition metal with a silver color. titanium is as strong as some steels. In its unalloyed condition. facilities and personnel. are generally more economical and more controllable. giving rise to a piece with improved strength characteristics. couplings. Most forging operations use metal-forming dies. As a result. Based on number of pieces produced this is the most widely used forging process. which would increase the difficulty of performing secondary machining operations on the piece. Alloys that are amenable to precipitation hardening. provisions must be made to absorb the shock and vibration generated by the hammer. its internal grain deforms to follow the general shape of the part. but upsetting can also be done in a vertical crank press or a hydraulic press. Some metals may be forged cold. can be hot forged. As the metal is shaped during the forging process. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is performed: "cold".3. and other fasteners. the grain is continuous throughout the part. while work hardening may be desirable in some circumstances. Forging can produce a piece that is stronger than an equivalent cast or machined part. The machines are usually set up to work in the horizontal plane. Forged parts usually require further processing to achieve a finished part. In the case of hot forging. such as most aluminium alloys and titanium. such as heat treating. Also. as well as the dangers inherent in working with hot metal. screws. Hot forging prevents the work hardening that would result from cold forging. Upset forging is usually done in special high-speed machines called crank presses. a special building is frequently required to house the operation. tooling. "warm". Owing to the massiveness of large forging hammers and presses and the parts they can produce. other methods of hardening the piece.2 FORGING Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. Production forging involves significant capital expenditure for machinery. followed by hardening. as well as to withstand the tremendous forces involved. bolts.1 Upset forging Upset forging increases the diameter of the workpiece by compressing its length.2. or "hot" forging. In the case of drop forging operations. to facilitate the quick . a high-temperature furnace (sometimes referred to as the forge) is required to heat ingots or billets. 3. Forged parts can range in weight from less than a kilogram to 580 metric tons. which must be precisely machined and carefully heat-treated to correctly shape the work piece. A few examples of common parts produced using the upset forging process are engine valves. but iron and steel are almost always hot forged. upsetting it into the cavity. 3. the dies then close and the heading tool. In an upset requiring stock length greater than three times the diameter of the stock. the length of unsupported metal beyond the face of the die must not exceed the diameter of the bar.2. and where the diameter of the cavity is not more than 1. a hammer strikes and deforms the workpiece. For example. In open-die forging.8 in) in diameter and a capacity of over 1000 tons. allowing it to flow except where contacted by the dies. If all of the cavities are utilized on every cycle then a finished part will be produced with every cycle. . which is placed on a stationary anvil. open-die forging may be employed to rough-shape ingots to prepare them for subsequent operations. which makes this process advantageous for mass production. The initial workpiece is usually wire or rod. In some cases.5 times the diameter of the stock.2 Drop forging Drop forging is a forging process where a hammer is raised up and then "dropped" onto the workpiece to deform it according to the shape of the die. Open-die forging gets its name from the fact that the dies (the surfaces that are in contact with the workpiece) do not enclose the workpiece.1 Open Die Drop Forging Open-die forging is also known as smith forging. needs to orient and position the workpiece to get the desired shape. or convex surface or be a tool to form holes or be a cut-off tool. The dies are usually flat in shape. concave.5 times the diameter of the stock. then moves longitudinally against the bar. The standard upsetting machine employs split dies that contain multiple cavities. Open-die forging may also orient the grain to increase strength in the required direction. Therefore the operator. but some have a specially shaped surface for specialized operations. 3.exchange of workpieces from one station to the next. a die may have a round. Open-die forging lends itself to short runs and is appropriate for art smithing and custom work. or a robot. but some machines can accept bars up to 25 cm (9. or ram.2.2. These rules must be followed when designing parts to be upset forged: The length of unsupported metal that can be upset in one blow without injurious buckling should be limited to three times the diameter of the bar. Lengths of stock greater than three times the diameter may be upset successfully provided that the diameter of the upset is not more than 1. The dies open enough to allow the workpiece to move from one cavity to the next. There are two types of drop forging: open-die drop forging and closed-die drop forging. with all the pressure put on the work piece its common place to get metal flow between the dies called flash. however the flash due to its decreased size cools relatively quickly and therefore helps block or reduce further flow between the dies. This flash will have to be trimmed off once forging is complete.2. the ram which falls and strikes the top of the work piece can also be equipped with a die.2.Figure 1 : Notching Figure 2 : Shaping 3. The ram may impact the work several times to ensure all of the contours are filled. .2 Closed Die Drop Forging Closed die drop forging sometimes referred to as impression die forging comprises of a die on the anvil which resembles a mould. The metal work piece is heated and placed on the lower die while the ram falls down forcing the metal to fill the contours of the die blocks. 000 short tons-force). Due to the nature of this type of system. There are two main types: mechanical and hydraulic presses. Drop-hammers usually operate in a vertical position. This allows the machine to work horizontally and have a smaller base. 6 Ton and 10 Ton hammers. a large machine base is needed to absorb the impacts. different forces are available at different stroke positions. Both of these machines can be used for open-die or closed-die forging. heat and vibration. larger. The principle behind the machine is simple: raise the hammer and drop it or propel it into the workpiece. which rests on the anvil.3.3 FORGING HAMMERS The most common type of forging equipment is the hammer and anvil. Hydraulic presses use fluid pressure and a piston to generate force. The disadvantages include a slower. Here excess energy becomes recoil. is used for press forging. The main reason for this is excess energy (energy that isn't used to deform the workpiece) that isn't released as heat or sound needs to be transmitted to the foundation. An order for procuring 16 Ton pneumatic hammer has been placed. the counterblow machine or impactor is used.4 FORGING PRESSES A forging press. Other advantages include less noise. Two forging presses are employed at SIFL having capacities 500 Ton and 1000 Ton. . It also produces a distinctly different flow pattern. Their capacities range from 3 to 160 MN (300 to 18. Principles behind the hammer and anvil are still used today in drop-hammer equipment. The main variations between drop-hammers are in the way the hammer is powered. cranks and/or toggles to produce a preset (a predetermined force at a certain location in the stroke) and reproducible stroke. Forging hammers employed at SIFL include 1 Ton. 3. Mechanical presses function by using cams. Moreover. To overcome some shortcomings of the drop-hammer. The advantages of a hydraulic press over a mechanical press are its flexibility and greater capacity. often just called a press. the most common being air and steam hammers. Mechanical presses are faster than their hydraulic counterparts (up to 50 strokes per minute). and costlier machine to operate. In a counterblow machine both the hammer and anvil move and the workpiece is held between them. several operations are often required to achieve gradual metal flow from a simple shape of initial billet to a more complex shape of the desired final forging. as well as extra material allowances for the finishing of the part. and nickel. These sections.5. good shock resistance. type of machinery to be used. the optimum design of the blocker die is an extremely difficult task and is known to be an art by itself. Die blocks are cast from the alloy. Complex cavities can be produced easier with die inserts. and the cost of materials. During the manufacture of a hot forged part the mold is usually preheated before the operation begins. metal formed. size of forged part. However. 3. An appropriate design of the blocker preform can lead to a defect-free metal flow in the final forging operation and complete die-filling with minimum metal loss and die wear. possess high strength and hardness at elevated temperatures. vanadium. Some factors to consider when determining the material composition of a forging mold are. complexity of forged part. also different sections of the mold can be individually replaced. temperature that the part will be forged at. Much of the scale can be removed from the blank immediately after heating in the furnace. Mold dimensions must account for shrinkage of the work. Sometimes a mold may be assembled using different sections. molybdenum. that depending upon process criteria are alloyed with various levels of one or more of these materials. the blocker is the stage that is normally used before the finishing operation. number of forgings desired. Amongst various kinds of preforming operations. chromium. The geometry of the blocker cavity is often similar to that of the finisher. Preheating die reduces thermal cycling that can cause cracks in the die. requiring skills that are achieved only by years of extensive experience. In general a forging die must be tough. Adequate lubrication can also greatly mitigate wear.1 Die materials The exact material used to make a forging die is dependant upon all the details of that particular forging process.3. resistance to thermal gradients. . type of metal forming operation. prior to the forging of the part. and finished. Forging die are made from tool steels. hardenability and ability to withstand abrasive wear. Forging die are hardened and tempered. The abrasive wear present in hot forging operations is due largely to the scale on the work piece. then machined.5 DIES In forging processes. called die inserts are manufactured separately and may be of different materials. If this material could not escape during compression. an increase in pressure on the metal within the mold will increase the ability to fill the mold completely. the work is a solid metal above or below its recrystallization temperature. As it flows through land. there are some general principles to consider for good forging die design. and liquid glass.6 LUBRICATION IN INDUSTRIAL FORGING Frictional forces within the mold. have a large influence over the flow of material in a forging operation.3.2 Forging Die Design Forging die design will always depend on the factors and requirements of the manufacturing process. Flash. Common lubricants used in modern forging industry include. while in forging. in forging. soap. Lubricants are used in industrial forging production in order to lower frictional forces. water. Lubricants also help keep the metal and die surfaces from sticking together and assist in the removal of the forging from the die. More resistance to flow will cause a thinner land to have higher mold pressure. The formation of flash is an important part of impression die forging manufacture. mineral oil. One main difference being that in die casting the metal is liquid. the friction between the flash and the mating surfaces resists further flow of material out of the mold. saw dust. thinner. and enact a smoother flow of metal through the mold. Similar to the metal casting process of die casting. graphite. However. In addition they are used to slow the cooling of the work and reduce temperature gradients in hot forging manufacture. the build up of pressure as the volume of work metal exceeded the volume of the mold could easily crack the die. Flash must travel through a narrow passage called land before it opens up into a gutter. In addition the cooling of the flash from the mating surfaces increases resistance to flow of material out of the mold. molybdenum disulfide. while allowing material to escape does increase the pressure within the die cavity (mold). as the temperature goes down the metals resistance to flow goes up. but too much pressure within the mold is bad because it can damage the die and machinery. First. thus also increasing pressure within the die cavity. . The pressure within the die cavity is often controlled by varying the width of land. 3. Smaller. longer. and more complex sections can be produced with more pressure. flash provides a way for excess material from the work piece to exit the mold. increasing pressure within the mold. Decreasing the width of land will increase the cooling rate of the flash. A longer land will cause the flash to have to flow further under resistance increasing the mold pressure. During the forging process metal is flowing under pressure to fill the impression within the mold. between the work and the surfaces of the die cavity.5. serving as a thermal barrier between the metal and the mold. case hardening. and elasticity. annealing is used to remove the hardness caused by cold working. 3. annealing is usually accomplished by heating the metal beyond the upper critical temperature and then cooling very slowly.e. and sometimes chemical. In these metals. toughness. grain size and composition) is one of the most effective factors that can determine the overall mechanical behaviour of the metal. precipitation strengthening. Annealing consists of heating a metal to a specific temperature and then cooling at a rate that will produce a refined microstructure.7 HEAT TREATMENT Heat treating is a group of industrial and metalworking processes used to alter the physical.7. strength. The martensite transformation causes the crystals to deform intrinsically. 3. the rate of cooling will usually have little effect. resulting in the formation of pearlite. normally to extreme temperatures. It is noteworthy that while the term heat treatment applies only to processes where the heating and cooling are done for the specific purpose of altering properties intentionally. tempering and quenching. Most non-ferrous alloys that are heat-treatable are also annealed to relieve the hardness of cold working. ductility. The most common application is metallurgical. or to enhance properties like electrical conductivity. Heat treatment provides an efficient way to manipulate the properties of the metal by controlling the rate of diffusion and the rate of cooling within the microstructure. These may be slowly cooled to allow full precipitation of the constituents and produce a refined microstructure. There are two mechanisms that may change an alloy's properties during heat treatment. The nature of the grains (i. The diffusion mechanism causes changes in the homogeneity of the alloy. heating and cooling often occur incidentally during other manufacturing processes such as hot forming or welding. Heat treatment techniques include annealing. Heat treatments are also used in the manufacture of many other materials. manipulating properties such as the hardness. In ferrous alloys. In both pure metals and many alloys that can not be heat treated.2 Annealing Annealing is a rather generalized term.3. thereby repairing the defects caused by plastic deformation. properties of a material. Heat treatment involves the use of heating or chilling. The metal is heated to a temperature where recrystallization can occur.7. Heat treating is often used to alter the mechanical properties of an alloy.1 Physical Processes Metallic materials consist of a microstructure of small crystals called "grains" or crystallites. to improve machinability. such as glass. Annealing is most often used to soften a metal for cold working. . to achieve a desired result such as hardening or softening of a material. " Full annealing requires very slow cooling rates. or a brine. which is why high-tensile steels such as AISI 4140 should be quenched in oil. The term is often used for ferrous alloys that have been heated above the upper critical temperature and then cooled in open air. most non-ferrous metals. the cooling rate may be faster. The quenched hardness of a metal depends on its chemical composition and quenching method. from fastest to slowest. However. oil. brine.3 Normalizing Normalizing is a technique used to provide uniformity in grain size and composition throughout an alloy. or nickel. cooling may be done with forced air or other gases. However. a polymer dissolved in water. tool steels such as ISO 1. including "recrystallization annealing. The main goal of process annealing is to produce a uniform microstructure. a hard. fresh water. Depending on the alloy and other considerations (such as concern for maximum hardness vs." and "final annealing. Upon being rapidly cooled. (such as nitrogen). produce an . quenching a certain steel too fast can result in cracking. To harden by quenching. while non-ferrous alloys will usually become softer than normal. a metal (usually steel or cast iron) must be heated above the upper critical temperature and then quickly cooled. in order to form coarse pearlite.7. 3. a portion of austenite (dependent on alloy composition) will transform to martensite. but also bainite and sometimes martensite. which gives harder and stronger steel.2767 or H13 hot work tool steel should be quenched in forced air.4 Quenching Quenching is a process of cooling a metal very quickly. silicon). go from polymer (i. aluminium.7. such as water. 316)." "partial annealing.[17] Normalizing not only produces pearlite. such as stress relieving. due to their better thermal conductivity. brittle crystalline structure." Not all annealing techniques involve recrystallization. This is most often done to produce a martensite transformation.Ferrous alloys are usually either "full annealed" or "process annealed. Liquids may be used. and some high alloy steels such as austenitic stainless steel (304. and forced air. In ferrous alloys. up to. but with less ductility for the same composition than full annealing. and including normalizing.e." "full annealing. oil. Cooling speeds. and low alloy or medium-tensile steels such as XK1320 or AISI 1040 should be quenched in brine or water. cracking and distortion). 3. like alloys of copper. Non-ferrous alloys are often subjected to a variety of annealing techniques. this will often produce a harder metal. In process annealing. Other methods of tempering consist of quenching to a specific temperature.7. Tempering may also be performed on normalized steels. 3. to impart some toughness.5 Tempering Untempered martensitic steel. These include austempering and martempering. 3. as they work-harden significantly. although some yield strength is lost. depending on the desired results). while very hard. (often from 400 to 1105 ˚F or 205 to 595 ˚C. A method for alleviating this problem is called tempering. which is above the martensite start temperature. (may be up to 1. is too brittle to be useful for most applications.8 TESTING AND INSPECTION The different types of testing processes include Non-Destructive testing o Ultrasonic testing o Magnetic particle o Dye penetrant Physical/chemical testing o Tensile strength o Charpy impact o Drop weight o Metallography o Mass spectrography o Radiographic o Brinell and Rockwell hardness o Alloy separation . Tempering consists of heating a steel below the lower critical temperature. Austenitic stainless steels must be quenched to become fully corrosion resistant. depending on the alloy and application). Higher tempering temperatures.300 ˚F or 700 ˚C. and then holding it there until pure bainite can form or internal stresses can be relieved. Most applications require that quenched parts be tempered.opposite effect when these are quenched: they soften. are sometimes used to impart further ductility. which must be removed completely after the test to avoid surface damage like corrosion. open structure (irons). which does fill every surface non-conformity like: 1. The advantage is that the equipment is not expensive and the tests can be done everywhere.8. 3.8. The advantage is that it can also measure the layer below the surface and the result is easier to evaluate for irons (materials with a loose structure). . The disadvantage is that it is time consuming and it uses products. The disadvantage is that it requires a conform location and the equipment can cost a lot (especially the high current types for deep testing).3. which anyhow must be taken on the prescribed time to be valid.2 Magnetic Particle Testing This test is used to detect non-conformities in and just below the surface.1 Ultrasonic testing The product is tested with sound wave emission and the amount of waves coming back is indicating if some non conformities are present. using the value of the sound velocity 2.3 Dye penetrant test The liquid penetrant method does use a penetrating fluid. The second advantage is that the location of the non conformance is easy to state (with simple calculations). The other problem is that the operator is reading the result on the screen and that there is no prove for later discussion in the form of a paper or file. The other advantage is that it can be used for all types of materials. Most of the tests are done without pictures. provided with the standards. It requires a set up location that can be darkened to have a good picture of the involved indications. The austenitic material is difficult to test as well as the grey (flake) and malleable irons. especially for small surface area very cheap and does not require an investment in equipment. Depending on the strength of the magnetic field. 3.8. It must be properly applied and a picture can be taken. the thickness of the tested surface layer is set. The method can also be used for: 1. thickness measurements. cracks 2. The advantage is that it is. The result is evaluated by the comparison with reference pictures. surface porosity 3. The length as well as the surface of the non-conformity is measured and evaluated with the standard descriptions. structure and graphite morphology testing. The problem is that it cannot be performed on every material. the technical department determines the feasibility of the product and prepares the estimate for the product. aluminium and titanium.4. prepares the schedule for the job.3 Quality Assurance (QA) 4. If both the customer and the company agrees over the estimate. It also prepares the drawings for these. These designs include blocker design. finisher design. facilities and equipments available at the company for production. When the technical department give its nod for a job.7 Maintenance Department 4. PPC after contacting with every departments.1 TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT The technical department initiates all the processes at SIFL. Technical department prepares the process sheet for each job. The important softwares include SolidWorks.4 Heat Treatment and Laboratory (HT & Lab) 4. 4. stainless steel. it is then forwarded to the PPC. Technical department enquires about the requirements. Computer softwares are used for drawing and drafting purposes. The materials forged at SIFL are steel.. Catia. SIFL proceeds with the order.8 Materials Management Department 4.2 Production Planning and Control (PPC) 4.6 Forging Shop 4. DEPARTMENTS IN SIFL The following are the main departments in SIFL : 4. Technical department is responsible for preparing all the designs required for the job. Steel is purchased from Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). if required. As per the requirements of the customer technical department gives the order for procuring the material of the job.5 Die Shop 4. This . When a customer makes his order at SIFL.1 Technical Department 4.9 Finishing & Dispatch (F&D) 4.. If any of the requirement is not available in the company they make provisions for either procuring them from an external source or developing it at the company itself. Pro-E. die design etc.2 PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL (PPC) At SIFL it is usually referred by its abbreviation PPC. Sundays are usually allotted for maintenance department. Quenching facilities available at the heat treatment shop are oil quenching. heat treatment. Charging machine is used to load the jobs into the furnaces and it has movement in many axes. If any of the operations could not be completed on time as expected. strength. The facilities include oil fired. electrical continous and bogie hearth furnaces.. muffle furnaces etc. The customer may have certain demands for a job in terms of its hardness. spectrography etc. QA department carry out the hardness testing . water quenching and air quenching.. shot blasting. grinding. upsetting.4 HEAT TREATMENT AND LABORATORY The heat treatment system with its charging machine is one of the latest and best available in the country. inspection etc. or any other operations as specified by the customers. isothermal annealing etc. QA uses many state-of-the-art techniques for ensuring quality like equo tip hardness tester. There are about 10 furnaces in the HT department. finisher forging. normalizing. PPC makes the required adjustments on the schedule. 4. finish and it is the duty of QA department to ensure this. Also it allots some backup time for each job in case anything goes wrong.schedule includes all the operations to be performed on the job like cutting material. The main methods used by QA include o o o o Ultrasonic testing Magnetic particle Dye penetrant Tensile strength o Charpy impact o Mass spectrography o Brinell and Rockwell hardness 4. PPC also prepares the daily and monthly schedules for each department. hardening. to carry out annealing.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) QA is one of the most important department of SIFL. After each stage of production QA is responsible for checking the quality of every single job. tempering. An order for 16 ton has been placed which will be commissioned soon. The commonly used machines like conventional lathes. Earlier models made from wood or plaster of paris was used to check the accuracy. SIFL cuts the required angles for the dovetail for holding it in the hammer.5 DIE DESIGN SIFL design both single and multi-impression dies. 6 ton and 10 ton.6 FORGING SHOP Forging shop can be said as the core department of SIFL. The upper die is fixed on the moveable part i. they suggest the retreatments as necessary. It also bores the holes for both 6T and 10T hammers. The steel and aluminium billets are first heated to the red hot condition in an oil furnace whereas titanium billet is heated in an electric furnace and then placed on the die with the help of tongs. coping machines etc. 4. For a job it may require to make several blockers and finishers and the die shop is entitled to prepare all these. It is from here that the required shape of the job is produced.process for each and every job and if any corrections are required. The hammer is dropped from a height on to the workpiece several times until the required shape is achieved. milling machines. Numerous machine tools are employed at SIFL for developing the dies. The dies are fixed on the hammer with keys and locks. are also used. SIFL has now started using CAD/CAM facilities for die design and developments. Material used for making die is a special grade of steel known as die steel which is directly imported from Germany as solid blocks. drilling machines. Templates are prepared for every die designs to check the die impressions for dimensional tolerances. A HMT make CNC lathe and Johnford make CNC milling machine are used in the die shop. piston of the hammer and the lower die is fixed on the stationary vice. Mechanism used for . This has helped SIFL to grow quickly into a premier steel forings unit. capable of producing highly complex and precision closed die forgings with close dimensional tolerances. 4. Forging shop currently employs three hammers of capacities 1 ton.e. It also carries out yearly auditing. Goods inquired by a department will not be supplied to any other department from the store. It houses a store for storing the tools and devices like the drill bits. testing. Two presses are used at SIFL of capacities 500 ton and 1000 ton. bolts etc. 4. repairing. 6T hammer uses two valves and 10T hammer uses a single valve mechanism.9 FINISHING AND DISPATCH Finishing and Dispatch department is responsible for finishing the job and reaching it to the customer in the demanded condition. MMD keeps a Goods Receipt Inspection Note (GRIN) for everything received at the store and it requires a Storage Requisition note for any department to obtain anything from the store. 4. Also breakdown maintenance are performed in case of breakdown of any machines. lubrication level checking etc.8 MATERIALS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT (MMD) This department is responsible for the storage and management of the materials. Monthly assessment is done for the things stored at the store.7 MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT Maintenance department carries out predictive maintenance at regular intervals. A breakdown of any machines cause bottleneck of production. cutting tools. Sundays are usually allotted for maintenance works when no other works are held at the company. After drop forging the flash of the job are removed by presses. Sometimes experts from outside the company may be required to perform the repairing operations such as the complex welding processes performed by L&T personnels. jobs and all other equipments required for the processes.lifting and dropping hammer is pneumatic valve mechanism. 4. Maintenance engineers carry out operations like inspection. grinders. Smaller finishing operations like coarse and fine grinding is carried out at SIFL plant in Athani and for higher finishing operations requiring high grades of finish are either machined at the SIFL machining unit in . nuts. Punching operations as demanded by the customer are also performed at SIFL. aluminium and titanium. A. Media Promoters & Publishers Pvt. Hajra Choudhury. It is the numero uno company in South India in terms of jobs produced. With a realistic production capacity is 5000MT/annum of closed die forgings. Nirjhar Roy. Forgings with a exquisite designs and shapes. broadbands and spectra of metals including titanium and aluminium: all in wide range of weights and unmatched quality have made SIFL the most sought after Forge shop in the country for critical components. Untiring efforts of two decaded has saddled firmly in the forging industry scenario of India and abroad with best ratings for its products and services.K. Limited [3] . flawless forms and contours. SIFL have so far developed more than 700 different forgings for various applications. II. super alloys. SIFL specializes in the medium and heavy range of forgins of alloy steel. SIFL brochure [2] S. Hajra Choudhury.K. Elements of Workshop Technoloy Vol. CONCLUSION Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) is a premier industry in the manufacturing sector of India. REFERENCE [1] The art of perfect forging.Shoranur or outsourced to external agencies. Competence and willingness of SIFL to take up forgings in special alloys and materials of unique chemistry has stood SIFL in good stead for assuring a niche market in the premium weight range for a variety of forgings. Finished products are finally dispatched to the customer on their scheduled time.