26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Hybrid Rapid Infrared Heat

26th Forging Industry Technical ConferenceIncrease Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment

Development of Hybrid Rapid Infrared Heat Development of Hybrid Rapid Infrared Heat Treating Furnace for Aluminum ForgingsTreating Furnace for Aluminum Forgings

Rob MayerRob Mayer11, Puja B. Kadolkar, Puja B. Kadolkar22, Frank Kraft, Frank Kraft33, Vamadevan Gowreesan, Vamadevan Gowreesan33, , Devon PolingDevon Poling33, Jay S. Gunasekera, Jay S. Gunasekera33, Percy Gros, Percy Gros44,, George MochnalGeorge Mochnal55, ,

and Craig A. Blueand Craig A. Blue22

11The Queen City Forging Company, Cincinnati OHThe Queen City Forging Company, Cincinnati OH22Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TNOak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN

33Ohio University, Athens OHOhio University, Athens OH44Edison Materials Technology Center, Dayton OHEdison Materials Technology Center, Dayton OH

55Forging Industry Association, Cleveland OHForging Industry Association, Cleveland OH

2626thth Forging Industry Technical Conference Forging Industry Technical Conference

November 7-9, 2005November 7-9, 2005

Crowne Plaza Chicago O’HareCrowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare

Rosemont, ILRosemont, IL


AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Project Funded by the Cooperative Research and Project Funded by the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) ORNLDevelopment Agreement (CRADA) ORNL

Project Funded by US DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Project Funded by US DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, Renewable Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, Supporting Industries, Industries Materials of the Future, Supporting Industries, Industries Materials of the Future, and Aluminumand Aluminum

Project Funded by Edison Materials Technology CenterProject Funded by Edison Materials Technology Center Research Supported byResearch Supported by

KomtekKomtek Northeastern UniversityNortheastern University Infrared Heating TechnologiesInfrared Heating Technologies Forging Industry AssociationForging Industry Association Ohio UniversityOhio University


OutlineOutline Infrared TechnologyInfrared Technology Rapid Infrared Pre-heating of Forging DiesRapid Infrared Pre-heating of Forging Dies Rapid Infrared heating of Aluminum billets prior to ForgingRapid Infrared heating of Aluminum billets prior to Forging Field testing of a full-scale billet heating production setup at Field testing of a full-scale billet heating production setup at

Queen City ForgingQueen City Forging Rapid Infrared heating for Heat Treatment of Aluminum Rapid Infrared heating for Heat Treatment of Aluminum

ForgingsForgings Optimization of Heat treating ParametersOptimization of Heat treating Parameters Development of a full-scale infrared heat treatment facility Development of a full-scale infrared heat treatment facility

at Queen City Forging Company at Queen City Forging Company ConclusionsConclusions


Infrared heating provides a clean, non-contact heating Infrared heating provides a clean, non-contact heating techniquetechnique

The tungsten halogen heating element is heated in excess The tungsten halogen heating element is heated in excess of 4000˚F resulting in high thermal fluxesof 4000˚F resulting in high thermal fluxes

Radiated energy heat flux is nearly ten times of a gas-fired Radiated energy heat flux is nearly ten times of a gas-fired infrared system, heating rates of 200-300infrared system, heating rates of 200-300C/s are possibleC/s are possible

Convert electrical into radiant energy in excess of 90%.Convert electrical into radiant energy in excess of 90%. Low thermal mass provides instantaneous starting and Low thermal mass provides instantaneous starting and

stopping allowing precise control over temperature and stopping allowing precise control over temperature and output.output.

Uniform deposition of radiant energy.Uniform deposition of radiant energy.

Infrared TechnologyInfrared Technology


Infrared Pre-heating of Forging DiesInfrared Pre-heating of Forging Dies

Increase in ProductivityIncrease in Productivity Reduced heating timesReduced heating times

Increase in die lifeIncrease in die life Uniform temperatureUniform temperature Better lubrication, lesser Better lubrication, lesser

sticking problemssticking problems Energy savingsEnergy savings

Efficient heating and shorter Efficient heating and shorter wait times in between forging wait times in between forging

Insert Die Heater


Insert Die Heaters Currently InstalledInsert Die Heaters Currently Installed

American ToolAmerican Tool American AxleAmerican Axle AmeriforgeAmeriforge AlcoaAlcoa EatonEaton Finkl & SonsFinkl & Sons Klein ToolKlein Tool

Komtek Komtek Milwaukee ForgeMilwaukee Forge Queen City Forging Queen City Forging

CompanyCompany TRWTRW Turn Key ForgeTurn Key Forge United DefenseUnited Defense


Laboratory based batch-type infrared furnace used to identify rapid heating rates

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Time (minutes)T

emp

era

ture

(

C)

Forging temperature

2.25 inch-diameter, 6-inch-long AA 2618 billets were heated in 16 mins (Conventional hold times to preheat loads is about 4 hrs)

Rapid Infrared Heating of Aluminum BilletsRapid Infrared Heating of Aluminum Billets


Conventionally preheated, forged, conventionally solution heat-treated and conventionally aged AA 2618 forgings (*Controlled)

Rapidly preheated, forged, rapidly solution heat- treated and conventionally aged AA 2618 forgings

30% Reduction in grain size with rapid preheating and rapid heat-treatment

Grain size = 40 um Grain size = 27 um

Rapid Infrared For Heat Treatment of Al ForgingsRapid Infrared For Heat Treatment of Al Forgings


Strain (%)Stress (MPa)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

0 5 10 15

Rapidly heatedConventionally heated

Higher hardness and UTS values were achieved with rapidly heated Higher hardness and UTS values were achieved with rapidly heated forgingsforgings

Improvement in Mechanical PropertiesImprovement in Mechanical Properties


75

90

105

120

135

150

1.00E+04 1.00E+05 1.00E+06 1.00E+07 1.00E+08

Stress Amplitude (MPa)

ConventionalRapid Infrared

Number of Cycles

Rapid preheating and rapid solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings Rapid preheating and rapid solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue lifewith two times the fatigue life

Stress amplitude vs. number of cycles of T61 treated specimens under tension-tension loading condition with mean tensile stress at 180 MPa.

Improvement in Mechanical PropertiesImprovement in Mechanical Properties


Hybrid infrared furnace setup at Hybrid infrared furnace setup at The Queen City Forging CompanyThe Queen City Forging Company

Optimized combination of radiant Optimized combination of radiant and convective heatingand convective heating

Continuous belt setup for higher Continuous belt setup for higher throughputsthroughputs

Full-scale Production SetupFull-scale Production Setup

Recipient of the prestigious 2004 R&D 100 Award

Participants: Komtek, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, The Queen City Forging Company, Northeastern University, Forging Industry Association and Infrared Heating Technologies Inc.


Micrographs showing magnitude of grain refinement in AA 2014 Looper Drag Link (used in industrial sewing machines) hammer forged and T4 treated

Rapidly preheated, forged and rapidly heat-treated

Conventionally preheated, forged and conventionally heat-treated

Infrared Applications in Aluminum ForgingInfrared Applications in Aluminum Forging


Rapidly preheated, forged and rapidly heat-treated

Conventionally preheated, forged and conventionally heat-treated

Higher magnification micrographs of the middle section

Infrared Applications in Aluminum ForgingInfrared Applications in Aluminum Forging


Optimization of Heating Treating ParametersOptimization of Heating Treating Parameters Laboratory studies being performed at Ohio UniversityLaboratory studies being performed at Ohio University Goal is to optimize the heat treating parametersGoal is to optimize the heat treating parameters

Conserve Energy and Increase ProductivityConserve Energy and Increase Productivity Possible Improvement in Materials PropertiesPossible Improvement in Materials Properties

Conductivity and hardness measurements on samples in the as-solutionized Conductivity and hardness measurements on samples in the as-solutionized condition are used to indicate the extent of dissolution of solute elements condition are used to indicate the extent of dissolution of solute elements during the solution heat treatment process during the solution heat treatment process

Conductivity and hardness measurements are performed on aged samples Conductivity and hardness measurements are performed on aged samples to study the age hardening effectto study the age hardening effect


6061 Conductivity (as-solutionized)6061 Conductivity (as-solutionized)


6061 Hardness (as-solutionized)6061 Hardness (as-solutionized)


6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)


6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)


As-extruded

532 C, 20 s532 C, 20 s

60616061

572 C, 900 s572 C, 900 s


7075 solutionized & T73 aged (107 for 7 hrs & 177 for 9 hrs)


Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Facility at Queen City Forging CompanyFacility at Queen City Forging Company





Quenching Operation

Loading Operation



Temperature profile indicating Temperature profile indicating heating of 10 T/C’s in the heating of 10 T/C’s in the heating treating furnaceheating treating furnace

Profile shows uniform and Profile shows uniform and controlled heating of parts to controlled heating of parts to the required temperaturethe required temperature

Forged parts were heated in 1/2 Forged parts were heated in 1/2 amount of time as compared to amount of time as compared to conventional HT techniquesconventional HT techniques

1000 deg F


SummarySummary Rapid infrared heating offers a low cost, energy-efficient heating Rapid infrared heating offers a low cost, energy-efficient heating

methodology for die preheating and heating of aluminum billets methodology for die preheating and heating of aluminum billets and forgingsand forgings

Field testing of the hybrid infrared billet preheating system in full-Field testing of the hybrid infrared billet preheating system in full-scale production setup has demonstrated cost savings up to scale production setup has demonstrated cost savings up to 40-40-50%50% through reduced energy consumption, increased throughput through reduced energy consumption, increased throughput and improved consistency in the process and quality of the and improved consistency in the process and quality of the product.product.

Rapidly preheating and rapidly solution heat-treating produces Rapidly preheating and rapidly solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue lifestronger forgings with two times the fatigue life

Current efforts involve optimization of the heat treating parametersCurrent efforts involve optimization of the heat treating parameters Conserve Energy and Increase ProductivityConserve Energy and Increase Productivity Improvement In Material PropertiesImprovement In Material Properties

Development of a full-scale infrared heat treating facility is in Development of a full-scale infrared heat treating facility is in progress at Queen City Forging Companyprogress at Queen City Forging Company

Potential national energy savings of 1.8 Trillion BTUs/year together Potential national energy savings of 1.8 Trillion BTUs/year together with cost savings of 17 million dollars/year. with cost savings of 17 million dollars/year.

Documents

26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Hybrid Rapid Infrared Heat