Dongfeng Forging Co., Ltd., part of the commercial vehicle manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group, has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of an MP 5000 eccentric forging press with a forging force of 5,000 tons for its plant in Shiyan, Hubei Province, China. Founded in Shiyan in 1969, Dongfeng Forging Co., Ltd. operates a total of 26 forging lines at this site including, among others, a 12,000-ton wedge press supplied by SMS group.

Dongfeng Forging intends to use the new forging press to manufacture light-truck crankshafts with a maximum finished part weight of 21.5 kilograms. The new eccentric press will forge parts precisely, highly efficiently, and fully automatically with a nominal forging force of 50 MN. In addition to the press, the scope of supply includes process development services, sequence-controlled loading and unloading belt conveyors, an electrically operated automatic walking beam for parts handling, and an integrated die spraying system. Also, SMS group will supply a line control system for connecting other equipment units as, for example, the heating system.

The MP 5000 is one of SMS group’s advanced series of eccentric forging presses. Extremely large press windows in the FEM-optimized press housing offer a perfect automation capability and allow for easier changes of die and die holder.

SMS group is continuously working on the optimization of its plants and equipment. And this is why the MP series, too, was extensively redesigned. Numerous different improvements were made to reduce the labor and costs involved in maintenance and inspection work. This primarily includes the use of an almost maintenance-free, low-noise electrohydraulic coupling and brake. The hydraulic single ejectors in the table and ram can be individually operated for each forming station. In addition, the ram adjustment device that, in automatic mode, enables a ram adjustment of 0.1 millimeters between two strokes was improved on the drive side.

Commissioning of the new MP 5000 closed-die forging press is scheduled for the second quarter of 2020.