Maximizing Forging Quality: How Infrared Pyrometers and Cameras Improve Process Control

IMPROVE DIE HAMMER FORGING PROCESS WITH INFRARED TEMPERATURE MONITORING?

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Temperature Control is Essential for Efficient Die Hammer Forging?

Die hammer forging involves heating metal workpieces to extremely high temperatures before shaping them with mighty hydraulic or counterblow hammers. This method is frequently used to produce components such as railway axles, tractor shafts, and motor drive shafts. Precise temperature control is critical for both the workpiece and the forging tools. Initially, the metal is heated to the desired temperature in a furnace, making it pliable enough to deform without cracking. The hammer used to shape the workpiece must also be pre-heated to prevent compromising the workpiece’s integrity or causing unwanted material reactions.?

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Incorrect temperatures—whether too high or too low—can significantly affect the quality of the final product. If the temperature is too low, the workpiece may not form correctly, requiring reheating and wasting time and resources. Conversely, continuing the forging process at the wrong temperature can damage the tool, leading to downtime and expensive repairs. Additionally, as the workpiece cools during forging, its surface forms an oxide layer that complicates accurate temperature measurement. These oxide layers obscure the actual surface temperature, often leading to incorrect readings that do not reflect the workpiece’s core temperature.?

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Handheld temperature measurement tools are impractical in the harsh environment of a forging operation, characterised by extreme heat, dust, smoke, and flying particles. Accurate and reliable temperature measurement is essential to maintaining efficiency and quality. Infrared temperature measurement offers a solution by providing continuous, real-time data without direct contact, ensuring the forging process remains optimised.?

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Optimising Die Hammer Forging with Infrared Pyrometers and Thermal Cameras?

A combination of infrared pyrometers and thermal cameras can be implemented to address the temperature control challenges in die hammer forging. Each device has specific advantages for different aspects of the process. Short-wave infrared (SWIR) cameras, like the Optris Xi 1M and PI 1M, are essential for this process because they can accurately detect surface temperatures of hot metals due to their ability to measure in the correct wavelength range of 0.85-1.1 μm. This is crucial because the emissivity of metals is highly variable at long wavelengths, leading to inaccurate readings when using long-wave infrared (LWIR) cameras.?

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For instance, the Xi 1M infrared camera is ideal for continuously monitoring the workpiece’s surface temperature. With a wide measurement range from 450 °C to 1800 °C and a highly dynamic CMOS detector of 396 x 300 pixels, this camera provides precise surface temperature readings and detects hot spots in real-time. Its autonomous operation and direct analogue output make it a flexible tool for integration into industrial control systems, ensuring the workpiece temperature stays within optimal ranges throughout the forging process. Another key solution is the PI 1M camera, known for its ultra-compact design and high-resolution CMOS detector, capable of delivering up to 764 x 480 pixels at 32 Hz. The PI 1M is beneficial for fast processes, with a frame rate of up to 1 kHz and real-time analogue output to precisely monitor fast-changing temperatures in metal surfaces.?

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For point-based measurements, the CTratio 1M pyrometer?is indispensable. This rugged fibre-optic ratio thermometer can measure temperatures from 450 °C to 3000 °C with a high optical resolution of up to 100:1, making it ideal for monitoring the hammer tool’s temperature. The CTratio 1M’s two-channel mode ensures that the pyrometer can accurately measure the temperature even in harsh environments where there may be smoke or dust. The CSvision pyrometer?is an advanced option for non-contact temperature measurement, featuring a motorised focus and video sighting capability for precise alignment. With its wide temperature range of 550 °C to 3000 °C, this pyrometer excels in the most demanding forging environments, providing real-time feedback that operators can use to optimise the process. Finally, the CT LT pyrometer?is used for lower-temperature applications, capable of measuring from -50 °C to 975 °C, and can monitor both the hammer and cooler stages of the process.?

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These devices are seamlessly integrated into the forging process, with real-time data transmission to the control systems. This allows operators to adjust parameters as needed to ensure efficiency. The devices’ robustness is also critical, as they operate in challenging environments with dust, high heat, and mechanical vibrations. Water-cooled housings and air purging systems are typically used to protect the optics and ensure uninterrupted operation.?

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Infrared Solutions Improve Product Quality and Reduce Material Waste?

Integrating Optris infrared pyrometers and thermal SWIR cameras into the die hammer forging process significantly improves product quality and operational efficiency. Metal manufacturers can use tools like the Xi 1M ?and PI 1M SWIR cameras to monitor the entire surface of the workpiece with high precision, ensuring that no temperature discrepancies go undetected. This reduces material waste, as fewer workpieces need to be scrapped or reworked due to temperature-related defects. Moreover, the cameras’ high frame rates and real-time data outputs enable immediate adjustments, further streamlining production.?

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The CTratio 1M pyrometer is particularly beneficial in maintaining the integrity of the forging tools. By accurately monitoring the hammer’s temperature, it acts as a shield, preventing the tool from being exposed to excessive heat, which can cause damage and result in costly repairs or downtime. This pyrometer also excels in environments with dust and smoke, ensuring reliable measurements where other devices might struggle. Similarly, the?CSvision pyrometer’s?ability to provide accurate temperature data under extreme conditions makes it an invaluable asset for operators looking to maintain precise control over the forging process. The CT LT pyrometer, with its ability to measure lower temperature ranges, adds value in monitoring the cooling process of the workpiece, ensuring it is hardened correctly.?

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The unique selling points of Optris solutions, such as the CTratio 1M pyrometer and PI 1M, include their ability to deliver accurate, real-time data even in the most challenging industrial environments. These devices are designed to withstand high temperatures, mechanical vibrations, and dust, ensuring reliable long-term performance. The flexibility of their integration into existing control systems, combined with features like autonomous operation and remote monitoring capabilities, makes them highly attractive to steel and metal forge manufacturers. The result is a more efficient, cost-effective forging process that delivers consistently high-quality metal components with fewer production interruptions and reduced energy consumption. By investing in these infrared solutions, metal smiths benefit from enhanced process control, reduced maintenance costs, and increased production reliability.?

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Contact INSTROTECH for more on IMPROVING THE DIE HAMMER FORGING PROCESS WITH INFRARED TEMPERATURE MONITORING on 010 595 1831 or [email protected]?

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PIC CAPTIONS?

PIC 1. Die hammer forging involves heating metal workpieces to extremely high temperatures before shaping them with mighty hydraulic or counterblow hammers.? A combination of infrared pyrometers and thermal cameras can be implemented to address the temperature control challenges in die hammer forging.?

PIC 2. Using OPTRIS Xi 1M?and PI 1M SWIR cameras, metal manufacturers gain the ability to monitor the entire surface of the workpiece with high precision, ensuring that no temperature discrepancies go undetected.?

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Issued for INSTROTECH -Tel: 010 595 1831 [email protected]??

By: V Squared Marketing – email: [email protected]?

V2 13146 INSTROTECH Optris IMPROVE DIE HAMMER FORGING PROCESS WITH INFRARED TEMPERATURE MONITORING?

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