The world's largest clutch-operated screw press from SMS group

China-based AVIC Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of AVIC Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd, in partnership with SMS group, has put the world's largest clutch-operated screw press into operation at its site in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China.

The inauguration of the new press was celebrated together with numerous customers and invited guests who had the opportunity to see the impressive technology for themselves.

The SPKA-type clutch-operated screw press, which was supplied by SMS group, has a screw diameter of 1,330 millimeters, a hard-on-hard blow force of 365 MN, a gross power of 27,000 kJ, and a weight of 2,900 tons.

It is already the worldwide third clutch-operated screw press of this size supplied by SMS group, and exceeds with its performance data the other two existing presses delivered before.

The clutch-operated screw press from SMS group offers tremendous flexibility when it comes to optimizing the forging process, and requires far less stroke to achieve the preset ram speed than a conventional slipping-wheel screw press.

The maximum ram speed is attained after just ten percent of the ram stroke, and remains at a constant level until the ram hits the part being forged.

This type of press is particularly suitable for high-energy forging as typically used for turbine blades or structural aircraft components, for example.

AVIC Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging is one of the largest manufacturers of structural components, aviation discs and turbine blades for the Chinese aviation industry.

By investing in the new press, the company intends to increase its production volume and component portfolio, and supply the aircraft industry with forgings produced on the new press from high-alloy steel, titanium and nickel-based alloys.

The Picture on th left shows the inauguration of the clutch-operated screw press from SMS group at AVIC Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging.

From left to right: Han Jianfeng, Sales Manager, SMS group; Wang She, Director of Hongyuan Technical Transformation Dept.; Dr. Thomas Winterfeldt, Executive Vice President Forging Plants, SMS group; Hu Xiangdong,, Vice President of Shaanxi Hongyuan Aviation Forging Company Ltd.; Qu Weimeng, Vice Director of Hongyuan Technical Transformation Dept.; Gong Xiaoqi,, Vice Director of Precise Forging Branch.

SMS group is a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry.

It has some 14,000 employees who generate worldwide sales of more than EUR 2.8 billion. The sole owner of the holding company SMS GmbH is the Familie Weiss Foundation.