1. The Forging Process of Rolled Rings
The term rolled rings applies to a variety of industries. Highly durable metals such as steel are forged to
form rolled rings. Seamless rolled rings have a variety of uses in the industrial segment, and many
manufacturers are in line to compete in the production of these rolled rings.
The Materials Used and the Types
A variety of materials can be used to manufacture rolled rings including steel, carbon, and nickel-based
alloys. Stainless steel and alloy steel are greatly used to manufacture seamless rolled rings. These metals
can be brought to any shape such as flat, cylindrical, tall or even washer like parts. The heights can reach
up to 9 feet and can even go as small as half an inch. A typical rolled ring has a thickness to height ratio
of between 1:16 and 16:1. However, there are special processes through which special specifications can
be made. The rings thus produced can attain outer diameters that are a few inches to up to 300 inches. The
weight of rolled rings can range between a single pound to up to 300,000 pounds.
Shaping and Forging of Rings
The simplest shape that can be created out of a metal to form seamless rolled rings is rectangular. More
complex shapes can be formed out of these shapes along with contours inside and outside. The metal
taken in a circular form undergoes a die forging process to form a donut shape. The donut shaped metal is
then placed over an idler or mandrel roll after heating it beyond recrystallization temperature. The
recrystallization temperature varies for each metal. The idler roll is subject to move under pressure
causing the metal to move towards another driver roll that that keeps rotating. This changes the thickness
of the ring to achieve the desired shape. As the thickness is reduced, the diameter of the ring increases.
The Industrial Applications
Rolled rings serve a variety of industrial applications. They are used in mining, rock crushing, oil fields,
heat exchanger systems, rock crushing, rail manufacturing, military and defence, steel mills, etc. They
also have great demand in the power generation industry and paper making. Stainless steel rolled rings
have been found to be extensively used in pellet mills, petro-chemical industries, pressure vessel
industries, semiconductor manufacturing etc. The products that generally use rolled rings are bearings,
gears, steel valves, machine tools, robots, clutches, coupling, seals and flanges.