November 2025 Volume 7

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FORGING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION | FORGING.ORG | NOV 2025

FORGING THE FUTURE EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT & INNOVATION FROM

THE FORGING FOUNDATION Page 50

BETTER TOGETHER: HOW FIA & FIERF BUILD PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF FORGING Page 52

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FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

T his November issue of FIA Magazine celebrates the Forging Foundation and the many ways research, education, and outreach continue to strengthen our industry’s foundation. At the Forging Industry Association (FIA) and the Forging Industry Educational & Research Foundation (FIERF), we believe that advancing education, awareness, and workforce development is just as critical to our future as innovation and

the forging community to cutting-edge advances in materials, automation, and robotics. Other partnerships, including America Makes, the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, and Jobs for the Future, demonstrate how collaboration drives progress in training, diversity, and access to opportunity. These efforts ensure that forging remains not only relevant but also influential within the broader manufacturing ecosystem. Together, these partnerships represent the collective power of industry, academia, and government working toward a shared vision for growth and sustainability. [See page 52] Looking ahead, FIA enters an exciting new chapter of leadership and strategic direction. We are pleased to welcome Mark Ames, AAiP, as our new President & Chief Executive Officer, effective October 27, 2025. Mark brings more than two decades of experience in advocacy, workforce development, and organizational strategy. His proven leadership and forward thinking approach will help guide FIA as we continue to grow and serve our members in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape. I will return to my role as Deputy Chief Executive, and I look forward to collaborating closely with Mark and the FIA Board to continue the momentum we’ve built together. [See page 41] The work featured in this issue—both through FIERF’s educational initiatives and FIA’s strategic partnerships—represents the best of what our community can achieve when we invest in people. Students, educators, and professionals alike are shaping the next generation of forging, blending tradition with innovation. Together, with renewed leadership and shared purpose, we’re not just supporting the next generation of forgers; we’re forging the future itself. Best Regards,

technology. The articles in this issue shine a light on the collective efforts that ensure forging remains a vibrant, essential part of the manufacturing landscape. One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is witnessing how the Forging Foundation continues to make an impact on individuals and institutions across the country. Through scholarships that empower the next generation of engineers, grants that fund meaningful academic research, and programs that bring forging into classrooms and summer camps, FIERF is helping to build the future workforce our industry depends on. Whether it’s supporting student forging clubs or sparking curiosity in young minds at hands-on events, these initiatives demonstrate how industry investment in people yields long-term dividends. [See page 50] In addition to its outreach and educational initiatives, FIA continues to expand its library of technical and educational resources—tools designed to support companies, educators, and students alike. From updated technical handbooks to engaging children’s books that introduce manufacturing concepts, these materials help tell the story of forging to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The goal is simple: to make forging accessible, understandable, and inspiring. [See page 62] This issue also features an in-depth look at how FIA and FIERF are collaborating with partners across North America to address shared challenges in workforce development, innovation, and industry visibility. In the article “Better Together: How FIA and FIERF Build Partnerships to Advance the Future of Forging in North America,” we highlight partnerships with organizations such as LIFT, IACMI, and the ARM Institute—alliances that connect

Angela Gibian, CAE Deputy Chief Executive Forging Industry Association

Editorial Staff

Board of Directors

Antonio Alvarez Robert R. Bolin Robert Brodhead

James D. Kane Jeff Krueger Louis Philippe Lapierre

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Angela Gibian angela@forging.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amanda Dureiko amanda@forging.org

DESIGN Lorean Crowder lorean@forging.org

CHAIRPERSON Jeffrey T. Jones VICE CHAIRPERSON Paul A. Spitz

Mark Derry Bret Halley

Jose Lozano Matt Natale

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025 3

CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2025 | VOLUME 7

p. 52

p.59

p. 50

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 3 Letter From the Editor WASHINGTON UPDATE 6 Tariff Expansion ENERGY 8 Why Online Auctions Are the Right Technology at the Right Time for Buying and Managing Your Energy EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY 10 New Ring Rolling System Unveiled at Andritz Schuler’s Erfurt Site 12 Modernizing TUS Tuning on Heat Treat Furnaces 16 Old Presses Can’t Protect a Nation MAINTENANCE 20 The Gap or C-Frame Press

AUTOMATION 22 Virtual Validation of Automation Integration for Dual Manipulators on a 25 MN Open-Die Forging Press MATERIALS 25 Aluminum Forgings – Commercial and Technical Landscape OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT 30 My Employee Says She Needs Time Off - Can't I Just Follow My Leave Policy? 32 Layered Process Auditing 34 Bridging Generations in Forging 36 How Passkeys Could Create a Passwordless Future INDUSTRY NEWS 38 Viking Wheel Blast Systems Launches the SD-MAX 1600: 39 Welding Alloys USA Acquires Weld Mold Company 41 The Forging Industry Association Appoints Mark Ames, AAiP as New President & CEO 42 Michigan Lobby Day: Making a Case for Shop Class 46 Welcome New Members 47 Trinity Forge Celebrates 70 Years of Forging Excellence in Mansfield, Texas 48 ICON Forging Expansion Goes Live 49 FIA Upcoming Events

FOUNDATION NEWS 50 Forging the Future: Education, Engagement & Innovation from the Forging Foundation 52 Better Together — FIA and FIERF Build Partnerships to Advance the Future of Forging 56 NSF HAMMER-ERC Launches New Forging Curriculum through IACMI METAL FORGING RESEARCH 59 Blackhawk Technical College’s Manufacturing Automation Cell (MAC) Project is Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce 62 FIA Educational Resources Available for Members, Educators and Industry Partners MEMBERS SPEAK 64 From Shop Floor to Classroom AD INDEX 67 November Advertiser Index

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FORGING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION | FORGING.ORG | NOV 2025

FORGING THE FUTURE EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT & INNOVATION FROM

THE FORGING FOUNDATION Page 50

BETTER TOGETHER: HOW FIA & FIERF BUILD PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF FORGING Page 52

For advertising contact info@forging.org

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, 6363 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, Ohio 44131. Telephone: (216) 781-6260. 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 Independence, OH and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Forging Industry Association, 6363 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, Ohio 44131. Copyright © 2025 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 | NOVEMBER 2025

WASHINGTON UPDATE

TARIFF EXPANSION By Omar S. Nashashibi

I n the early 1970’s, then Louisiana Senator Russell Long lamented that tax reform simply meant, “don’t tax me, don’t tax thee, tax the fellow behind the tree.” This famous saying endured for decades and now aptly applies to tariffs. The current administration is imposing tariffs at an unprecedented rate on virtually every country, on thousands of imports, and with plans to expand those tariffs to cover more shipments to the U.S. Through September 2025, the Federal Government collected roughly $160 billion in tariff revenue, with some estimating that that U.S. Customs is on pace to generate over $300 billion in annual revenues from tariffs. Tariffs currently apply to countries, to inputs and finished goods, to transport vessels, and soon, possibly to industrial machinery, making it safe to assume that, when in doubt, a tariff applies. While much of the focus remains on country to country negotiations and the reciprocal tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), it is the Section 232 national security tariffs on products goods and the Section 301 tariffs on China that may have the most lasting effect on manufacturing. Knowing where President Trump is heading with tariffs, is as important as knowing where we have been. The U.S. earlier this year began imposing tariffs under IEEPA on every country in the world, including some territories uninhabited. The rates range from 10 percent to 41 percent, with now combined rates on some countries such as India reaching 50 percent. Washington is stacking many of the tariffs for China, leaving some steel forgings entering the U.S. at a 95 percent rate if they appear on the Sections 232 and 301 lists when combined with IEEPA. Among the many differences between the trade laws used by President Trump is the most glaring – courts have upheld his use of Sections 232 and 301, whereas the IEEPA tariffs are facing legal challenges. Following oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 5, 2025, the Justices will determine the fate of the President’s tariffs on countries using the IEEPA tariff action, an untested approach until this presidency. At stake with that ruling is nearly $100 billion worth of tariff revenue already collected from importers by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is unclear when, or how, the Court may rule, but what is clear is that a ruling either way impacts all of the forging industry. The Supreme Court upholding a president’s ability to use the IEEPA law to impose tariffs establishes a precedent, not only for this administration but also for future White House occupants. President Trump used IEEPA to impose tariffs on countries, but also force them to agree to new trade terms with the U.S. Should the court rule against the IEEPA tariffs, will those trade deals fall apart? Will the U.S. Government have to return $100 billion in tariffs collected?

This is where the president can turn to more proven options the Section 232 and 301 tariffs. As of this writing, the Trump administration used Section 232 national security tariffs to impose or propose a 50 percent tariff on steel, aluminum, and copper; 25 percent on heavy duty trucks, passenger vehicles, light trucks, upholstered furniture, and cabinets; and 10 percent on lumber and timber. Pending national security tariffs include those planned for commercial aircrafts and parts, semiconductors, critical minerals, wind turbines, drones, and polysilicon wafers. Looking back to March 2025, when President Trump began imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum, it was clear that tariffs only on the input and not the finished forging would lead to a flood of imports. Therefore, a natural extension is to expand the national security tariffs to derivatives made of those metals, such as forgings. The President and his team understood that gaps in critical supply lines create vulnerabilities, and no more so than among North American forgers. In 2020, the Defense Logistics Agency identified 30,061 of 32,597 specialized items that contain casting and forged parts. These are mission critical and other components without which our U.S. military could not succeed. The Trump administration has now extended tariffs on steel and aluminum to cover roughly 700 imported goods made from those inputs, with additional expansions of the 232 tariffs expected in the coming months. A more recent development involving the national security tariffs is an investigation initiated by the U.S. Commerce Department into imports of industrial machinery and robotics. Specifically, the administration is considering whether to impose tariffs on: • Robots and programmable, computer-controlled mechanical systems; • CNC machining centers, turning and milling machines, grinding and deburring equipment, industrial stamping and pressing machines; • Automatic tool changers, jigs and fixtures, machine tools for cutting, welding, handling, etc; and • Application-specific specialty metalworking equipment (e.g. autoclaves, industrial ovens, metal finishing/treatment machinery, EDM tools, laser and water-jet cutting systems). The White House is committed to using tariffs as a primary means to increase domestic manufacturing, and no tool is as sharp as the Section 232 tariffs. With now over a dozen tariff actions in place or pending on manufactured goods, inputs, and machinery, even should the Supreme Court invalidate the IEEPA tariffs, much of the manufacturing sector is already subject to 232 trade actions.

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FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025

WASHINGTON UPDATE

China bears the brunt of the Section 301 tariffs imposed starting in 2018 for intellectual property theft and other trade violations. More than 10,000 imports from China remain subject to a 7.5 percent or 25 percent tariff under the 301 action, tariffs left in place by former President Biden. The current administration has not only maintained the 301 tariffs on China, but is looking to expand their use to cover other countries such as Brazil. The Section 232 and 301 laws are not President Trump’s only options clearly providing him the authority to impose tariffs. The administration is reportedly prepared to use Section 122, which permits a 15 percent tariff on imports for 150 days, and Section 338, which may result in a 50 percent tariff on targeted imports. This means, even an adverse ruling on IEEPA is not the end of the tariff conversation. In the coming months we should expect that tariff expansion will remain fully underway, and even that fellow can’t hide behind the tree.

Omar S. Nashashibi is the Founder of Inside Beltway, a nonpartisan lobbying and strategic consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Having worked in the nation’s capital for over twenty-five years, Mr. Nashashibi provides strategic consulting services to companies while also lobbying the White House and Congress on behalf of manufacturing, associations, defense firms, nonprofits, and other sectors. He works with policymakers on trade, taxes, environmental and workplace regulations, supply chains, job training and identifying grants and funding to support projects. Having started his career

in Washington D.C. in 1996, Mr. Nashashibi worked for the Office of Management and Budget, a branch of the White House, a large multi-state law firm, and founded a previous lobbying firm in 2005. He graduated from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he studied Political Science and International Affairs. He is based in Washington, D.C., representing the Forging Industry Association. He can be reached at omar@ insidebeltway.com.

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FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025 7

ENERGY

WHY ONLINE AUCTIONS ARE THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR BUYING AND MANAGING YOUR ENERGY By Nancy Gardner

A merica’s economic-growth engine runs on energy, and this bull economy, strapped to the back of AI and the data center boom, is unprecedented. Suddenly, forging financial, operations, and procurement teams that don’t understand energy – or, more precisely, how best to procure and manage it – are at a big disadvantage and often left scrambling for answers. For example, if you operate facilities anywhere in PJM, the 13-state swath in the mid-Atlantic, new “demand charges” that went into effect on June 1, 2025 increased electric bills by 10-20 percent, seemingly overnight. These kinds of increases are happening across the country. Did you know this change was coming? Who on your staff should have told you? And what are you going to do about it? And once these hundreds of mammoth, energy-ravenous data centers actually come online, what do you think will happen to your energy bills? Do you have a strategy for buying energy today with that future in mind? With energy matters making headlines daily, CFOs of U.S. forging companies need a crash course in energy literacy – and fast. One sure way to accomplish this is to familiarize yourself with online energy auctions . This best-in-class procurement methodology increases your company’s buying power, reduces risk exposure, and creates a data-driven discipline around energy purchasing that can be extended to each of your facilities, in every state, for every buy – quickly, easily, with less human capital, and at less cost. Put another way, energy change management doesn’t need to be difficult, time consuming, or expensive. In fact, you’ll find buying energy via online auctions so much better and so much easier than your current method that you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. Sound too good to be true? With more than 10,000 energy procurement auctions under our belt, we and our customers, including fellow FIA members, can tell you with 100% certainty that online auctions can’t be beat, and the operational results and energy insights you’ll gain by making this switch will be transformative to your organization. Three Key Benefits of Procuring Energy via Online Auctions 1. Increased Supplier Pool = Fierce Competition for Your Energy Contract Online auctions have single-handedly rewritten the rules for how many suppliers can compete to become your electricity or natural-gas provider. The more suppliers bidding on a customer’s business – in a real-time, structured, and transparent way – means more and more savings for you. All suppliers invited to participate

in an online auction are licensed and thoroughly vetted by both the relevant utility commissions and Transparent Energy’s market team. To this day, many in energy procurement use manual processes to “broker” energy deals. Let’s just say that, at best, these outdated methods are inefficient and limit the number of suppliers participating in a competitive procurement (because each incremental supplier added to the bidding means more paperwork for your internal team or broker and a more cumbersome process to manage). And this comes at a big cost, because limiting participation limits savings . With online auctions, it’s just as easy to include 12 suppliers in the bidding – with standardized contract terms for true apples to apples comparison – as it is 2, and when the competitive juices get flowing, and each bid is reducing supplier margins as quickly as it is increasing your savings, you’ll never look at energy procurement the same way. At Transparent Energy, we have relationships with every relevant retail energy supplier in the U.S., and we make it easy for them to participate in every pricing event for every client we serve. Why do they do it? Why do suppliers bid in an online event that advantages the customer and reduces their margin? Because we are in effect a low-cost sales channel for them, bringing them high quality customers like you who are ready to transact AND a fair, transparent, and easy-to-use process for making it happen. And the workload for you and your team? Minimal. We do the heavy lifting. We review your energy usage data, work with you to understand your energy needs and business strategy, develop and market an online RFP to the supplier community, set an auction date and run the event (something you can watch live!), help you select a winner, and facilitate same-day, final contracting. 2. Transparency Drives Down Prices Retail energy markets are fundamentally opaque. At Transparent Energy we wanted to give energy buyers like you a way to fight back. We did so by developing a better mousetrap: online energy auctions. Our online energy auctions literally create a liquid marketplace for energy procurement, one that provides buyers – and the suppliers themselves – much needed price discovery (something that isn’t available anywhere else in the market). And with online auctions there are no smoke and mirrors. No back-room deal-making. No contracts awarded because of the promise of event tickets. The auctions are the market. We thoroughly inform and vet the field beforehand. Suppliers who

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FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025

ENERGY

Conclusion Using online auctions to procure energy is a proven best practice for managing both the cost and risk associated with what is becoming an increasingly strategic spend category for all forgers. A proactive approach to energy procurement, one leveraging a vigorous process, advanced technology, and market expertise, will help put your organization in the winner’s circle. If you’re not using online auctions, the time is right to make the change – and it couldn’t be easier to do so.

come to bid know what they are bidding on, and our forging customers come ready to award a new contract. What happens next is brilliant and beautiful to behold. For the uninitiated, an online auction conjures the notion of an auction, but really what we do is run a series of auctions in succession. Different contract terms (12-month, 24- month, 36-month … sometimes all the way up to 96 months!) and products (electricity, natural gas, renewables, fixed price, variable price, including bespoke legal conditions) are put up for bid – one at a time – which, over the course of just a few minutes delivers a full picture of how the market is pricing. For example, a customer might find through the competitive dynamics of the auction that the “sweet spot” in the market (i.e., the lowest price) is for a 24-month, fixed-price electricity contract, but that for just a slight premium, they could secure a 48-month contract, taking a lot of risk off the table. Or, you might find one supplier is extremely aggressive in pricing an even longer term contract, creating a multi-year savings opportunity. The variations are endless, but the result is the same. Suppliers in the auction see the leading bid and sharpen their pencil accordingly to win the business, bidding the price aggressively down. And they do so again and again in each auction tranche, because they don’t know which product, term, or supplier you will ultimately choose. Game Theory in action! Just as importantly, the customer sees the whole process play out in real time and is left with a bullet-proof audit trail comprised of every bid on every product and term, a real boon for CFOs and other time-pressed executives who value the auction’s transparency and time-stamped record keeping. 3. An End-to-End Process that Drives Efficiency and Reduces Cost At Transparent Energy, we’re big fans of efficiency, and so are our clients. The whole auction process is driven by efficiency, beginning with the planning our team does with you and your team in advance of the procurement. That planning ensures we bring you to market at the right time with the right expectations. The auction platform also enables the digital development and sharing of the RFP with the supplier community and all of the legal documents that need to be executed to streamline the final transaction. And transacting is key. At Transparent Energy, we pride ourselves on a 99%+ award rate – meaning when we hold an online energy procurement event, it results in an awarded deal with the supplier. No one else in the industry comes close to our success rate. This creates confidence in our process and drives additional savings for the customer. How so? Our real-time process, backed by high confidence that a deal will be consummated, enables suppliers to eliminate risk premiums, driving down final prices for customers by an additional 1-2%. Risk premiums are prevalent in other energy procurement methods, because the price of energy is always changing – if a procurement results in a customer asking a supplier to hold its pricing for an extra day or two, that supplier takes on added risk, and thus builds that risk into its pricing. Transparent Energy’s efficient end-to-end process and industry-leading award rate eliminate this need – another cost-saving win for auction participants.

To learn more about buying energy via online auctions and how to get started, contact Nancy Gardner at ngardner@ transparentedge.com or at 732-288-5126.

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025 9

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

NEW RING ROLLING SYSTEM UNVEILED AT ANDRITZ SCHULER’S ERFURT SITE By Karissa Krueger

A NDRITZ Schuler, a long-time producer of equipment for the production of seamless rings, debuted its new ring roller to the public at the company’s “Ring Roller Technology Days” in-house event.

Jens Aspacher, Sales Manager at ANDRITZ Schuler Pressen GmbH, addressed the development of the original ring roller in 2017 and background for its current advancements: “We had already built numerous presses for the production of ring preforms in the past, including various tooling concepts. Customers continuously asked us to supply a complete turnkey line, but we didn’t have the ring roller at that time.” The Ring Roller Technology Days event highlighted key features of the ring roller, including its ability to produce rings with a diameter of up to two meters and a height of 400 millimeters, use of cassettes to shorten changeover times, and control of axes in real time. The event successfully established ANDRITZ Schuler as a turnkey supplier for ring rolling production. Increasing Diameter It is typical for the diameter of the preform, weighing half a ton, to slowly increase throughout the ring rolling process. In this case, the familiar railway wheel profile, including the flange on the outer surface, is created in approximately one minute. The roller shown during the event has the capability to produce rings with a diameter of up to two meters and a height of 400 millimeters. A key feature of the ring roller is the patented height-adjustable vertical unit that allows the upper bearing of the mandrel roller to be locked at different heights. This means that mandrels of various lengths can be used, and the optimum mandrel can be selected for rings of different heights. Producing rings using high-strength material, such as Inconel and titanium, is possible with the new system given its strong design and powerful drive. This capability has been proven in several trials throughout the commissioning of the line. Achieving Shorter Changeover Times The extremely rigid system, with a radial force of 200 tons and an axial force of 160 tons, features modular cassettes for the axial and radial rolls, enabling quick changes and short changeover times. The actual assembly and disassembly of the rolls from the cassettes takes place outside of the machine, allowing for minimized downtime. The ring roller control system offers functions such as automatic adjustment of rolling parameters, real-time data access, and the option of simulation using digital twin and FEM software, increasing both quality and process reliability. The high rigidity of the system and improved cooling of the tools also contribute to improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The user interface is based on the press control system and enables intuitive operation. Controlling Axes In Real Time All hydraulic and electrical axes can be controlled in real time thanks to the control architecture, as explained by expert Angelo Sartori during the event. FEM simulations, which run with the

The new ring roller system on display at ANDRITZ Schuler’s Ring Roller Technology Days. The two-day event, held in mid-September at the ANDRITZ Schuler Erfurt site in Germany, attracted nearly 100 international participants. Attendees experienced a wheel tire being rolled from a red-hot ring blank live on the new system. The ring roller will be used in the railway industry, a growing market worldwide. It can also be used to roll rings for large engines or bearings in wind turbines.

Attendees watched the ring roller in action as it rolled a wheel tire from a red hot blank.

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025 10

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

same data set as the machine control system, allow parameters to be optimized realistically – even before the material and tools are used. Users can achieve optimal results more efficiently by adjusting the target specifications. All process data is accessible in real time, allowing for seamless monitoring, analysis, and documentation of the forming process. All relevant production data is effortlessly documented within the Metris Track and Trace automation and digitalization solution; the data is then available for evaluation and production optimization. The Metris Shopfloor Operations Management application ensures transparency across production processes, quality, and availability. Robert Vollmer from ANDRITZ Schuler and Mario Sinkovic from ANDRITZ’s “Digital Factory” in Zagreb presented a live demonstration of the Metris Copilot system; like its namesake on desktop PCs, the Microsoft system can answer questions about the plant in real time. Production, Delivery, and Installation From a Single Source Uwe Konnerth, Sales Director of Forging at ANDRITZ Schuler Pressen GmbH, explained, “Complete responsibility from development and design to manufacturing and delivery to assembly, commissioning, and operator training is what truly distinguishes turnkey suppliers.” Transparent communication is vital in every phase of the project – be it process development, layout design, manufacturing, quality control, logistics, assembly, or operation. Close cooperation between all parties involved minimizes sources of error and fosters trust. Because production, delivery, and assembly are carried out from a single source, the efficiency and quality of the project are increased.

The rotary hearth furnace and heat treatment equipment also come from an ANDRITZ sister company, ANDRITZ Metals Germany (Krefeld). The two companies have worked together on several railway projects, even before Schuler rebranded to ANDRITZ Schuler this year. Heinz-Willi Maassen from the Sales department at ANDRITZ Metals Germany explained how the different types of furnaces are designed according to process requirements such as temperature range, throughput, and flexibility. Modern burners enable a significant increase in energy efficiency and a reduction in emissions, and hybrid heating systems allow the use of both gas and electrical energy. The “H2 Ready” concepts allow a flexible transition to green hydrogen, thus supporting the decarbonization of industry. Simulations and digital twins can be used to accurately predict and optimize temperature profiles, energy flows, and material properties. The integration of real-time data and AI-supported models for continuous process monitoring and optimization leads to improved product quality, lower scrap rates, and more efficient use of resources. “ANDRITZ Schuler is continuously developing new technology to serve as a single-source supplier for our customers. We are excited to introduce the new ring roller and offer turnkey solutions specifically for the ring rolling market,” stated Gurinder Singh, Sales Manager of Industry & Forging at ANDRITZ Schuler Inc. ANDRITZ GROUP International technology group ANDRITZ provides advanced plants, equipment, services, and digital solutions for a wide range of industries, including pulp and paper, metals, hydropower, environmental, and others. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in Austria, the publicly listed group employs about 30,000 people at 280 locations in over 80 countries. As a global leader in technology and innovation, ANDRITZ is committed to fostering progress that benefits customers, partners, employees, society, and the environment. The company’s growth is driven by sustainable solutions enabling the green transition, advanced digitalization for highest industrial performance, and comprehensive services that maximize the value of customers’ plants over their entire life cycle. ANDRITZ. FOR GROWTH THAT MATTERS. ANDRITZ METALS ANDRITZ Metals is – via the ANDRITZ Schuler Group – one of the world’s leading suppliers of technologies, plants, and digital solutions in metal forming. The product portfolio also includes automation and software solutions, process know-how, and service. In the metals processing segment, the business area offers innovative, sustainable, and market-leading solutions for the production and processing of flat products, for welding systems and furnaces with its own burner solutions, as well as services for the metals processing industry. Karissa Krueger Sales & Marketing Specialist ANDRITZ Schuler Incorporated Email: karissa.krueger@andritz.com

Uwe Konnerth presenting ANDRITZ Schuler’s turnkey forging and rolling line solutions. In addition to the ring roller, the entire production line includes a 10,000-ton hydraulic press for manufacturing the ring preforms, a 1,000-ton hydraulic open-die forging press for manufacturing the railway axles, a rotary hearth furnace for heating the blanks, a descaling unit, forging robots for automation, a marking press, a laser measuring unit, and a heat treatment line for the various forgings that can be produced.

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2025 11

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

MODERNIZING TUS TUNING ON HEAT TREAT FURNACES By Ben Witoff

The Manual Uniformity Tuning Model Heat treat furnaces require precise combustion system tuning to produce high-end parts for the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries. Temperature uniformity surveys (TUS) are the accepted industry standard for verifying the quality of these metal processing furnaces. Current standards such as AMS2750H specify a temperature uniformity that must be maintained inside the furnace work zone. End users like Boeing, GE, and Pratt & Whitney have mandated these temperature uniformity quality standards on their suppliers. Today’s furnace and combustion system TUS tuning methods are slow, inefficient, and outdated. These methods require skilled technicians to make precise, manual adjustments to single components in an iterative fashion. Adjustments require this recursive approach because the system of equations governing an industrial furnace’s heat distribution is nonlinear. In the typical case of a multi-burner furnace with more than one temperature measurement point, the temperature distribution across a measurement array is not directly proportional to the change in a single burner’s firing rate. Due to the system’s nonlinearity, each independent tuning adjustment has incidental, cascading downstream effects on the rest of the system. Every attempt to resolve temperature disparity in one area of the furnace can consequently bring another area out of compliance. Reinvention of the Tuning Process Fives North American Combustion, Inc. (FivesNA) has developed a solution that when used before each TUS, shortens the time of the temperature uniformity tuning process and optimizes the furnace temperature uniformity. The North American® CertiFire™ panel implements a patented1 temperature mapping algorithm that creates a linear approximation of any furnace’s system of equations, regardless of its geometry or complexity. Once linearized, the temperature distribution can be resolved through simultaneous adjustments. The temperature mapping algorithm creates a response matrix that correlates changes to the furnace’s heat inputs with changes in the steady-state distribution of heat throughout the furnace’s work zone. A thermocouple array is used to measure the work zone’s 3-dimensional temperature distribution while the furnace’s burners are modulated. It is critical to the accuracy of this response matrix that the burner modulations are precise and repeatable. To accomplish this, actuated gas valves are inserted in the gas line to individual burners taking the place of a manually adjusted limiting orifice valves. Each individual burner modulation has its own characteristic effect on the entire work zone’s temperature distribution. Figure 1 shows two different burner modulations and Figure 2 shows the resulting furnace temperature distribution over the same period. Nine thermocouples were placed on a rack within a furnace in accordance with the AMS2750H standard for the furnace volume and class, with eight thermocouples at each of the cubic work zone’s vertices and one in its center2.

Figure 1: Two Different Burner Modulations

Figure 2: Temperature Response to Two Different Burner Modulations The firing rate of each burner was increased to a fixed amount for a set number of minutes. The second burner was not adjusted until the work zone’s bulk temperature returned to the baseline average temperature. The two burners noted in Figure 1 were firing in the same plane, several feet from one another. Despite the burners’ close proximity and similar adjustments, their effects on the temperature distribution shown in Figure 2 are uniquely different. Not only does the overall rate of temperature change differ between the curves, but so do the individual thermocouple reactions. Thermocouple 5 (shown in orange), for example, shows the largest change in temperature for the first burner’s modulation, but experiences a much weaker response during the second burner’s modulation. The linear approximation of the furnace’s system of equations can be written as shown on the left in Figure 3. Where the vector T represents the temperatures of q thermocouples, the vector B represents the bleed valve modulations of r burners, and the response matrix K represents their relationship. By compiling each of these burner modulations and their resulting temperature effects, the furnace’s unique response matrix can be calculated using the formula shown on the right in Figure 3.

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Installation Overview The solution was deployed on furnace 8001 the week of March 31st, 2025. Six set points across four calendar-days (April 4th – April 7th) were trained and tuned. The training and tuning algorithms run unattended so the estimated labor hours to set up and run the process at all six set points was approximately two hours. Example Training Experience – 800F Training at 800F ran from 7:52am to 10:16am on April 5th, 2025, for a total of 2 hours and 24 minutes. The furnace PID tuner was disabled for this training and each burner’s actuated gas valve was locked in place at its last position. One at a time, each automated burner gas valve was opened by 50% to allow more fuel to flow for three minutes before lowering back to its initial position for 15 minutes. An adjustment amount of 50% was arbitrarily chosen to elicit a strong temperature response. As each burner’s firing rate was adjusted, a unique temperature characteristic was measured across all 12 thermocouples (SIFCO requires three additional thermocouples for its TUS). The difference in each thermocouple’s temperature rate of change and amplitude is the foundation for the training algorithm’s furnace map. Example Tuning Experience – 800F After the 800F training was completed, three tuning iterations spaced eight minutes apart at 10:40am, 10:48am, and 10:56am on April 5th, 2025 were conducted. The result of the tuning iterations was a reduction in the temperature span (hottest minus coldest) from 20.2F to 5.3F, and a reduction from +4.7F, -15.5F to +1.3F, -4.0F with respect to the set point, well within the range of an AMS2750H Class-I furnace.

Figure 3: Linearized Furnace Equation & Response Matrix Creation Once the response matrix is known, the linearized furnace equation can be reversed. By dividing a vector of thermocouple temperatures T by the response matrix K , the equation yields a vector of automated burner gas valve positions B . In a steady state furnace, starting with a vector ΔT representing the required changes in temperature for each thermocouple to reach the survey temperature, this equation can solve for ΔB , the necessary burner gas valve adjustments to achieve temperature uniformity. The process of training entails the CertiFire map out the general valve positions needed to bring the furnace close to uniformity. Metaphorically, it is writing the manual of the furnace’s behavior which takes time to develop (a few hours). The tuning operation, which is the next and final step after the training, is like reading the manual and applying the guidelines set by the training. This process takes only a few minutes to dial in the valve positions for improved uniformity as discussed below in the case study. Case Study: SIFCO Industries, Inc. – Cleveland, Ohio SIFCO furnace 8001 is a single zone box furnace with four high velocity burners firing above the load on the left wall of the furnace and four high velocity burners firing through piers below the load on the right side of the furnace. All burners were configured with a cross connected variable ratio regulator. The combustion air was fixed for fuel only turndown and furnace control was achieved through a single impulse air bleed valve which affected all regulators equally. Adding the linearizing technology to furnace 8001 required the installation of eight (8) actuated gas valves, replacing the existing manually adjusted limiting orifice gas valves, and a PLC subpanel. This added subpanel controls each motorized actuator independently. To drive the actuators, the subpanel was wired with two inputs from the existing panel: the tuner control variable (CV) over a 4-20mA signal, and the controller set point (SP) over ModbusTCP. The existing control panel was left in-place and is still the primary furnace control interface. Pyrometry Furnace 8001 is certified according to the AMS2750H pyrometry standard at the following three temperature SPs: 900F, 1500F, and 2100F. Additionally, the survey process requires first holding the furnace 100F colder than each SP (800F, 1400F, and 2000F) before increasing the temperature to the desired production SP to prevent overshoot. According to the AMS2750H standard, the furnace’s internal volume requires nine type-K thermocouples placed at each vertex of the cubic work zone and one at the geometric center for temperature measurements during certification. Furnace 8001 had historically been certified as a Class-III furnace (±15F). The customer’s goal was to reduce the overall temperature span at each of the six set points to move furnace 8001 to AMS7250 Class-II (±10F).

Figure 4: Thermocouple temperatures during 800F tuning The temperature range, shown in Figure 4, illustrates the initial span on the left half of the chart. A clear reduction in span can be noted at the inception of the first tuning iteration around the 10:40 mark. Note how not only are the coldest and hottest thermocouples brought in towards center, but the overall spread is also closer centered on set point. The same process was done for five additional set points yielding the following data in Figure 5. Note that the training was only needed for three temperatures. Since this initial data was captured, SIFCO has conducted three monthly TUS surveys. Prior to each survey, only tuning by the CertiFire at the required temperatures was performed. The simplicity, efficiency, and accuracy of the linearizing technology ensures the subsequent customer TUS will easily pass and maintain Class II uniformity.

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

References: 1. Robertson, T., Witoff, B., & Dzik, J., “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING FURNACE TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY,” U.S. Patent 12 104 788, Oct. 1 2024. 2. AMS2750 Rev. H, Page 44, Table 17: “Minimum number of TUS sensors and required locations” 3. Bulk furnace temperature read on average 20F hotter at 2000F and 2100F than the controller set point. Reported set point variations are referenced to the median thermocouple instead of controller set point. 4. Tuning at 2100F was left to run overnight to test the effectiveness of longer hold times. 5. AMS 2750H section 3.5.4.1.1k. Change of combustion pressure settings from their original settings. Ben Witoff Manager of Information Systems and Data Strategy Fives North American Combustion, Inc. Phone: 216-271-6000 Email: benjamin.witoff@fivesgroup.com

Figure 5: Tuning data for six temperatures Operating this linearizing technology does not violate furnaces with multiple temperature survey temperatures per AMS2750H because the valve positions are repeatable and maintain the original settings and pressures from the tuning prior to the TUS and will remain in that position until the next tuning5. SIFCO’s Testimonial

Figure 6: Nick Klusty of SIFCO Forge SIFCO’s Facilities & Maintenance Manager, Nick Klusty stated, “We had been struggling to maintain Class III on this 8001 furnace for years. It took days to tune the furnace in preparation for every monthly TUS. Now it literally takes minutes. The North American CertiFire tunes so much better than we could ever achieve by hand. So good that we now have a second furnace available for Class II work which opens up a new channel for production saving us the time and money of using outside services to heat treat Class II products.” To learn more about North American CertiFire and how it can streamline your furnace certification process through automatic furnace tuning technology and IIOT insights, contact Patrick McLaughlin, Business Development Manager, Fives North American Combustion at patrick.mclaughlin@fivesgroup.com or 216-373-8463.

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EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

OLD PRESSES CAN’T PROTECT A NATION By Katrina Geenevasen

I n 2021, a simple defect — cracks in 155-mm artillery shells — cut U.S. production in half for months.1 Half . Our soldiers still depended on those rounds. Yet too many in leadership shrugged, letting antiquated equipment become an excuse. During the Ukraine conflict, the cracks in Western industry became even harder to ignore. Observers noted that many “already-ancient factories” in the U.S. and Europe slowed to a crawl or shut down entirely, leaving allies unable to surge production when war broke out.1 The lesson is blunt: old, failure-prone presses aren’t just a nuisance. They’re a serious supply chain risk that can starve the front lines at the worst possible time.2 If defense readiness is more than a slogan, then relying on old presses and worn-out plants is nothing less than negligence. They’re a betrayal of the troops relying on steady firepower and a danger to the nation. Presses are at the center of this failure. These are the machines that forge artillery shells, shape armor, form aerospace parts and much more. But far too many of these presses are 40, 50, even 70 years old. They’re patched together like duct-taped airplanes cleared for takeoff, and one breakdown away from stalling an entire defense program. Far from being mere background machinery, presses are chokepoints in defense manufacturing. And when they fail, entire programs stall. Yet, a 2022 GAO review found that equipment in 15 of 21 U.S. military depots was already past its expected service life, including heavy capital equipment — much of it older industrial machinery that forges shells, armor, and ship components.3 This is the state of play: presses that should have been retired decades ago are still propping up programs meant to protect us today. Every time they limp through another cycle, leaders convince themselves it’s “good enough.” But “good enough” is how stockpiles run dry, schedules slip and troops are left waiting. And that brings us to the deeper problem. The real danger isn’t just the age of the machines. It’s the mindset that keeps them running. Old Mindsets Don’t Win Modern Wars Here’s the uncomfortable truth: too many defense leaders are stuck in the past, clinging to the mindset that “if it runs, it’s fine.” That kind of complacency may have passed in the Cold War era, but today it’s a national liability. Studies of organizational resistance show that senior leadership in many manufacturing firms still balk at automation or process redesign, citing comfort with the way things have always been done.4 That resistance slows modernization, bottlenecks production and ultimately puts not just programs but troops, and the nation itself, at risk. Now ask yourself: • Are you one of those leaders still clinging to “good enough”? • Are your presses working harder to stay alive than to deliver

for the mission? • When the next urgent order comes, will your plant be ready to scale, or will it be the weak link everyone else is waiting on? • When your operators retire, will your production grind to a halt because you never modernized your systems? • And most importantly, if your line fails, are you prepared to explain to the warfighter why their equipment didn’t arrive on time? This isn’t about machines breaking down. It’s about leadership breaking down. And if you’re still running your plant with yesterday’s playbook, you’re the problem. And here’s why: old habits create blind spots. Leaders who cling to “if it runs, it’s fine” overlook cracks not just in equipment, but in processes and compliance. Those cracks widen until they stall programs outright. Delay is deadly, and when a press goes offline, it doesn’t just idle your line; it pushes contracts off schedule, drains stockpiles and starves the front lines of what they need. Modern contracts don’t care about excuses. The Pentagon isn’t awarding bids based on tradition or good intentions. They demand digital proof, automated reporting and surge capability. All things leaders stuck in the past simply cannot deliver. And the danger doesn’t stop there. Complacency at the top infects the entire organization. If senior management shrugs at outdated systems, the culture normalizes failure, and soon everyone is working to the lowest standard. Meanwhile, the world isn’t waiting. Allies and adversaries are modernizing with automation, data integration and precision. Every year you stall, you fall further behind. And every year you fall behind, the risk to readiness grows. “One of the biggest cultural roadblocks I’ve seen is clinging to the old mindset: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ That was the motto of Industry 3.0 — where stability and efficiency were the goals,” explained Jeff Winter, a leading voice in the world of Industry 4.0, in an article for Machinery Lubrication . “But in Industry 4.0, I like to say: ‘If it ain’t broke, digitize it anyway.’ Because today, it’s about agility, adaptability, and innovation. Things are changing too fast, and waiting for something to break before acting is a recipe for falling behind.”5 The companies pulling ahead aren’t just upgrading machines. They’re upgrading their mindset. So the bottom line, as hard as it may be to hear? The old way of thinking is every bit as dangerous as the old machines themselves. Press Downtime = Supply Chain Risk The reality of relying on presses built decades ago means that unplanned downtime becomes inevitable. Bearings seize. Controls fail. Welds crack. And unlike consumer goods, defense manufacturing doesn’t have the luxury of delay. Every missed delivery ripples outward into weapons systems sitting idle, units under-supplied and readiness degraded.

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