 The
Forgemaster Newsletter |
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Scot Forge Expands Key Areas of its “One Stop Shop”
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New 3,000 ton open die press adds capacity, allowing more throughput. |
The “One Stop Shop” just got bigger and better. Scot Forge recently completed a major expansion of its Clinton, Wisconsin facility. These improvements have expanded our capabilities to better anticipate your evolving part needs, serve a broad market segment, improve lead times, and provide uninterrupted service to our customers.
The 73,000 square foot expansion includes additions for our forging, heat treat, and machining capabilities (Note: A new 2000 ton upset press process system is so exciting, it deserved its own article, see below!).
3,000 Ton Press
Designed and built by our very own engineering staff, a new 3,000 ton press and 4 new energy efficient forge furnaces expand the size range of bars, spindles, rings, hubs, and hollows capable of being forged in the Clinton plant. The added press capacity allows us to improve throughput, often shortening lead times. It also provides backup forging “insurance” for our other open die presses (Scot Forge now has a total of 8!) to assure uninterrupted service during planned — and unplanned — shutdowns and times of heavy demand.
Heat Treat Expansion
The heat treat expansion, also designed and built by Scot Forge personnel, includes a 50,000 gallon water quench tank and a 32' long tip-up heat treating furnace. This new capacity, combined with the plant’s existing 50,000 gallon polymer quench tank and numerous furnaces, allows Scot Forge to offer fulltime water and polymer quench options. Having those options vastly improves scheduling flexibility, reducing lead times for our customer base.
Machine Shop
Machining capacity throughout Scot Forge has greatly increased with the addition of 6 machine tools just in the last year. As part of the Clinton expansion, a LeBlond engine lathe, rebuilt by Scot Forge machine repair personnel, was installed featuring CNC controls and capable of a 36" swing, with 240" between centers. Two other new CNC-controlled Tacchi turret lathes, each capable of a 32" swing, with 157" between centers were also installed there. The Spring Grove plant saw the addition of 3 large verticals capable of machining rings to 248" OD. These additions allow for expanded service on large ring forgings, providing for shorter lead times than previously offered.
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New heat treat expansion will help reduce lead times for customers. |
This comprehensive expansion of our capabilities reaffirms our commitment to providing you with the best forging, cost efficiencies, and fastest turnaround — all from your “one stop forge shop.”
To learn more about our enhanced capabilities and how they can assist your project, please call your account manager or contact us at sales@scotforge.com. 
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Flying High with High Strength Propeller Hubs
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ACI's revolutionary assembled propeller, utilizing a Scot Forge
forged aluminum hub. |
Aerocomposites — a propeller manufacturer based in Kensington, CT, and heralded in the industry for excellence in composite propeller blade design — is making strides in providing extremely strong, lightweight forged propeller hubs in partnership with Scot Forge. The single-piece aluminum hubs are forged by a unique “two-in-one” part process to optimize the metal’s grain structure. This process helps to provide unmatched fatigue resistance during climbing, cruising, or accelerating maneuvers in the skies.
Building a better propeller hub
“Our designs begin with—and improve upon—the best composite propeller technologies and aerospace materials available today,” says Harry Griswold, an Aerocomposites founder and Senior VP. The company provides complete propeller assemblies, which consist of the propeller blades with root retention bearings and central pitch change system, all supported by the forged hub.
Propeller hubs must be lightweight, yet withstand extremely high stresses and vibratory loads. Many general aviation aircraft hubs are machined from aluminum bar stock, but Aerocomposites was looking for a higher-performance and more durable hub.
Forging Advantage
Aerocomposites understands that forging the hub offers the best part quality and provides high stress and fatigue resistance.
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The 08-Legacy uses forged aluminum propeller hubs to provide unmatched fatigue resistance. |
They inquired about solutions at several open die forge shops. However, the hub geometry, material, forging reduction requirements, and overall specification made it a challenging part for many forging companies. Ultimately, Aerocomposites decided to partner with Scot Forge.
Material Assistance
Scot Forge reviewed Aerocomposites’ specifications and offered knowledge on the many different aluminum grades and their properties. Griswold says, “They helped us decide on the use of a newer 7075 aluminum alloy, the best aerospacequality alloy on the market today.” The alloy is designed for high strength and corrosion resistance.
Forging Process Plan: Two-in-one
When Scot Forge engineers studied the part geometry, they determined that a unique “two-in-one” part process would yield the strongest hub, with optimal grain structure. Jason Artner, Scot Forge Senior Account Manager, explains the process: “First, we forge a stepped shaft. The shaft is then parted at the center, resulting in two separate preforms with a step already formed. When each preform is upset into a hub tool, the pre-stepped shape helps the material fill the tool, so the desired grain flow can be achieved.” The grain refinement results in improved mechanical properties and metallurgical soundness, which are crucial to the strength and performance of the part.
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As-forged hubs were cut from a "two-in-one" shaft, yielding optimal strength. |
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Hubs after the intermediate machining stage. Material and time were saved through the forging process. |
The forging process plan also helped meet Aerocomposites' forging reduction requirements. Using the two-in-one process, followed by further shaping using loose tooling, Scot Forge can produce the hub to near-net dimensions. This results in cost savings. “Material is saved at the outset,” Artner notes, “since two hubs are made from one stepped shaft. Finishing the forging in the tool produces close-to-net dimensions, so machining requirements are also reduced.”
“Scot Forge was very accommodating and shared our vision,” Griswold says. “Their two-in-one part process and special tooling met our specification. The process maximized the metal grain structure to make the strongest possible part, while saving material and machining costs.” Clearly, the sky is the limit for this aerospace innovator and Scot Forge.
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An “Upset” Victory for Scot Forge
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Custom-designed and built 2000 ton hydraulic upset press. |
Throughout its many years in the business, Scot Forge has found that its greatest innovations often stem from conversations with its customers. That was certainly the case recently when a long-time oil field customer came looking for a new source for Kelly bars (flanged bars used in downhole drilling), as their current suppliers were busy with other markets and could no longer service them.
At the time, such a project was beyond Scot Forge’s capabilities. But listening to the customer’s needs and situation convinced Scot Forge that investing in a new closed die upset process system would help them better meet the needs of both the customer and other Scot Forge clients who might be facing similar challenges.
Parameters for Upset Parts
- Starting stock: 4" to 12" diam. bar; 15' to 50' lengths
- Finished upset section: 5" to 15" diameter; 50” max length
- High volume and/or repeatability
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The Scot Forge engineering team worked closely with the buyers to construct a system custom-designed with a 2000 ton hydraulic upset press, induction heating capability, and automated material handling equipment. The new upset press successfully transformed 50-foot long, hot-rolled 6½" rounds into flanged Kelly bars on the very first trial.
The customer is thrilled and Scot Forge is pleased that they were able to “forge a solution”— plus provide this new unique capability to many others.
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Close up of flanged Kelly bar: 8¼" diam. by 20½" long upset head section. |
To learn if your high volume part is a candidate for the new upset press, e-mail Jennifer Rask jrask@scotforge.com
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Message from
the President
Listening to our customers continues to drive our capital investment plans and product offerings. You’ve told us that global energy needs will continue to rise for some time to come and you need a forging supplier that can respond to those increased demands across all energy segments.
Whether you’re directly or indirectly associated with power generation, transmission or sources of power such as coal, natural gas, oil, hydro, wind, nuclear, or even ethanol, Scot Forge can help. We’re continuing to invest in equipment, process capabilities, and personnel resources to keep pace with the global upsurge for energy and other markets. And we don’t think we'll be stopping any time soon.
Please keep telling us what you need — we’re listening.
If you have questions or comments, please email me at johncain@scotforge.com.
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Round Bars
Scot Forge produces forged sound center round bars up to 65" diameter. Whether you need one bar or multiple truckloads, Scot Forge can custom make any requirement – and with generally the shortest lead times in the industry!
- Tartan Bars® (6" - 16" diameter as-forged surface) are produced in just 2-4 weeks in 1018, 1045, 4130, 4140, 4150, 4340, and 8620. Forged and peeled/turned carbon or alloy bars normally run 6-10 weeks.
- Volatile stainless surcharges are minimized with typical lead times less than 12 weeks for 304, 316, 410, 416 and 17-4 grades.
- Rush requirements are accommodated whenever possible.
- Complete in-house secondary processing: heat treatment, machining, saw cutting, destructive and non-destructive testing
Scot Forge can provide the bars you need — while helping to keep inventory costs down — whatever your application or specification. For more information, give us a call or visit www.scotforge.com/sf_bars.asp.
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Scot Forge Wellness Fair Improves Employee Health and Happiness
 Studies have shown that people are happiest when they feel healthy. As an employee-owned company with a self-insured health plan, Scot Forge decided that a wellness program would not only safeguard its employee-owners’ overall health and morale, but also reduce their medical costs and save them valuable time.
Every May, we host an on-site Wellness Fair which offers blood tests and various screenings, as well as checking blood pressure, weight, and body fat. Personnel can get their annual tests done without the hassle of making an appointment with their doctor, taking time off, or dealing with insurance claims.
These benefits have motivated 80-85% of our employees to participate in programs such as “Lowering Cholesterol Levels,” “Obtaining a Healthy Weight,” “Smoking Cessation,” and more. Our biggest success so far has been the weight loss challenge. Over six months, 200 of our people lost a total of 2,010 pounds. That’s over a ton of fat, and 54 feet in waist circumference!
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The Forgemaster is a newsletter offered by Scot Forge to its customers, covering the forging industry and new product information. It is available in both print and electronic formats. To add a name to our mailing list, go to our subscription form. To change the format in which you receive The Forgemaster go to format change.
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