May 2022 Volume 4

Official Publication of the Forging Industry Association

forging.org

May 2022

iForgeTraceability: Tracking Capability for EverySingle Forging pg. 8 We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know: Bridging the Data Gap withTechnology pg. 14 YouNeed15-Minutes to AssembleaNewRoboticTool… pg. 34 TheEvolutionof the “Smart” Forge pg. 26 FORGING AUTOMATION

pg. 52

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PRESIDENT'S NOTE

President's Note

valuation. Like the FIA’s Orders & Shipments survey, it is intended that the FIA Financial Ratios survey will be handled by a third party (FIA staff will not handle data) providing the best approach for security, and all participants will remain confidential. A subcommittee is forming to discuss this survey. If you are interested in participating, please contact me. Also new to our efforts will be watching government affairs issues in your state and bring those to your attention and jumping in to assist when you need a hand tracking down your state representatives or finding you a state-based lobby firm for more urgent needs. We are looking forward to this new level of government affairs activities and as always, I will stay very involved in these efforts with our new staff. We’ll Be Looking For You in Chicago! It’s all hands-on deck for the International Forging Congress (IFC) 2022 – coming soon June 11-13 in downtown Chicago. FIA last hosted the event in 2008… and we tried to host in September 2020 (cancelled due to the pandemic). We thank our International ForgeNet partners for the chance to host a redo in 2022. My how the world has changed these last 33 years! We were quite open then to opening our plants to international guests and global travel was no problem. We don’t expect the same international attendance we had in 2008, even with the COVID virus seemingly under control in North America. The IFC Committee has created an event with both research and practical applications presentations – so we have something for everybody – including a nice group of exhibitors (see page 52 for more information). We need the membership and industry to come out full-force and attend! Please jump on our website and get yourself registered today. Hope to see you there! Best regards, James R. Warren

Let’s Count! Let’s Advocate! FIA has turned a new page by launching a Government Affairs department for the first time in our 109-year history (see page 6). Our first lobbying efforts with a professional firm came in the early 2000s with the Lauren Baker Group. In 2018 we moved to a larger bipartisan lobby firm, Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen &Thomas. More

recently, in early 2022 we hired our first staff person fully focused on government affairs. We’re proud of all our efforts these last 20 years, but the FIA board realized it was time to commit more resources to fighting unfair trade (dumped/country-subsidized) to continue to try to level the playing field for our North American forging producer members. What does this new effort look like? The effort still includes professional lobby firms assisting FIA on the ground floor in Washington D.C. The initial strategy also includes getting a better handle on all forms of data we need to support our position. This includes the launch of a new webpage featuring the ‘Forging Unfair Trade Tracking Center’ (forging.org), intended to briefly document incidences of dumped/subsidized forgings to help us amplify to lawmakers and administrators (USTR/Commerce Department) global forging producers/governments who unfairly trade. The identity of forgers submitting data will remain confidential; we are interested in tracking the incidences and reporting any patterns of unfair trading along with the company unfairly trading. Got Data? We need more. This includes 1) surveying members for forging capacity; 2) identifying all forgers in North America; 3) tracking imported forgings, and 4) capturing as many unfair incidences as possible. The department will also be responsible for investigating the creation of a financial ratios survey which is helpful for knowing where your company stands compared to other members on several standard metrics, such as sales per employee, inventory turns, hit-to-bid ratios, employee retention, energy usage, etc. With inflation and hyper-increases in steel costs, this survey would aid in demonstrating the members’ collective cost increases for items such as raw material and energy. Individually, the survey results can also be used as a basic snapshot for your company’s

President and CEO Forging Industry Association

PUBLISHER James R. Warren jwarren@forging.org MANAGING EDITOR Angela Gibian angela@forging.org Editorial Staff

Board of Directors

Antonio Alvarez Perry Bennett Peter Campbell

Mark Derry JimKravec Mike Morgus Scott Naar James Romeo

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amanda Dureiko amanda@forging.org DESIGN Lorean Crowder lorean@forging.org

CHAIRMAN Dan Ulven VICE CHAIRMAN Chelsea Lantto

Mark Candy John Coward

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 1

CONTENTS

MAY 2022 | VOLUME 4

PRESIDENT'S NOTE 1 President's Note WASHINGTON UPDATE 4 Welcome to the Post - Post-Cold War Trade Policy Era! 6 Increased Focus on Advocacy and Government Affairs EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY 8 iForge Traceability: Tracking Capability for Every Single Forging 10 Bolted Connections and YOUR Induction Heater 14 We Don’t KnowWhat We Don’t Know: Bridging the Data Gap With Technology 16 Smart Brass Forging MAINTENANCE 20 Project Managing for Major Equipment Rebuilds and Upgrades 24 Forging FAQ and Troubleshooting, Part 2 AUTOMATION 26 The Evolution of the “Smart” Forge 32 Fostering Success in Automation for the Forge 34 You Need 15-Minutes to Assemble a New Robotic Tool… And How Long Does It Take to Solve the Labor Shortage at Your Plant? MATERIALS 38 Roadmap For Automotive OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT 40 Employee Classification and Compensation: The Basics 42 Procuring Energy in a Time of War and Volatility Aluminum: Sustainable Pathways to Advance Aluminum Adoption in the Forging Industry and Beyond

44 Forging Industry Market Insights 46 The Importance of Supply Chain Management 48 From Buddy to Boss INDUSTRY NEWS 50 Welcome New Members 52 International Forging Congress Returns to the United States 61 The Women of ELLWOOD: Why They Chose ELLWOOD and Why Have They Stayed? 65 Fives to Launch Pioneering IIoT Product: North American CertiFire® 66 FIA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners 67 Electralloy and G. O. Carlson Offer New and Updated Specialty Alloys Capabilities Information 68 FIA Member Spotlight: We Would Like to Introduce You to Rex Forge 69 Remembering Michael E. “Mike” Wise 70 FIA Upcoming Events FORGING RESEARCH 72 Internship Insights: A Student’s Experience at St. Croix Forge 73 FIERF Donor Spotlight: Finkl Steel 74 Project Title: High temperature properties of wire-arc additively manufactured 410 stainless steel (Final Report) 77 Market Research to Identify a Window of Opportunity for FIERF on the Current Needs for Railroad Wheels

p. 14

DEPARTMENTS 1 President's Note 4 Washington Update 8 Equipment & Technology 20 Maintenance 26 Automation 38 Materials 40 Operations & Management 50 Industry News

72 Forging Research 80 Members Speak 81 Ad Index

Official Publication of the Forging Industry Association

forging.org

May 2022

iForgeTraceability: Tracking Capability for EverySingle Forging pg. 8 We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know: Bridging the Data Gap withTechnology pg. 14 YouNeed15-Minutes to AssembleaNewRoboticTool… pg. 34 TheEvolutionof the “Smart” Forge pg. 26 FORGING AUTOMATION

MEMBERS SPEAK 80 Members Speak AD INDEX 81 May Advertiser Index

pg. 52

For advertising contact info@forging.org Image courtesy of Adaptec Solutions

FIA Magazine (ISSN 2643-1254 (print) and ISSN 2643-1262 (online)) is published 4 times annually, May, August, November and February by the Forging Industry Association, 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 615, Cleveland, OH 44114. Telephone: (216) 781-6260, Fax: (216) 781-0102. Only (1) copy of the print version distributed at no charge only to members of the Forging Industry Association. Digital version distributed at no charge to qualified individuals. Subscription requests available at www.forging.org. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid in Cleveland, OH and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Forging Industry Association, 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 615, Cleveland, OH 44114. Copyright © 2022 by the Forging Industry Association in both printed and electronic formats. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations or for any statement made or opinion expressed herein. Data and information presented by the authors of specific articles are for informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.

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FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

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WASHINGTON UPDATE

Welcome to the Post - Post-Cold War Trade Policy Era! By Alex Perkins

The reaction of the world to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine makes it abundantly clear where countries stand. On the one side of the ledger, you have major market democracies – the United States, the European Union nations, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. These are the nations that are coordinating closely to inflict economic harmon Russia, even when it would impose collateral economic damage at home. On the other side of the ledger, you have China, purportedly neutral in the conflict, yet doing nothing to press Russia to abandon the war and even undermining others’ efforts to do so. In the middle, you have a number of “non-aligned” economies, including Indonesia and Israel, South Africa and Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India. The conflict previews what we might expect to see should U.S.-China tensions escalate in the future. This dynamic also indicates that we have entered the post - post Cold War trade policy era. We have moved from an emphasis on hyperglobalization to a focus on near- and on-shoring. Instead of free trade, policymakers are consideringmanaged trade.Multilateralism is out and market democracy-led coalitions are in. There is a lot less talk about “just-in-time” supply chain efficiency and a lot more discussion of “just-in-case” supply chain resiliency. Policy makers care more about manufacturers than consumers. Unlike the past, when the White House and Congress launched initiatives to open the Chinese market, they are now pushing measures designed to limit exposure to China. In this new era, the question is whether the United States stays the current course or goes big. Going big would mean pursuing a novel approach to economic integration and strategic economic and security partnerships involving like-minded market democracies in the Western Hemisphere, Europe and the Indo-Pacific – what this author has coined the “Strategic and Economic Alliance of Democracies” (SEAD), a binding, enforceable arrangement that would go beyond the scope of a traditional free trade agreement. Fundamentally, the aim would be to (1) make it as attractive as possible to join SEAD, (2) make it unattractive to oppose SEAD members and (3) reduce vulnerability/exposure to China and others opposed to the SEAD. The idea, while ambitious, reflects the level of the economic and national security threat posed by China. However, without adequate (bipartisan) sustained political will in the U.S. and other market democracies involved in any negotiations to create the SEAD, success is unlikely.

Staying the current course means pursuing non-binding initiatives with friends and allies like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the U.S. – EUTrade and Tech Council, the Summit for Democracy, the Quad, and AUKUS. On the plus side, the approach is flexible, and any negotiated outcomes do not require Congressional approval. But it also means that these initiatives will have limited impact. Moreover, such an approach lacks the “carrots” (i.e., U.S. market access) necessary to entice meaningful participation. Finally, the lack of unenforceability raises concerns about how meaningful any commitments agreed to really are. There are lot of reasons that justify going big and pursuing the SEAD. One important reason: China, whose unreliability has been on full display since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is the United States’ principal source of strategic and critical minerals, metals and materials as well as a key source of goods and subcomponents in a range of sectors, including information and communications technology. U.S. supply chain exposure is especially severe in materials used to make renewable energy products, including lithium-ion batteries, wind towers, and solar panels. We are not the only nation in this precarious situation. In fact, most of our allies’ supply chains are as reliant on China as the United States, if not more so. This dynamic poses a grave economic and national security threat to the U.S. and to other market democracies. It is not realistic to think we can onshore every supply chain that currently runs through China. First, we simply lack sufficient domestic supply of many inputs, including several critical and strategic minerals, to meet anticipated demand. Second, while resourcing Chinese goods in the United States would provide increased resiliency, single sourcing from any supplier (or nation) creates risk. To truly mitigate supply chain resiliency risk, multiple, redundant sourcing options from reliable sources –including the U.S. friends and allies – are needed. The Biden Administration seems to recognize this reality. In several fora, from the U.S. – EU Trade and Technology Council to the soon to be formally launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework negotiations, promoting supply chain resiliency is identified as a top priority. In materials released as part of the Administration’s one year supply chain review, it states “The United States cannot make, mine, or manufacture everything ourselves. We must cooperate with our allies and partners to foster and promote collective supply chain resilience.”

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FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

WASHINGTON UPDATE

Incongruously, the Administration and many in Congress simultaneously support ratcheting up Made in America rules, restricting imports of steel and aluminum from key allies, and advancing electric vehicle incentives that would harmour allies’ auto sectors. In the State of the Union, President Biden stated, “Instead of relying on foreign supply chains, let’s make it in America.” This may be politically popular rhetoric, but it is not especially prudent policy. An enforceable SEAD that includes market access commitments could foster coordination to promote members’ collective supply chain resiliency, especially in critical and strategic sectors. The SEAD could also drive collaboration on a range of other priorities, such as national security, including export controls; energy security; technology and innovation policy, including digital; labor, environmental and human rights; and combatting climate change. It would also offer a massive playing field upon which to advance the Administration’s worker-centered, inclusive trade policy agenda. Policy questions that the SEAD raises include: • What are the criteria for SEAD admission? Can emerging markets with weaker institutions who can help counter China join? Nations that are key sources of critical and strategic minerals? Nations representing meaningful U.S. export opportunities? • Could the SEAD impair efforts to work with China on shared challenges, like climate change? • What would the SEADmean for the moribundWTO? Could the SEAD drive China and other nations opposing reform to the negotiating table? • If China views the SEAD as a security threat, how will it respond? The SEAD also raises a number of political questions, including: • Could the current G-7/NATO+ collaboration be maintained during a longer, more complex SEAD negotiation intended to counter a far more significant, yet less overt, threat – China? • Will populists in the U.S. and other democracies accept the various negotiated concessions necessary to create the SEAD because it counters China’s threat to economic and national security? If not, what are its prospects? • How does the SEAD handle non-aligned countries? What about Taiwan – can it join? • Is the United States considered sufficiently dependable for other nations to join SEAD negotiations and risk China’s ire?

These questions raise difficult, but not insurmountable, issues that will need to be navigated to successfully conclude the SEAD. And it is obvious that the SEAD is not the elixir that will address all our ills. To ensure our future economic competitiveness, additional work on the domestic policy front is also needed. For instance, as discussed in the Department of Defense’s recent supply chain report, “[t]he U.S. C&F [casting and forging] industry faces challenges related to capability and capacity, workforce, and U.S. Government policies.” But as the last fewmonths have made clear, we have entered the post - post-Cold War trade policy era. Maintaining the current course is neither realistic nor wise. To address the U.S. national and economic security threat posed by China, especially our reliance on Chinese supply chains, we need to go big and pursue the SEAD. Alex Perkins, Principal Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen &Thomas Phone: 202 754 1726 Email: aperkins@mc-dc.com

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 5

WASHINGTON UPDATE

Increased Focus on Advocacy and Government Affairs By Megha Patel

Hello all! I amMegha Patel, the new Government Affairs Specialist here at FIA. My first two months at the organization have been an absolute pleasure! I had the privilege of meeting so many of you at our Annual Meeting of Members and the FIA Safety Conference. Thank you all for being incredibly welcoming and supportive. I am excited to work with you all to advocate for the forging industry in Congress and state legislatures all around the country. You might be wondering why a greater advocacy push is necessary? Unfair trade has had devasting effect on the North American forging industry. Our updated plant closings list shows 241 plant closures since 1979 and 25,000+ lost jobs. Companies are losing millions of dollars and cannot compete with such low-cost parts even with the tariffs. It puts our national security at risk as plants close and the United States relies on foreign countries for forgings. Not to mention the job losses that come with these closures. Advocacy allows FIA to educate lawmakers and administration officials on the crucial role the forging industry plays in the success of the United States. Our annual $35 billion industry is the bedrock of the manufacturing sector, which sustains a thriving economy, thousands of high-paying jobs, and national security. The advancement of our forging industry advocacy agenda relies upon the guidance we receive from you and your companies. Therefore, we need you to join the Public Policy Committee and share your expertise on the critical issues you face daily. FIA members can provide the insight needed since you live it day in and day out. With a united voice from you, our members, we are best prepared to bring awareness of our policy priorities to lawmakers. How do we first initiate conversations and build relationships with the lawmakers? FIA’s relaunched forging industry political action committee (ForgingPAC) will play a significant role. The ForgingPAC helps us build relationships with lawmakers who can give a voice to our industry’s key issues. We utilize the PAC to bolster and endorse elected officials whose visions resonate with our industry’s priorities. But we cannot accomplish any of this without your help! The ForgingPAC needs your generous donations to be effective. The funds will go to great use as running a campaign for public office is very financially burdensome and competitive. The donations aid effective campaign tools, like advertising, staff salaries, distribution ofmaterials, andmore. In order to get candidates elected who support the forging industry, our ForgingPAC needs your support. You may be questioning why contribute to the ForgingPAC when you can donate by yourself? Individual funds do not make as big of a splash as united donations from the ForgingPAC; the power lies within the numbers. All we ask before you make any

contributions is to fill out our Prior Approval Form. After the simple form is completed, you can provide up to $5,000 annually. Our advocacy efforts, through the help of the PAC, will shed a light on the industry’s policy priorities with lawmakers across the country. Thank you for allowing me to aid in the launch of the Government

Affairs Department here at FIA. Please do not hesitate to reach out with advocacy input, questions, or concerns, and be sure to visit the brand-new Public Policy & Advocacy Page on our website www. forging.org. I look forward to meeting you all very soon! Megha Patel Government Affairs &Operations Specialist Forging Industry Association Phone: 216-781-6260 Email: megha@forging.org

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FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

iForge Traceability: Tracking Capability for Every Single Forging By Martin Scholles and Axel Rossbach

Imagine the benefit of being able to track the manufacturing data for every forging throughout its lifetime. Now you can. SMS group has created a unique solution called iForge Traceability for the digitalized and smart tracking of every single forged part, from which forging shops and their customers can profit over the long term. This is done by the ability to verify the carbon footprint for every forging with a precise CO2 value. If for some reason a part should be rejected by your customer, instead of major recall campaigns, you can narrow a quality issue down to just a few individual forged products and pinpoint the cause. Additionally, you could verify the carbon footprint for every forging with a precise CO2 value and even identify new optimization potential along the entire process and value chain. New Traceability Module Added to the Range of Integrated iForge Solutions iForge is the cutting-edge solution that enables plant owners to take process performance, product quality, cost optimization, and environmental evaluation to a completely new level. This link connects measuring technology, programming, engineering, and process and control technology to enable better control of forging processes. Forging lines equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology and high-resolution cameras will in future be capable of making intelligent, independent decisions based on the relevant data and evaluations. As Axel Rossbach, Forging Technology Manager at SMS group, says: "iForge is the future of closed-die forging." For example, iForge modules, which are used to detect cracks and predict wear in forging dies, show what this looks like in real world applications. With the crack detection function, for instance, a crack that is starting to develop in the die is clearly identified before it can cause a failure and affects the quality of parts or the process. A wear prediction capability boasts similar advantages. With iForge Traceability, forging shops now have another powerful tool at their disposal with the actual process data being stored for every forging in a data record that is kept for the product throughout the entire process. The Innovation Lies inThe Combination The difficulty of tracking individual parts throughout the manufacturing process has been how to put a unique identifier on a part that can stay with it through the complete process.

Previous tracking methods were unsuccessful due to the ambient conditions of the forging process itself. A laser code was not able to withstand the heat and mechanical stresses. The solution is the SMS group patent-pending process combining two marking techniques – dot peen marking and laser marking. In the forging process, a code is applied to the forging with a dot peen-marking machine. This code lasts through all subsequent processing steps. It is only when the final work piece surface is produced that the dot peen marking code is removed during machining and the laser code is applied immediately afterwards. The dot peen-marking procedure is performed directly downstream of the forging press where work pieces are automatically fed into the marking station that applies a standardized matrix code in an area of the part that is eventually removed during machining. The dot peen-marking code is extremely resilient and fault-tolerant. Even if 25 percent of the code surface area were destroyed, it would still be possible to read it. To ensure that the code information is retained right up to delivery of the component, the dot peen marking code is scanned immediately before machining and stored in the sequential data record to be replaced immediately after machining with a permanent code imprinted by laser that now contains all the unique data relating to the component. Automotive Manufacturers Demand a Precise CO2 Value for Forged Components iForge Traceability is opening up entirely new perspectives for forging companies. The best example of this is the ability to obtain a CO2 value for every forged part. Increasingly automotive manufacturers need to calculate the carbon footprint for their products, and this includes their suppliers. OEMs are asking their suppliers to provide verifiable emission values for their components. With the appropriate input data from the various phases of the manufacturing process, the carbon footprint of a part can be identified and recorded as part of the unique identifier code along with other information such as material batch numbers, heat temperatures, press forces etc. By implementing iForge Traceability, forging companies not only fulfill a basic requirement stipulated by automotive manufacturers but also benefit from additional possibilities offered by the solution. "An important aspect here is that the companies are able to identify components with high carbon emissions," explains Martin Scholles, Technical Sales Closed-die Forging at SMS group.

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FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Cost Savings and Significant Minimization of Recalls Quality issues with a forged product can have a wide variety of reasons. Typical forging defects such as underfills, overlaps, or notches are very difficult to capture and measure. Thanks to the high level of quality assurance in forging shops, such defects are extremely rare. However, when they do occur, the economic cost can be considerable. Martin Scholles: "With iForge Traceability, forging companies can now trace the defect to see if it's a one-off error or a systemic fault. In most cases, the defect can then be narrowed down to just a few products, so significantly less financial cost is incurred. Automotive manufacturers also benefit from this, as potentially only the vehicles in which the identified as installed need to be specifically recalled. The same goes for components that are used in the aviation industry. Here, the part history can be read and traced directly on the aircraft using the laser code." Where Quality Assurance and Process Optimization Start Built-in sensors continuously gather process data, store them in an endless database, and assign them from the beginning to a single part number, which is applied to the work piece immediately after forging. SMS-METRICS is used as an effective tool for acquiring, storing, and evaluating machine data, in real time, along with the data from the iForge Traceability module. The evaluations can be easily created in the browser, dynamically adapted, and retrieved from any location worldwide. High Cost Efficiency In addition to the indirect advantages described, iForge Traceability also directly contributes to improving cost efficiency. For example, defective components can be identified and removed quickly and early, before further added value goes into the part. Processes can be stabilized, and the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) enhanced by making automatic corrections during manufacturing. In this way, buffer stocks can be reduced or eliminated. In conjunction with optical systems that perform the final inspection process, the whole process can be largely automated. The Process:The Best of BothWorlds inOne Solution In developing iForge Traceability, the R&D experts at SMS group have combined two processes in one solution: Dot peen marking for code marking in the high-stress process part and laser marking (with additional information such as customer and supplier details) for the finished part with final contour. This ensures that every single work piece has its own fully traceable data record.

AMust-Have: For Retrofits and New Equipment In terms of both the equipment and control technology, the new systemcan be integrated into existing facilities. iForge Traceability is an excellent example of the digitalization solutions from SMS group that offer customers an array of possibilities. All new plants from SMS group are now equipped with a basic digitalization package that is ready for today and future and extension capability. With iForge modules, customers can decide what individual services and solutions they would like to implement to meet their requirements." Setting The Course Today for The Digital World of Tomorrow Dr. Thomas Winterfeldt, Head of Forging Plants at SMS group: "Working in conjunction with our subsidiary SMS digital, we have the know-how, the experts, and the research and development capacities to digitalize a host of other processes in the field of forging technology and to generate real and effective added value for plant owners. At the same time, our Technical Service team at SMS group is a lifecycle partner who not only ensures your forging equipment remains available on an ongoing basis but also implements new solutions in existing plants and offers innovative and cost-cutting service concepts. In this way, we meet our objective of being the leading partner in the world of metals in every respect."

Martin Scholles, Senior Sales Manager Closed-die Forging Presses, SMS group GmbH, martingerhard. scholles@sms-group.com

Axel Rossbach, Technology Manager Forging Plants, SMS group GmbH, axel.rossbach@sms-group.com

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 9

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Bolted Connections and YOUR Induction Heater By Josh Carney

When I say power supply, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Some may imagine a mobile phone wall charger. Others may think of a 4,000-kilowatt induction heater. Well, if you are reading this, you possibly thought of both.

Delivering currents in the kilo-amp range requires conductors with large cross-sectional area to minimize heating and eddy current losses.The conductors are usually liquid-cooled and take the form of busbars which are fabricated and bolted together to connect various components forming a circuit.

Image 1: Power supplies come in many sizes and are all around us. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC. The first and notably smaller power supplies have the significant advantage of being able to conduct all those little electrons mostly along paths of printed circuits interlaced with soldered connections. This yields a high degree of reliability thus tolerating physical and thermal stress without loss of mechanical integrity. When it comes to an induction power supply, the power circuits cannot be confined to circuit boards as in a phone charger. These circuits are replaced with large diameter copper cables, busbars, water-cooled bus tubing and bolted connections abounding. It is these bolted connections and their importance which is the focus of this article- as those little fasteners which join a power circuit together can be the cause for production bliss or significant monetary loss through parts/service costs and downtime. Bolted Connections and Their Importance in an Induction Heater To accomplish the high rate of heating required in hot forging, induction power supplies must command electrical currents in the range of several thousand amperes. To draw a comparison: • A household LED light bulb uses 0.1-0.2 amps • Stick welding process output 85-250 amps • Car engine starter motor uses 250-800 amps • Induction heater (parallel tuned load) outputs 800-10,000 amps, depending on conditions

Image 2: Example bolted connection busbar. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC.

Image 3: Interface between bubars In Image 3, the interface between the two busbars is noted: this is the point of contact between the surfaces of the bus conductors. The bars are bolted together to provide adequate pressure which keeps the contact surfaces tight. If the connection is allowed to come loose, the contact resistance between the surfaces will increase which leads to local I2R, or ‘Joule’ heating. We will briefly examine three examples of bolted connection failures then look at why bolted hardware needs periodic attention.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 10

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Loose Connections, Melted Connections Example 1: Busbar Links

Following a breakdown repair of a billet heater at Company A, the customary thermal imaging inspection performed during normal operation revealed a bus ‘link’ connection with a temperature greater than expected for the given conditions.

Image 6: Melted stud on resonant capacitor. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC. Example 3: Incorrect Hardware Company C requested a maintenance program to improve the overall reliability of their legacy induction units. The intention was to make the units run long enough so that new induction heaters could be ordered and installed. During preliminary inspections it was observed that bolted connections on busbars and links had oversized slots and undersized hardware. The maintenance personnel attempted to compensate for the flaws by stacking washers to provide enough rigidity to keep the connection tight.The conditions reduced reliability and contributed to a lack of confidence in the equipment. To correct the problem, the heavy brass washers seen on the right side were custom specified to correct a problem created by the oversized slots. The left shows a previous attempt to fix it by stacking washers was only partially successful.

Image 4: Infrared image of suspect bus link. Courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC. The link was disassembled, and it was found that significant oxidation of the connection and arcing had occurred. Post analysis concluded that loose hardware, debris, and lack of maintenance contributed to the breakdown.

Image 5: A ‘well-seasoned’ copper bus link, after discovery by infrared imaging. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC. Example 2: Loose Hardware Company B put in a service call to look at an induction power supply that had problems running at the rated capacity. This resulted in decreased production rates and delays in order fulfillment. The cause? The nut fastening a resonant capacitor terminal to a busbar together came loose and melted, causing arcing. The result was that only some of the available reactive current could be delivered to the inverter. While checking the other fasteners, several more were discovered to be loose.

Image 7: Incorrect hardware contributes to unreliability. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 11

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Where Failure Begins The Joule

Causes of High Contact Resistance Incorrect Assembly

To understand how critical bolted connections are, and why anyone at all should care about them, we will return to the illustration of a bolted connection.

During assembly, it is possible to have metal burs, swarf, or other debris sandwiched between the two contact surfaces; this is especially true in field assemblies and repair work. It is also not uncommon that fasteners are left loose following a breakdown repair and reassembly. Material Creep as a Factor The materials and fasteners used in large power supplies are often aluminum (aluminum for our European friends), brass, copper, and silicon-bronze. These are malleable metals, and when used in conjunction with slotted holes; as is the case for many power circuit conductors, they are subject to material creep. The fastener washer gradually flows into the slot or deforms slightly under the pressure of the fastener head. Even with the use of certain types of lock washers, the fastener clamp pressure is now reduced. The rate of creep decreases over time but is high during the initial stage as found with new fasteners and new power supply components. Vibration The induction power supply is oftenmechanically coupled to the rest of the production line via the concrete floor. Low amplitude/ high frequency vibration from the forging process can lead to loosening of fasteners.This is a common occurrence in forging and is especially prevalent where the power supply is not physically isolated from the source of vibration. Regular Maintenance is a Simple Solution It is desirable to prevent damage to bolted connections caused by loosening, arcing, and melting. A damaged busbar or bus component usually shuts down the entire induction heater and since busbar components are custom fabricated, replacements may have extended lead times. The large electrical disconnects used on induction heaters also cost several thousand dollars and lead-times for older switches can exceed one-month or longer. A more advantageous route is to implement a maintenance program which focuses on the unique operating conditions of the equipment. Understanding Vulnerabilities Just as every installation is unique, the maintenance needs of induction equipment are unique and vary with the situation. Determining the vulnerability of the equipment and effective countermeasures are important considerations. Image 9: Illustration of washer material creep.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022 12 This kind of heating leads to rapid oxidation of the connection, which leads to arcing, then melting. When conductor melting occurs, the ensuing electric arc creates conditions in the power supply which may result in subsequent failure of multiple electrical components: so much for adding insult to injury. Image 8: Bolted connection At the point of contact between the two bars, the ideal assembly condition will have a contact resistance of a mere 0.000002 (2.0x10 6) ohms. This resistance is infinitesimally small and could be disregarded under normal circumstances. However, with the addition of surface imperfections, debris, and oxidation to the connection, we find the contact resistance can increase by hundreds or even thousands of times, creating resistances of 0.002 to 0.440 ohms. These numbers are still exceedingly small, much less than 1.0. By comparison, a hot 100-watt filament light bulb has a resistance of approximately 140 ohms. But looking now at the electrical conditions in induction heating, we can do a little bit of math and find that dismissing minuscule values of resistance is a mistake. The formula for Joules law is I2R which give us electrical energy converted to heat, in joules.The Joule is also equivalent to a more common form of energy, the watt. Using the I2R calculation will give an indication how much heating can occur at a bolted connection. Assuming conservatively, an electric current of 1000 amperes: The Joule is also equivalent to a more common form of energy, the watt. Using the I 2 R calculation will give a indication how muc heating ca occur at a bolted connection. Assuming conservatively, an electric current of 1000 amperes: Current (amperes) contact resistance (ohms) Heating (watts) 1000 0.000002 2.0 1000 0.0002 200 1000 0.02 20,000 1000 0.2 200,000 Table 1 From table 1 it becomes obvious that a very small amount of resistance results in a large amount of generated heat. With a resistance of just 0.02 ohms, a bolted connection on an induction coil can become a 20-kW heating element! Table 1 From Table 1 it becomes obvious that a very small amount of resistance results in a large amount of generated heat. With a resistance of just 0.02 ohms, a bolted connection on an induction coil can become a 20-kWheating element! This kind of heating leads to rapid oxidation of the connection, which leads to arcing, then melting. When conductor melting occurs, the ensuing electric arc creates conditions in the power supply which may result in subsequent failure of multiple electrical components: so much for adding insult to injury.

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Conclusion The mechanical aspect of a large power supply cannot be overlooked during preventative maintenance. Bolted connections require maintenance, and proper assembly is a key factor. It has been shown that even a small amount of contact resistance can cause bolted connections to fail. Neglecting to perform mechanical maintenance can result in high repair costs and extended down-time. However, following OEM recommendations, applicable standards, and best practices will keep any induction heater in tip-top shape. Additionally, consideration of the physical environment is crucial when determining what type of and how often maintenance activities should be carried out. Josh Carney Technical Director Integral Power Technologies, LLC Phone: 440-701-6022 Email: jcarney@integralpowertechnologies.com

Many original equipment manufacturers of high current power supplies recommend that bolted connection hardware is re-torqued after the first three months following installation: this handles the fastener creep and loosening during transport if not done during commissioning. Also important is maintenance frequency. Some programs specify that every nut and bolt should be checked for tightness on a quarterly basis. For certain situations this is logical, but for others where there is no significant vibration, this level of attention is excessive. The key is understanding what factors are affecting the equipment in-situ . Using Available Standards and Best Practices: Using ANSI/NETA Giving attention to bolted connections in power systems is not a novel concept. For a number of years bodies such as the InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have published standards for maintaining electrical power equipment and systems. Just as the ANSI/NETA standards have contributed to the reliability of our electrical power grids, applying these standards to induction heating equipment will have the same results. Using Torque Tools and Proper Assembly If the maintenance program has personnel check and re-torque fasteners at a regular interval, it is highly recommended that a calibrated torque wrench be used. As much as under-tightening is a problem, over-tightening is a bigger problem. Oftentimes maintenance technicians use a process where they tighten the fastener until it stops then go ‘just a little bit more’ to make it ‘tight'. The problem is that a bolt tightened ‘just a little bit more’ could exceed the yield strength of the fastener during a thermal cycle. Then what will you have? A broken fastener and a big problem.

Image 10: As shown on this resonant capacitor: make certain that hardware is properly torqued. Photo courtesy of Integral Power Technologies, LLC

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We Don’t KnowWhat We Don’t Know: Bridging the Data Gap With Technology By Paul Thurber

Safety has been defined through the years in many ways. For the sake of our common understanding in this article I will define it as, “The planned avoidance of loss.” This definition sets us up for a greater understanding of leading indicators and the predictability of incidents. We’ve all probably said or at least heard the phrase, “data is king.” Systems that collect data can change the way we’re currently doing things. I think we’d all agree that the availability of data before an incident occurs is better than our traditional reactive learning/response. The more information we have or know, the better we can protect and empower our team members. The lack of data has been a challenge for many safety programs over the past Without data, we find ourselves helpless in the prevention of specific and potentially recognizable unsafe behaviors, actions, or near misses. Recently, I attended the FIA Safety Conference in Detroit, MI. It was an awesome meeting to say the least –kudos to all who attended and participated. During the event, we had the opportunity to discuss the definition of a “near miss.” It was said that a near miss is nothing more or nothing less than “an unplanned event.” Think about it, when something happens by surprise or unexpectedly, there is an opportunity for incident and injury. After all, the only difference between a near miss (also commonly referred decade. But technology is bridging that gap. The Problemwith Lagging Indicators

to as a “near hit”) and an injury is a fraction of a second or an inch. Howmany times have we said or heard, “Whew, that was close!” Traditionally, data used for identifying leading indicators of an incident to injury comes from incident reviews and reactions to injuries. To this end, our learning only comes after the event and can only prevent the next incident if/when correctly addressed and communicated. This is why we commonly refer to this type of data as “lagging” because it can help to prevent the next accident or near miss but it does nothing for what has already occurred. In short, it is too late to prevent what has already happened. Another source of lagging data is teammate-driven and requires peer-to-peer observation and subsequent reporting. Hundreds, thousands, or perhaps even tens of thousands of observations go into our systems that sort and, if sophisticated enough, populate a spreadsheet or dashboard designed primarily to count and classify occurrences in hopes to identify a trend that can be corrected over time. But again, in most cases, this data is too late to predict and/or prevent the incident. The reactionary nature of lagging indicators makes them ill-equipped to proactively prevent injuries before they happen the first time.

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Shifting Our Focus to Leading Indicators While lagging indicators can identify a safety program failure or the existence of a hazard; leading indicators allow a team to take preventative action to address that failure or hazard before it results in an incident. But formany safety programs, the problemwith using leading indicators to drive change comes from the lack of necessary data. Along with historical safety data, leading indicators require relevant and actionable data to be effective. Fortunately, we now can have a wealth of data at our fingertips to feed the development and monitoring of leading indicators thanks to advanced technology. More Data, More Prevention This new technology uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) like computer vision (CV) and edge computing in combination with real-time location services (RTLS) and other novel sensors. As the systems powered by this new technology continuously observe, the edge server captures input in real-time from the connected devices and analyzes each input. The system is then able to use the analyzed input to make an intelligent decision – is there potential for a hazard to occur or not? If a possible hazard is detected, a worker is alerted to modify their behavior to prevent the accident before it happens, and the data is stored within the portal for future use. If no hazard is detected, the systemwill not store the data collected. One example of this intelligent system is Everguard.ai’s Worker Centric AI™, an artificial intelligence platform powered by sensor fusion. The platform connects technologies in computer vision, wearables, and sensor fusion to improve worker health and safety. The synced technologies create a Sentri Zone™ with workers at the center, protecting them 24/7/365, even in the most complex industrial environments. The true value of these advanced systems lives within the user portals. Captured data is housed in the portal for use by managers to recognize infraction trends, find solutions to recurring infractions and use for training purposes. This type of data feeds leading indicators and provides safety programs with the true predictive and preventative power they need to keep team members protected and empowered.

Forging a Safer Future with Technology As a veteran safety professional, I believe using technology to identify leading indicators and protect what matters most – our people – is long overdue. The advancements we’re making in technology allow us to bridge that gap in safety. It’s exciting to think of the possibilities in forging that advanced technology will provide us – true preventative power. By embracing this new technology and improving our use of leading indicators, a zero-accident forging industry may be closer than we think. Paul Thurber VP/GM of Manufacturing & Safety Everguard.ai Phone: 334-247-5170 Email: paul@everguard.ai

Modern Foundations for Forging Hammers and Presses

gerbusa@gerb.com www.gerb.com/forging Call: 630-724-1660

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