Seamless rolled rings can be produced using an open die forging method or on a ring rolling mill. Seamless rings are extremely durable and are overall stronger rings because they generate circumferential grain structures, and they have no welded seam to fail. Using a seamless ring rolling mill is also a more cost-effective forging process than other methods because it requires less input material, and the end product has less material to remove, providing a double benefit and oftentimes does not require a final machining. Ring rolling, when used in combination with a ring expander, generates exceptionally round and durable ring products in any forgeable material.
Open die forging of rings, typically done with the use of forging hammers, dates back hundreds of years. Achieving perfectly forged rings on a hammer and mandrel is a challenging task. The most common method involves heating the metal, punching a hole in it, and rolling the ring on a mandrel with intermittent flattening operations. While this method did create ring-shaped parts, the finished rings were often rough, and required extra material. One alternative method for producing rings is to cut plate, then roll and weld it into rings. While this solution can work in some applications and it is generally less expensive, it can often lead to mechanical failures and poor quality product, especially if the ring is under immense pressure and corrosion.
In the mid-19th Century due to the growth of the railroads, people started to design equipment to produce round rings using less material. As technology advanced, different forging methods were created that greatly improved the final product. Eventually the seamless rolling mill was created – resulting in forged rings that were more consistent in size, they were strong and versatile, and were cheaper to produce than ever before. Seamless rolled rings can be produced in many different materials, including nickel-based superalloys, titanium, stainless steel, and copper.
Seamless rolled rings are commonly used in several different industrial applications. Seamless rolled ring parts are used for bearings, clutches, flanges, gears and connectors, valves and much more.
Seamless rolled ring forging process starts with a pre-cut billet being heated to a desired temperature. It’s then hammered or upset on a press. Then the center is pierced to form the hollow center, similar to a doughnut. The part is then rolled or if necessary reheated to bring it up to the forging temperature, before being placed on the ring mill.
Once on the ring mill, a mandrel is poked through the center of the part and placed in between rollers. As the rollers spin, pressure is applied, and the rollers gradually expand the ring’s diameter and reducing its wall thickness. The mandrel is then removed, and the ring is either flattened, placed back into a furnace for a subsequent forging operation, or finished on a ring expander to ensure roundness and sizing.
Weldaloy Specialty Forgings provides customers with a variety of forged products, including forged seamless rolled rings. Our expert team of engineers, metallurgists, and quality personnel stands ready to produce parts that fit your needs.
We provide seamless rolled ring forgings with a variety of metals, including stainless steel, titanium, copper, and various nickel-based superalloys.
| Max OD | Max Face Height | |
|---|---|---|
|
Seamless Rolled Rings |
120" |
20" |
Our cutting-edge SMS Group radial-axial ring mill — the first e-machine in the United States — allows us to produce forged, seamless rolled rings made from copper, titanium, nickel-based super alloys, and stainless steel up to 120″ O.D. and heights up to 20″, dependent on materials and specs. Send your RFQ now to reserve your spot in the production queue.
We’re here for you. We’re flexible and enjoy building long term relationships with our customers. For over 75 years, we’ve been providing industry leading companies services such as those listed.
Why is Weldaloy Specialty Forgings the ideal partner for seamless rolled rings? There are several key components that prove Weldaloy is the ideal for your business.
Weldaloy Specialty Forgings has a wide range of capabilities for your most challenging job. Forging, heat treat, rolled rings and machining are just some of the services we offer. Our facilities span over 115,000 sq. ft. of office and manufacturing space that house a ring mill, a 2,000-ton press, and five drop hammers ranging from 2,000-4,000 lbs. We are continuously making updates to our facilities to expand our capabilities, and to ensure we continue to meet the demands of our clients.
Engineering Capabilities:
Testing Capabilities:
When you work with Weldaloy Specialty Forgings, you have a whole team behind your order that ensures our work is meeting the required standard. Weldaloy employs a highly skilled team of metallurgists with aerospace industry experience for projects with specific grain size and direction requirements, and ensures that our finished products meet mechanical and other testing standards. Weldaloy also has a well-staffed team of engineers that oversee our production processes, and at every step of production, our team of Quality experts verifies that our products meet the standard.
We focus on the small details to make sure our customers are getting the best quality in our products!
Weldaloy Specialty Forgings is committed to making sure our accreditations are always up to date, ensuring a culture of consistency and attention to detail.
Our qualifications include:
