Open Die Forging Plant Setup – Inconel | Duplex | Super Duplex | Steel Materials

Process Flow Visual

Complete Forging Process Flow – Inconel, Duplex/Super Duplex & Alloy Steels

1. Raw Material Handling
We begin with verified mill-certified bars or billets. Each piece is cut to the required length, deburred, and tagged with its heat and lot number for full traceability through the entire forging and heat treatment process.

2. Preheating
The billets are heated in either gas-fired or induction furnaces to reach the appropriate forging temperature range.

Steels: around 900–1200 °C
Inconel & Superalloys: typically between 1010–1150 °C, as per specification.
Core temperature is carefully monitored using infrared or thermocouple sensors to ensure uniform heating before forging.

Complete Forging Process Flow – Inconel, Duplex/Super Duplex & Alloy Steels

1. Raw Material Handling — Complete Forging Process Flow – Inconel, Duplex/Super Duplex & Alloy Steels

3. Open-Die Forging
Using manipulators, the heated billet is positioned under a hammer or hydraulic press. Through a series of compressions, turns, and draws, the shape and grain flow are developed. Reheating is done as required to maintain the correct forging temperature and prevent material defects.

4. In-Process Control
During forging, each pass and size reduction is monitored. Temperature records are maintained, and care is taken to avoid harmful temperature zones — especially for Duplex alloys, which must not linger in the 700–1000 °C range to prevent intermetallic formation. Efficient material transfer and quick handling are key to maintaining quality.

5. Finish Forging
The final forging step produces a slightly oversized component to allow for machining. Straightening is carried out while the part is still at a safe temperature, ensuring alignment and structural integrity. Components are then directed immediately to the respective heat treatment routes based on material type.

Heat Treatment Routes by Material Family

Inconel (e.g., 718):
Components are solution treated around 1850–1900 °F (1010–1040 °C), followed by aging near 1450 °F to achieve the required precipitation hardening. Depending on specification, two-stage solution and aging treatments may also be applied to optimize mechanical properties.

Duplex / Super Duplex Stainless Steels:
A full solution anneal is performed above 1040 °C, with soak time based on section thickness, followed by rapid water quenching. Stress-relieving cycles are avoided, and exposure to 280–450 °C or 700–1000 °C is minimized to prevent embrittlement and phase imbalance.

Carbon & Alloy Steels:
Depending on the desired final properties, steels may undergo normalizing, quenching, and tempering or annealing. Suitable quenchants are selected based on the section size and required hardness profile.

Post-Forging Operations

Cleaning:
Forgings are shot-blasted or descaled to remove oxide and surface scale, preparing them for further inspection and machining.

Rough Machining:
Initial machining operations like turning, facing, and boring are carried out to the drawing allowances. Datum references are maintained in line with the grain flow direction to preserve mechanical strength.

Inspection:
Dimensional checks, hardness testing, ultrasonic (UT), positive material identification (PMI), and other non-destructive tests are performed as per customer or standard requirements. Duplex phase balance and Inconel hardness/strength are verified against heat treatment records.

Final Operations:
Each component is marked, protected, and packed for dispatch. Complete documentation — including heat numbers, heat treatment charts, inspection and NDT reports, and certificates — accompanies the shipment to ensure full traceability and customer confidence.