Thick-walled pipe flange forging process requirements

What is a forged flange?

Forged flanges are the best mechanical products among flange products. Their raw materials are generally tube blanks, which are then cut and hammered continuously to eliminate defects such as segregation and looseness in the steel ingots. The price and mechanical properties are one level higher than ordinary cast flanges. Flanges are parts that connect pipes to pipes and valves, and are connected to the pipe ends; flanges are also used on equipment inlets and outlets. They are parts that connect pipes to pipes and are connected to the pipe ends. It is an accessory product for pipelines.

The process requirements for thick-walled flange forgings mainly include the following aspects:

Material selection:

The material selection of thick-walled pipe flange forgings should meet the following requirements:

1. Good plasticity and forgeability, easy to deform and process.
2. High strength and toughness, able to withstand high-intensity loads.
3. Good corrosion resistance and heat resistance, able to be used for a long time in harsh environments.
4. It has good weldability and machinability, which is convenient for processing and maintenance.

Common materials for flange pipe fittings include carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, etc.

Forging process:

‌a. Free forging‌: Suitable for single pieces and small batch forgings with simple shapes. The basic processes include upsetting, drawing, punching, bending and cutting. The free forging tools are simple and widely used in small batch production.

‌b. Die forging‌: Suitable for mass production, with the advantages of high productivity, simple operation, easy mechanization and automation. The basic processes of die forging include blanking, heating, pre-forging, final forging, punching, trimming, quenching and tempering, and shot peening. The die forgings have high dimensional accuracy, small machining allowance, and more reasonable fiber structure distribution of the forgings.

Forging process requirements for thick-walled pipe flange forgings:

1. Use multiple forgings and gradual deformation to avoid excessive cooling and excessive heating.
2. Control the forging temperature and speed to avoid cracks and deformation.
3. Use appropriate forging dies and forging equipment to ensure the accuracy and quality of the product.
4. Surface treatment and removal of forging residual stress must be performed before subsequent processing.

Heat treatment:

Heat treatment requirements for thick-walled pipe flange forgings:

1. Perform uniform heating and temperature maintenance to ensure the grain refinement and uniform organization of the material.
2. Perform appropriate cooling and tempering treatment to ensure the strength and toughness of the material.
3. Control the temperature and time during the heat treatment process to avoid defects such as transitional organization and cracks.

Quality control:

During the forging process, process parameters need to be strictly controlled to ensure the quality of the forgings. Reasonable fiber organization distribution of die forgings can improve the service life of parts.

Technical guidance:

The manufacturing of thick-walled pipe flange forgings involves multiple links, and experienced engineers are required for technical guidance and control. The following are some practical technical guidance:

1. Different forging processes and heat treatment processes should be used for different materials to ensure the quality and performance of the product.
2. During the forging process, attention should be paid to the deformation and change of the material, and the problematic materials should be adjusted and processed in time.
3. During the heat treatment process, attention should be paid to the control of temperature and time to avoid defects such as transitional structure and cracks.
4. During the inspection and quality control of the product, a variety of means should be used for inspection and evaluation to ensure the quality and performance of the product.

In short, the manufacturing process of thick-walled flange forgings needs to strictly comply with the corresponding process requirements and technical standards, and at the same time, experienced engineers are required to provide technical guidance and control to ensure the quality and performance of the product.

Read more:  How to choose pipe flange material?  or Pipe and flange connection