1. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Hybrid Rapid Infrared Heat Treating Furnace for Aluminum Forgings Rob Mayer 1, Puja B. Kadolkar 2, Frank Kraft 3, Vamadevan Gowreesan 3, Devon Poling 3, Jay S. Gunasekera 3, Percy Gros 4, George Mochnal 5, and Craig A. Blue 2 1 The Queen City Forging Company, Cincinnati OH 2 Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 3 Ohio University, Athens OH 4 Edison Materials Technology Center, Dayton OH 5 Forging Industry Association, Cleveland OH 26 th Forging Industry Technical Conference November 7-9, 2005 Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Rosemont, IL

2. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Acknowledgements Project Funded by the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) ORNL Project Funded by the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) ORNL Project Funded by US DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, Supporting Industries, Industries Materials of the Future, and Aluminum Project Funded by US DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, Supporting Industries, Industries Materials of the Future, and Aluminum Project Funded by Edison Materials Technology Center Project Funded by Edison Materials Technology Center Research Supported by Research Supported by Komtek Komtek Northeastern University Northeastern University Infrared Heating Technologies Infrared Heating Technologies Forging Industry Association Forging Industry Association Ohio University Ohio University

3. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Outline Infrared Technology Infrared Technology Rapid Infrared Pre-heating of Forging Dies Rapid Infrared Pre-heating of Forging Dies Rapid Infrared heating of Aluminum billets prior to Forging Rapid Infrared heating of Aluminum billets prior to Forging Field testing of a full-scale billet heating production setup at Queen City Forging Field testing of a full-scale billet heating production setup at Queen City Forging Rapid Infrared heating for Heat Treatment of Aluminum Forgings Rapid Infrared heating for Heat Treatment of Aluminum Forgings Optimization of Heat treating Parameters Optimization of Heat treating Parameters Development of a full-scale infrared heat treatment facility at Queen City Forging Company Development of a full-scale infrared heat treatment facility at Queen City Forging Company Conclusions Conclusions

4. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Infrared heating provides a clean, non-contact heating technique Infrared heating provides a clean, non-contact heating technique The tungsten halogen heating element is heated in excess of 4000˚F resulting in high thermal fluxes The tungsten halogen heating element is heated in excess of 4000˚F resulting in high thermal fluxes Radiated energy heat flux is nearly ten times of a gas-fired infrared system, heating rates of 200-300  C/s are possible Radiated energy heat flux is nearly ten times of a gas-fired infrared system, heating rates of 200-300  C/s are possible Convert electrical into radiant energy in excess of 90%. Convert electrical into radiant energy in excess of 90%. Low thermal mass provides instantaneous starting and stopping allowing precise control over temperature and output. Low thermal mass provides instantaneous starting and stopping allowing precise control over temperature and output. Uniform deposition of radiant energy. Uniform deposition of radiant energy. Infrared Technology

5. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Infrared Pre-heating of Forging Dies Increase in Productivity Increase in Productivity Reduced heating times Reduced heating times Increase in die life Increase in die life Uniform temperature Uniform temperature Better lubrication, lesser sticking problems Better lubrication, lesser sticking problems Energy savings Energy savings Efficient heating and shorter wait times in between forging Efficient heating and shorter wait times in between forging Insert Die Heater

6. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Insert Die Heaters Currently Installed American Tool American Tool American Axle American Axle Ameriforge Ameriforge Alcoa Alcoa Eaton Eaton Finkl & Sons Finkl & Sons Klein Tool Klein Tool Komtek Komtek Milwaukee Forge Milwaukee Forge Queen City Forging Company Queen City Forging Company TRW TRW Turn Key Forge Turn Key Forge United Defense United Defense

7. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Laboratory based batch-type infrared furnace used to identify rapid heating rates Time (minutes) Temperature (  C) Forging temperature 2.25 inch-diameter, 6-inch-long AA 2618 billets were heated in 16 mins (Conventional hold times to preheat loads is about 4 hrs) Rapid Infrared Heating of Aluminum Billets

8. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Conventionally preheated, forged, conventionally solution heat- treated and conventionally aged AA 2618 forgings (*Controlled) Rapidly preheated, forged, rapidly solution heat- treated and conventionally aged AA 2618 forgings 30% Reduction in grain size with rapid preheating and rapid heat-treatment Grain size = 40 um Grain size = 27 um Rapid Infrared For Heat Treatment of Al Forgings

9. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Higher hardness and UTS values were achieved with rapidly heated forgings Higher hardness and UTS values were achieved with rapidly heated forgings Improvement in Mechanical Properties

10. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Rapid preheating and rapid solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue life Rapid preheating and rapid solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue life Stress amplitude vs. number of cycles of T61 treated specimens under tension-tension loading condition with mean tensile stress at 180 MPa. Improvement in Mechanical Properties

11. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Hybrid infrared furnace setup at The Queen City Forging Company Hybrid infrared furnace setup at The Queen City Forging Company Optimized combination of radiant and convective heating Optimized combination of radiant and convective heating Continuous belt setup for higher throughputs Continuous belt setup for higher throughputs Full-scale Production Setup Recipient of the prestigious 2004 R&D 100 Award Participants: Komtek, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, The Queen City Forging Company, Northeastern University, Forging Industry Association and Infrared Heating Technologies Inc.

12. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Micrographs showing magnitude of grain refinement in AA 2014 Looper Drag Link (used in industrial sewing machines) hammer forged and T4 treated Rapidly preheated, forged and rapidly heat-treated Conventionally preheated, forged and conventionally heat-treated Infrared Applications in Aluminum Forging

13. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Rapidly preheated, forged and rapidly heat-treated Conventionally preheated, forged and conventionally heat- treated Higher magnification micrographs of the middle section Infrared Applications in Aluminum Forging

14. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Optimization of Heating Treating Parameters Laboratory studies being performed at Ohio University Laboratory studies being performed at Ohio University Goal is to optimize the heat treating parameters Goal is to optimize the heat treating parameters Conserve Energy and Increase Productivity Conserve Energy and Increase Productivity Possible Improvement in Materials Properties Possible Improvement in Materials Properties Conductivity and hardness measurements on samples in the as- solutionized condition are used to indicate the extent of dissolution of solute elements during the solution heat treatment process Conductivity and hardness measurements on samples in the as- solutionized condition are used to indicate the extent of dissolution of solute elements during the solution heat treatment process Conductivity and hardness measurements are performed on aged samples to study the age hardening effect Conductivity and hardness measurements are performed on aged samples to study the age hardening effect

15. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment 6061 Conductivity (as-solutionized)

16. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment 6061 Hardness (as-solutionized)

17. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment 6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)

18. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment 6061 T6 Aged (175 C for 8hrs)

19. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment As-extruded 532 C, 20 s 6061 572 C, 900 s

20. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment 7075 solutionized & T73 aged (107 for 7 hrs & 177 for 9 hrs)

21. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Facility at Queen City Forging Company

22. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Facility at Queen City Forging Company

23. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Facility at Queen City Forging Company Quenching Operation Loading Operation

24. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Development of Full-Scale Heat-Treating Facility at Queen City Forging Company Temperature profile indicating heating of 10 T/C’s in the heating treating furnace Temperature profile indicating heating of 10 T/C’s in the heating treating furnace Profile shows uniform and controlled heating of parts to the required temperature Profile shows uniform and controlled heating of parts to the required temperature Forged parts were heated in 1/2 amount of time as compared to conventional HT techniques Forged parts were heated in 1/2 amount of time as compared to conventional HT techniques 1000 deg F

25. 26th Forging Industry Technical Conference Increase Productivity & Reduce Costs Through Technology Deployment Summary Rapid infrared heating offers a low cost, energy-efficient heating methodology for die preheating and heating of aluminum billets and forgings Rapid infrared heating offers a low cost, energy-efficient heating methodology for die preheating and heating of aluminum billets and forgings Field testing of the hybrid infrared billet preheating system in full- scale production setup has demonstrated cost savings up to 40- 50% through reduced energy consumption, increased throughput and improved consistency in the process and quality of the product. Field testing of the hybrid infrared billet preheating system in full- scale production setup has demonstrated cost savings up to 40- 50% through reduced energy consumption, increased throughput and improved consistency in the process and quality of the product. Rapidly preheating and rapidly solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue life Rapidly preheating and rapidly solution heat-treating produces stronger forgings with two times the fatigue life Current efforts involve optimization of the heat treating parameters Current efforts involve optimization of the heat treating parameters Conserve Energy and Increase Productivity Conserve Energy and Increase Productivity Improvement In Material Properties Improvement In Material Properties Development of a full-scale infrared heat treating facility is in progress at Queen City Forging Company Development of a full-scale infrared heat treating facility is in progress at Queen City Forging Company Potential national energy savings of 1.8 Trillion BTUs/year together with cost savings of 17 million dollars/year. Potential national energy savings of 1.8 Trillion BTUs/year together with cost savings of 17 million dollars/year.