InPlant Training at Bharat Forge Limited, Pune.: by Pritam Shahu Pawar
InPlant Training at Bharat Forge Limited, Pune.: by Pritam Shahu Pawar
InPlant Training at Bharat Forge Limited, Pune.: by Pritam Shahu Pawar
INDEX
1 CORPORATE HISTORY
4 MAINTAINENCE - TYPES
Process:
Forging is a metal forming process used to produce large quantities of identical parts, as
in the manufacture of automobiles, and to improve the mechanical properties of the metal being
forged, as in aerospace parts or military equipment. The design of forged parts is limited when
undercuts or cored sections are required. All cavities must be comparatively straight and largest at
the mouth, so that the forging die may be withdrawn. The products of forging may be tiny or massive
and can be made of steel (automobile axles), brass (water valves), tungsten (rocket nozzles),
aluminum (aircraft structural members), or any other metal. More than two thirds of forging in the
United States is concentrated in four general areas: 30 percent in the aerospace industry, 20 percent
in automotive and truck manufacture, 10 percent in off-highway vehicles, and 10 percent in military
equipment. This process is also used for coining, but with slow continuous pushes.
The forging metal forming process has been practiced since the Bronze Age. Hammering metal by
hand can be dated back over 4000 years ago. The purpose, as it still is today, was to change the
shape and/or properties of metal into useful tools. Steel was hammered into shape and used mostly
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for carpentry and farming tools. An ax made easy work of cutting down trees and metal knives were
much more efficient than stone cutting tools. Hunters used metal-pointed spears and arrows to catch
prey. Blacksmiths used a forge and anvil to create many useful instruments such as horseshoes,
nails, wagon tires, and chains.
Militaries used forged weapons to equip their armies, resulting in many territories
being won and lost with the use and strength of these weapons. Today, forging is used to create
various and sundry things. The operation requires no cutting or shearing, and is merely a reshaping
operation that does not change the volume of the material.
Forging:
Forging changes the size and shape, but not the volume, of a part. The change is made
by force applied to the material so that it stretches beyond the yield point. The force must be strong
enough to make the material deform. It must not be so strong, however, that it destroys the material.
The yield point is reached when the material will reform into a new shape. The point at which the
material would be destroyed is called the fracture point.
In forging, a block of metal is deformed under impact or pressure to form the desired
shape. Cold forging, in which the metal is not heated, is generally limited to relatively soft metals.
Most metals are hot forged; for example, steel is forged at temperatures between 2,100 oF and 2,300oF
(1,150oC to 1,260oC). These temperatures cause deformation, in which the grains of the metal
elongate and assume a fibrous structure of increased strength along the direction of flow. (See
Figure)
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In forging, the dimensional tolerances that can be held vary based on the size of the
work piece. The process is capable of producing shapes of 0.5 to >50.0 cm in thickness and 10 to
<100 cm in diameter. The tolerances vary from ± 1/32 in. for small parts to ± ¼ in. for large forgings.
Tolerances of 0.010 in. have been held in some precision forgings, but the cost associated with such
precision is only justified in exceptional cases, such as some aircraft work.
Types of forging:
Two methods practised at BFL.
Impression die forging pounds or presses metal between two dies (called tooling) that
contain a precut profile of the desired part. Parts from a few ounces to 60,000 lbs. can be made using
this process.
Process Capabilities
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As the name implies, two or more dies containing impressions of the part shape are
brought together as forging stock undergoes plastic deformation. Because metal flow is restricted by
the die contours, this process can yield more complex shapes and closer tolerances than open-die
forging processes. Additional flexibility in forming both symmetrical and non- symmetrical shapes
comes from various performing operations (sometimes bending) prior to forging in finisher dies.
Part geometry's range from some of the easiest to forge simple spherical shapes, block-
like rectangular solids, and disc-like configurations to the most intricate components with thin and
long sections that incorporate thin webs and relatively high vertical projections like ribs and bosses.
Although many parts are generally symmetrical, others incorporate all sorts of design elements
(flanges, protrusions, holes, cavities, pockets, etc.) that combine to make the forging very non-
symmetrical. In addition, parts can be bent or curved in one or several planes, whether they are
basically longitudinal, equidimensional or flat.
Most engineering metals and alloys can be forged via conventional impression-die
processes, among them: carbon and alloy steels, tool steels, and stainless, aluminum and copper
alloys, and certain titanium alloys. Strain-rate and temperature-sensitive materials (magnesium,
highly alloyed nickel-based super alloys, refractory alloys and some titanium alloys) may require
more sophisticated forging processes and/or special equipment for forging in impression dies.
Open die forging is performed between flat dies with no precut profiles is the dies.
Movement of the work piece is the key to this method. Larger parts over 200,000 lbs. and 80 feet in
length can be hammered or pressed into shape this way.
Process Capabilities
Open-die forging can produce forgings from a few pounds up to more than 150 tons.
Called open-die because the metal is not confined laterally by impression dies during forging, this
process progressively works the starting stock into the desired shape, most commonly between flat-
faced dies. In practice, open-die forging comprises many process variations, permitting an extremely
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broad range of shapes and sizes to be produced. In fact, when design criteria dictate optimum
structural integrity for a huge metal component, the sheer size capability of open-die forging makes it
the clear process choice over non-forging alternatives. At the high end of the size range, open-die
forgings are limited only by the size of the starting stock, namely, the largest ingot that can be cast.
Practically all forgeable ferrous and non-ferrous alloys can be open-die forged,
including some exotic materials like age-hardening super alloys and corrosion-resistant refractory
alloys.
Step shafts solid shafts (spindles or rotors) whose diameter increases or decreases (steps
down) at multiple locations along the longitudinal axis.
Hollows cylindrical in shape, usually with length much greater than the diameter of the part.
Length, wall thickness, ID and OD can be varied as needed.
Ring-like parts can resemble washers or approach hollow cylinders in shape, depending on
the height/wall thickness ratio.
Contour-formed metal shells like pressure vessels, which may incorporate extruded nozzles
and other design features.
Forging Equipment:
Forging Press
A forging press consists of a hydraulic press, which exerts a force capable of pressing
steel or a metal alloy into the shape of the forging die. These machines can be positioned
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horizontally or vertically. This method can be used to form car wheels, gears, bushings, and
other such parts.
Mechanical Forging
Mechanical presses have a motor-driven flywheel that stores energy to drive a ram--
much lighter than a hammer--through a crank or other mechanical device. The ram in a press moves
more slowly than a hammer and squeezes the workpiece. The largest mechanical presses have a total
force of 12,000 tons and cannot forge as large or complicated parts as the larger hammers.
Heat Treatment:
Materials can be improved before or after manufacturing by different heat treatment
processes. Forging is usually performed to hot metals, allowing for smoother flow and easier
deformation. Steel is heated to varying temperatures, usually between 1700 oF to 2000oF but can
reach as high as 2400oF, depending on the carbon content. Depending on the amount of work
required to the piece, it may be necessary to reheat the piece one or more times. The temperature of
the metal when completely forged is called the finishing temperature. After forging, the material
must be cooled uniformly and protected from moisture or cold air. This is done by placing the
material into dry ashes, lime or mica dust in order to retard the rate of cooling.
Preheating:
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Annealing:
Normalizing:
Normalizing is done to improve the crystalline structure of the steel, thus obtaining
superior properties. Heating the forged part just beyond the critical temperature and then allowing it
to air-cool completes normalizing. This allows the grain-size to be refined and, if not held at that
temperature too long, will result in a newly formed crystalline structure. The internal stresses, if any,
will be relieved, hardened steels will be softened, overheated steels will have a more favorable,
normal fine-grained structure, and structural distortion will be removed.
Hardening:
Hardening of steels can also be done after forging. The workpiece is heated slowly, to
obtain the finest grain-sizes, to its hardening temperature - much higher than annealing temperatures.
The metal is kept at this temperature only until uniform heat distribution and completion of the
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thermal transformation. Prolonged exposure at these elevated temperatures will result in increased
grain growth and surface decarburization, if no protection from oxidation is provided. Oxidation can
be avoided by surrounding the metal with some material that will use up the oxygen that is present in
the furnace. Once the metal has been uniformly heated to temperature, it is removed from the
furnace and placed directly into a quenching tank. This rapidly cools the metal and the metal retains
its new qualities.
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Product: Crankshaft.
Introduction
What is maintenance and why is it performed? Past and current maintenance practices in both
the private and Government sectors would imply that maintenance is the actions associated with
equipment repair after it is broken. The dictionary defines maintenance as follows: “the work of
keeping something in proper condition; upkeep.” This would imply that maintenance should be
actions taken to prevent a device or component from failing or to repair normal equipment
degradation experienced with the operation of the device to keep it in proper working order.
Unfortunately, data obtained in many studies over the past decade indicates that most private and
Government facilities do not expend the necessary resources to maintain equipment in proper
working order. Rather, they wait for equipment failure to occur and then take whatever actions are
necessary to repair or replace the equipment. Nothing lasts forever and all equipment has associated
with it some predefined life expectancy or operational life. For example, equipment may be designed
to operate at full
design load for 5,000 hours and may be designed to go through 15,000 start and stop cycles.
The design life of most equipment requires periodic maintenance. Belts need adjustment, alignment
needs to be maintained, proper lubrication on rotating equipment is required, and so on. In some
cases, certain components need replacement, e.g., a wheel bearing on a motor vehicle, to ensure the
main piece of equipment (in this case a car) last for its design life. Anytime we fail to perform
maintenance activities intended by the equipment’s designer, we shorten the operating life of the
equipment. But what options do we have? Over the last 30 years, different approaches to how
maintenance can be performed to ensure equipment reaches or exceeds its design life have been
developed in the United States. In addition to waiting for a piece of equipment to fail (reactive
maintenance), we can utilize preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, or reliability cantered
maintenance.
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Reactive Maintenance
Preventive Maintenance
Predictive Maintenance
schedule. You will recall that preventive maintenance is time-based. Activities such as changing
lubricant are based on time, like calendar time or equipment run time. For example, most people
change the oil in their vehicles every 3,000 to 5,000 miles traveled. This is effectively basing the oil
change needs on equipment run time. No concern is given to the actual condition and performance
capability of the oil. It is changed because it is time. This methodology would be analogous to a
preventive maintenance task. If, on the other hand, the operator of the car discounted the vehicle run
time and had the oil analyzed at some periodicity to determine its actual condition and lubrication
properties, he/she may be able to extend the oil change until the vehicle had travelled 10,000 miles.
This is the fundamental difference between predictive maintenance and preventive maintenance,
whereby predictive maintenance is used to define needed maintenance task based on quantified
material/equipment condition. The advantages of predictive maintenance are many. A well-
orchestrated predictive maintenance program will all but eliminate catastrophic equipment failures.
We will be able to schedule maintenance activities to minimize or delete overtime cost. We will be
able to minimize inventory and order parts, as required, well ahead of time to support the
downstream maintenance needs. We can optimize the operation of the equipment, saving energy cost
and increasing plant reliability. Past studies have estimated that a properly functioning predictive
maintenance program can provide a savings of 8% to 12% over a program utilizing preventive
maintenance alone. Depending on a facility’s reliance on reactive maintenance and material
condition, it could easily recognize savings opportunities exceeding 30% to 40%. In fact,
independent surveys indicate the following industrial average savings resultant from initiation of a
functional predictive maintenance program:
• Return on investment: 10 times
• Reduction in maintenance costs: 25% to 30%
• Elimination of breakdowns: 70% to 75%
• Reduction in downtime: 35% to 45%
• Increase in production: 20% to 25%.
On the down side, to initially start into the predictive maintenance world is not inexpensive.
Much of the equipment requires cost in excess of $50,000. Training of in-plant personnel to
effectively utilize predictive maintenance technologies will require considerable funding. Program
development will require an understanding of predictive maintenance and a firm commitment to
make the program work by all facility organizations and management.
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The road from a purely reactive program to a RCM program is not an easy one. The
following is a list of some basic steps that will help to get moving down this path.
1. Develop a Master equipment list identifying the equipment in your facility.
2. Prioritize the listed components based on importance to process.
3. Assign components into logical groupings.
4. Determine the type and number of maintenance activities required and periodicity using:
a. Manufacturer technical manuals
b. Machinery history
c. Root cause analysis findings - Why did it fail?
d. Good engineering judgment
5. Assess the size of maintenance staff.
6. Identify tasks that may be performed by operations maintenance personnel.
7. Analyze equipment failure modes and effects.
8. Identify effective maintenance tasks or mitigation strategies.
The references and resources provided below are by no means all-inclusive. The listed organizations
are not endorsed by the authors of this guide and are provided for your information only. To locate
additional resources, the authors of this guide recommend contacting relevant trade groups,
databases, and the world-wide web.
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Production management involves the managerial decisions regarding design of the product and
design of the production system i.e. determination of production processes and production planning
and control
PRODUCT DESIGN
Product design is a strategic decision as the image and profit earning capacity of a small firm
depends largely on product design. Once the product to be produced is decided by the entrepreneur
the next step is to prepare its design. Product design consists of form and function. The form
designing includes decisions regarding its shape, size, color and appearance of the product. The
functional design involves the working conditions of the product. Once a product is designed, it
prevails for a long time therefore various factors are to be considered before designing it. These
factors are listed below: -
(a) Standardization
(b) Reliability
(c) Maintainability
(d) Servicing
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(e) Reproducibility
(f) Sustainability
(g) Product simplification
(h) Quality Commensuration with cost
(i) Product value
(j) Consumer quality
(k) Needs and tastes of consumers.
Above all, the product design should be dictated by the market demand. It is an important decision
and therefore the entrepreneur should pay due effort, time, energy and attention in order to get the
best results.
Production system is the framework within which the production activities of an enterprise
take place. Manufacturing process is the conversion process through which inputs are converted into
outputs. An appropriate designing of production system ensures the coordination of various
production operations. There is no single pattern of production system which is universally
applicable to all types of production system varies from one enterprise to another.
Continuous production: -
It refers to the production of standardized products with a standard set of process and
operation sequence in anticipation of demand. It is also known as mass flow production or assembly
line production This system ensures less work in process inventory and high product quality but
involves large investment in machinery and equipment. The system is suitable in plants involving
large volume and small variety of output e.g. oil refineries reform cement manufacturing etc.
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Intermittent Production:
Under this system the goods are produced partly for inventory and partly for customer's
orders. E.g. components are made for inventory but they are combined differently for different
customers. . Automobile plants, printing presses, electrical goods plant are examples of this type of
manufacturing.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
The nature of the process of production required by these three different types of
production system are distinct and require different conditions for their working.Selection of
manufacturing process is also a strategic decision as changes in the same are costly. Therefore the
manufacturing process is selected at the stage of planning a business venture. It should meet the
basic two objectives i.e. to meet the specification of the final product and to be cost effective.
Jobbing Production: -
Herein one or few units of the products are produced as per the requirement and
specification of the customer. Production is to meet the
delivery schedule and costs are fixed prior to the contract.
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Batch Production: -
Under this, the production run is conducted on a set of machines arranged according to the
sequence of operations. A huge quantity of
same product is manufactured at a time and is stocked for sale. Different product will require
different manufacturing lines. Since one line can produce only one type of product, this process is
also called as line flow.
Process Production:
Effect of volume/variety:
This is one of the major considerations in selection of manufacturing process. When the
volume is low and variety is high, intermittent process is most suitable and with increase in volume
and reduction in variety continuous process become suitable. The following figure indicates the
choice of process as a function of repetitiveness. Degree of repetitiveness is determined by dividing
volume of goods by variety.
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Projected sales volume is the key factor to make a choice between batch and line process.
In case of line process, fixed costs are
substantially higher than variable costs. The reverse is true for batch process thus at low volume it
would be cheaper to install and maintain a batch process and line process becomes economical at
higher volumes.
Lead time: -
Production planning:
Routing:
Under this, the operations, their path and sequence are established. To perform these
operations the proper class of machines and personnel required are also worked out. The main aim of
routing is to determine the best and cheapest Production Planning and control
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Scheduling:
It means working out of time that should be required to perform each operation and also
the time necessary to perform the entire series as routed, making allowances for all factors
concerned. It mainly concerns with time element and priorities of a job. The pattern of scheduling
differs from one job to another which is explained as below:
Production schedule:
The main aim is to schedule that amount of work which can easily be handled by plant and
equipment without interference. Its not independent decision as it takes into account following
factors.
(1) Physical plant facilities of the type required to process the material being
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scheduled.
(2) Personnel who possess the desired skills and experience to operate the
equipment and perform the type of work involved.
(3) Necessary materials and purchased parts.
Master Schedule:
Manufacturing schedule:
Loading:
The next step is the execution of the schedule plan as per the route
chalked out it includes the assignment of the work to the operators at their
machines or work places. So loading determines who will do the work as routing determines where
and scheduling determines when it shall be done. Gantt Charts are most commonly used in small
industries in order to determine the existing load and also to foresee how fast a job can be done. The
usefulness of their technique lies in the fact that they compare what has been done and what ought to
have been done. Most of a small scale enterprise fail due to non-adherence to delivery schedules
therefore they can be successful if they have ability to meet delivery order in time which no doubt
depends upon production of quality goods in right time. It makes all the more important for
entrepreneur to judge ahead of time what should be done, where and when thus to leave nothing to
chance once the work has begun.
Production control:
Dispatching:
5. Movement of work from one operation to another in accordance with the route sheet.
6. Inspecting or supervision of work.
Dispatching is an important step as it translates production plans into production.
Follow up:
Inspection:
This is mainly to ensure the quality of goods. It can be required as effective agency of
production control. Corrective measures: Corrective action may involve any of those activities of
adjusting the route, rescheduling of work changing the workloads, repairs and maintenance of
machinery or equipment, control over inventories of the cause of deviation is the poor performance
of the employees. Certain personnel decisions like training, transfer, demotion etc. may have to be
taken. Alternate methods may be suggested to handle peak loads.
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Conclusion:
This industrial visit increased our insight on as on
how a industry works, how its management is
carried out. It has prepared us for our future.
Definitely this experience will count.