These conveyors are designed to transport billets, blanks, or forged parts throughout the various stages of forging, including heating, pressing, quenching, and final inspection. Their construction and operation must withstand extreme temperatures, impact forces, and abrasive materials—making them one of the most rugged types of conveyor systems used in manufacturing.
In metal forging, raw material is heated and then shaped using powerful Forging Conveyors forging presses or hammers. This process involves high temperatures—often over 1,000°C—and immense force. Handling such materials manually can be dangerous, inefficient, and inconsistent. This is where forging conveyors come into play. These conveyors automate the transportation of heated metal components, improving production speed, worker safety, and product quality.
Forging conveyors can be used to:
Feed raw materials into furnaces or heating stations.
Move heated billets to forging hammers or presses.
Transport forged parts to cooling or quenching stations.
Carry completed parts to finishing or inspection areas.
Types of Forging Conveyors
Different forging environments and part geometries require specific types of conveyor systems. Some of the most commonly used types include:
1. Drag Chain Conveyors
Drag chain conveyors use chains with paddles or scrapers to drag materials along a trough. These are ideal for heavy-duty applications, including hot forging, where the parts must be moved reliably despite extreme heat and rough conditions.
2. Apron Conveyors
These conveyors use overlapping metal plates (aprons) that form a durable carrying surface. Apron conveyors are highly heat-resistant and are often employed in transporting hot or abrasive forged components.
3. Roller Conveyors
Roller conveyors consist of a series of rollers over which the forged components roll. These can be powered or gravity-fed, depending on the application. They're used in stages where the forged part cools down and needs to be moved efficiently between stations.
4. Slat Conveyors
Slat conveyors use flat plates or slats linked together to form a moving surface. These are commonly used in forging shops where parts of various sizes and shapes need to be transported reliably without slipping or jamming.
Key Features of Forging Conveyors
Forging conveyors are different from conventional conveyors because they must perform under extreme industrial conditions. Their key features include:
High Heat Resistance: Materials like stainless steel, heat-treated alloys, and special coatings are used to endure the high temperatures involved in forging.
Durability: Designed to handle the impact of heavy and rough-forged parts without damage.
Low Maintenance: Constructed with minimal moving parts or sealed bearings to reduce maintenance needs in harsh environments.
Custom Design: Often tailored to the forging process layout, part size, weight, and production speed.
Advantages of Using Forging Conveyors
The use of conveyors in forging operations provides a range of benefits, such as:
Improved Safety: Reduces the need for manual handling of hot, heavy materials, minimizing the risk of worker injuries.
Increased Efficiency: Streamlines production flow and minimizes downtime between forging stages.
Consistent Quality: Ensures uniform transportation and reduces mishandling, which can deform or damage forged parts.
Automation Integration: Supports integration with robots, sensors, and automated control systems for smart manufacturing environments.
Applications of Forging Conveyors
Forging conveyors are used across a variety of industries, including:
Automotive: For forging crankshafts, gears, axles, and other engine parts.