New Concepts for the Production of large Pipes and for Forming of heavy Sheet Plates

At this year’s Tube Fair in Düsseldorf Siempelkamp will present new concepts for the production of large pipes with longitudinal weld seams as well as for the forming of heavy sheet plates used in pipe production. Siempelkamp will also provide a report containing first experiences with the operation of the world’s largest pipe-forming press which started production in January.

At Tube Fair 2008 Siempelkamp will present the complete range of products for the production of large pipes with longitudinal weld seams including Crimping, U-forming, and O-forming presses.

Siempelkamp, the Krefeld machine builder, supplied the world’s largest pipe-forming press to the Chinese company Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. Shanghai and put it into operation at a new plant. The first pipe was produced on January 31, 2008. It achieved all required specifications and met the requirements of the customer.

The O-forming press has a press capacity of 72,000 t (79,366 US tons) and bends sheet plates with a length of up to 18 m (59 ft) and a thickness of up to 50 mm (2 in). The press produced the first pipe on January 31, 2008. First operating results will be presented at Tube Fair 2008.

For crimping presses Siempelkamp has developed a new patented frame design allowing a significantly higher specific forming pressure than in the past. Another new feature is the quick and precise adjustment of the press to different sheet plate sizes, enabling quicker die changes and shorter downtimes. The new design is currently implemented in a press which was recently ordered.

At Tube 2008, for the first time, Siempelkamp will introduce the plate bending- and dishing-press for the hot forming and cold calibration of heavy sheet plates used in pressure vessels for nuclear power plants. An advantage of this process is that the half shell can be produced with smaller tolerances inside a press.

For the automobile industry Siempelkamp will show internal high-pressure presses which produce parts with complex geometries such as axles, frames or engine cradles. As a systems supplier for complete lines Siempelkamp has installed more than 60 press lines worldwide.