WUXI TURBINE BLADE SPKA 22400 – the world’s most powerful screw press

PLANT DATA

Press force 35,500 t

Driving power 500 kW

Overall height 23 m

Overall weight 3,000 t

PROJECT DATA

Customer Wuxi Turbine Blade Company (WTB)

Location Wuxi (Jiangsu province), China

Installation time 9 months

Commissioning June 2011

ECONOMICAL POWERHOUSEWTB uses the SPKA 22400 screw press

The Chinese company Wuxi Turbine Blade (WTB) produces turbine blades for the aerospace and power plant industries. Requirements in these markets are constantly on the rise: be it turbines for gas and steam or for aircraft – the dimen-sions and loads are getting bigger and bigger. In turn, this means the increasing use of high-strength alloys which can withstand high stresses and also reduce weight compared to other materials.

WTB relies on the SPKA 22400 screw press by the SMS group for cost-efficient production of these parts. With a press force of 35,500 t, it is the world’s most powerful screw press – together with an identical plant at Böhler Schmied-technik in Austria also supplied by the SMS group. Yan Qi, Managing Director of Wuxi Turbine Blade, says, “The advan-

tage of the system for us is that we can meet the increased requirements of our customers.”

ECONOMICAL IN USE – FLEXIBLE FOR

WORKPIECES

Only a few pressing operations are required for each work-piece thanks to high forming forces with a short contact time. This significantly reduces wear on the dies and brings costs down. At the same time, the microstructure of the workpieces remains homogeneous. The plant requires only 500 kW of frequency-controlled driving power. That is 87% less than for conventional screw presses whilst at the same time increasing the forming energy. Another key feature is a high level of flexibility: The SMS group has designed the screw press so that the impact speed of the dies can be

selected at will between 0.25 and 0.5 m/s. As a result, Wuxi can forge parts that are larger and more sophisticated than ever before.

ONLY 9 MONTHS INSTALLATION TIME

The crossbeam weighing 325 t is the heaviest component and the press table which is manufactured in one piece weighs 305 t. Special transports were required to take both parts to Wuxi where the SMS group’s experts installed them accurate to within a tenth of a millimetre. Despite the logistical challenges, the SMS group was able to carry out commissioning after only nine months, three months ahead of the agreed schedule.

The SMS group provided full training for Wuxi’s employees in hydraulics, control systems and electrics and will con-

tinue to provide the customer with extensive support. Norbert Gober, Vice President Closed-Die Forging says, “The SMS group not only delivers high-quality screw presses, we are also available to customers after commissioning to ensure the best possible service.”

WTB is China’s largest manufacturer of turbine blades. The company has been working with the SMS group for 30 years and also operates an SPK 11200 screw press as well as an HSPRZ 630 hydraulic screw press.

THE WORKING PRINCIPLE

OF THE SPKA 22400

The powerful forming energy of the SPKA 22400 is provided by the main flywheel. It is the energy accumulator of the screw press and rotates at up to 36 rpm with a moving load of 590 t. The clutch, with a closing force of approx. 40,000 kN, is integrated in the flywheel and during forming it transmits a torque of almost 60,000 kNm to the screw. Within a few milliseconds of reaching maximum force, the clutch opens and separates flywheel and screw.

TECHNICAL DATA

Weight of screw 82 t

Diameter of screw 1,320 mm

Diameter of flywheel 7,500 mm

Weight of flywheel 590 t

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SMS GROUP GMBH

Business Unit Forging Plants

Ohlerkirchweg 66

41069 Mönchengladbach

Germany

Phone: +49 2161 350-2321

Fax: +49 2161 350-2318

closeddieforging@sms-group.com

www.sms-group.com

The information provided in this brochure contains a general description of the performance characteristics of the products concerned. The actual products may not always have these characteristics as described and, in particular, these may change as a result of further developments of the products. The provision of this information is not intended to have and will not have legal effect. An obligation to deliver products having particular characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of the contract.