REPORT ON IN-PLANT TRAINING AT

Done By

Sherin Thomas Sipri

From 30th April 2018 to 9th May 2018

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have undergone 9 days of Internship at Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) Athani P.O.,
Thrissur-680581, Kerala, India, to fulfil the requirements of curriculum of my course B.Tech
(Mechanical Engineering).

I express my thanks to Mr. Jayakrishnan ( H.R. Department) & Mr. Chandra Bose (Asst. Manager, Forge
Shop).

And also I express my sincere thanks to all members of SIFL for their valuable inspiration,
guidance & unforgettable co-operation during the training period. I take this opportunity to thank
my family members, friends and all others helping me directly or indirectly in the in-plant training .
 CONTENTS

1. About SIFL
2. Facilities at SIFL
3. Functional description of SIFL
 1. ABOUT SIFL

Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) is a Government of Kerala undertaking commenced
commercial production in 1986 and gradually forged ahead to become a name to reckon with.

SIFL cater to a wide range of Industries in Defence, Automobile, Heavy engineering, Aero
Space, Railways, Earthmoving Equipments, Agriculture etc...

SIFL continued with landmark development, during the last quarter also. The company has
been recommended for AS9100 certification . The remarkable products developed includes seven
items for Arjun Mark-II, main battle tank being developed by CVRDE for INDIAN ARMY. This
includes, Integral axle arms which are indigenized for the first time in the country and are of very
complex in design

SIFL is equipped to manufacture high pressure application forgings like Gate/ Valve Bodies, Choke Bodies
etc. in Carbon and Alloy steel material, to meet the requirements of Oil Field Equipment manufacturers,
Thermal Power Stations, Refineries, Petro-Chemical Industries and Nuclear Plants. The company has made
significant contribution in Aerospace/Aeronautical sector by way of developing complex forgings for
various Aero engines. The latest of which involves the supply for project CHANDRAYAN by ISRO.

So far the company has developed about 800 different types of forgings and the development of new
components are continued. Forgings are also being exported to countries like USA,Indonesia,Malaysia and
Middle East.
 2. FACILITIES AT SIFL
2.1 DIE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

SIFL's design & engineering capabilities are ably backed by a well equipped Die Shop, set up along
modern lines with Double Spindle Copy Milling Machines, Electrical Die Sinking Machine, CNC Die
Sinking Machine, CNC Turning Centre, Radial Drilling machines, Heavy Duty Plano miller, Lathes,
Tool & cutter grinders, etc. The design and development of the die holds the key to blemish-free
forgings.

At SIFL, we design both single-impression and multi-impression dies. The design, of course,
is related to the forging drawings. And the decision on the type of die to be used, is based on the
specific requirement of each case. The care that goes into the design of each die, also goes into the
selection of raw materials and the sequence of operation that follows. To facilitate uninterrupted
operations, SIFL is equipped with standby Power Generators.

To keep pace with hi-tech developments, SIFL has equipped itself with CAD,CAM facilities
like MASTERCAM for three dimensional modeling of Product, Die & Tool design etc. thereby
minimising the development cycle time ..All these qualities have helped SIFL grow quickly into a
premier forging unit, capable of producing forgings with close dimensional tolerances
2.1 FORGING & HEAT TREATMENT FACILITIES

The billets for forging are heated in oil fired or electric furnaces, closely controlling the temperature
to reduce the scale formation and overheating so that the metallurgical properties are ensured in
the final product. In addition, in-process inspection is carried out at all stages and 100% inspection
for visual defects after forging. The accepted forgings are duly heat treated to ensure its
mechanical properties. By providing heat treatment services in-house, SIFL is able to maintain
greater control over heat treating process. The facility comprise batch furnaces both oil fired &
electrical, continuous electrical heating furnaces, solution treatment etc. to carry out annealing,
normalising, hardening, tempering, iso-thermal annealing, solution treatment etc or other
operations as specified by our customer. Close temperature control and process monitoring with
the help of temperature recorders ensures uniform properties duly supported by evaluation of
metallurgical properties through representative test pieces.

2.2 TESTING/INSPECTION FACILITIES

Surface conditioning is done by shot blasting/grinding and final inspection is carried out once again
to ensure quality requirements. Non-conformities are taken care of by timely corrective and
preventive action. Calibration of electrical furnaces of SIFL are done by NABL accredited
laboratories like HAL,STIC,CUSAT etc.

SIFL has set up a system of total quality control consisting of an array of state- of-the-art
speciality equipments where your products go through a series of rigorous tests, the destructive
test including tensile, jominy and impact testing, wet analysis, carbon-sulphur determination, insitu
metallography (where microstructure can be observed without destroying the job) and non-
destructive tests using Spectrometer, Microscope, Magnaflux crack detection, Die Penetrant,
Ultrasonic flaw detection etc. We are now equipped with a new digital ultrasonic flaw detector
which has got a range of 5mm to 5m in steel.

Setting and control of quality standards at all stages right from the receipt of raw material
to the finished product through quality plan makes us deliver superior quality forgings with close
dimensional tolerances and metallurgical properties.

2.3 MANUFACTURING
SIFL’s production machinery comprises of 16Ton, 10Ton & 6Ton imported air drop power hammers
to manufacture closed die forgings in carbon and alloy steel, stainless steel,
aluminium, titanium and nicked base alloys etc. With a single piece of forging weight ranging from 10kg
to 400kg.
 3. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF SIFL

3.1 RAW MATERIALS

Bar stock, also colloquially known as billet, is a common form of raw purified metal, used by
industry to manufacture metal parts and products.

Most metal produced by a steel mill or aluminium plant is formed (via rolling or extrusion)
into long continuous strips of various size and shape. These strips are cut at regular intervals and
allowed to cool, each segment becoming a piece of bar stock. The different billets used at SIFL are
 Steel
 Aluminium
 Titanium

3.1.1 Steel
Steel is an alloy made by combining iron and other elements, the most common of these being
carbon. When carbon is used, its content in the steel is between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight,
depending on the grade. Other alloying elements sometimes used are manganese, chromium,
vanadium and tungsten.

Iron is found in the Earth's crust only in the form of an ore, usually an iron oxide, such as
magnetite, hematite etc. Iron is extracted from iron ore by removing the oxygen and combining the
ore with a preferred chemical partner such as carbon. This process, known as smelting, was first
applied to metals with lower melting points, such as tin, which melts at approximately 250 °C (482
°F) and copper, which melts at approximately 1,100 °C (2,010 °F). In comparison, cast iron melts at
approximately 1,375 °C (2,507 °F).

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) designates SAE steel grades. Carbon steels and
alloy steels are designated by a four digit number, where the first digit indicates the main alloying
element(s), the second digit indicates the secondary alloying element(s), and the last two digits
indicate the amount of carbon, in hundredths of a percent by weight. For example, a 1060 steel is a
plain-carbon steel containing 0.60 wt% C.

SAE designation Type

Carbon steels
10xx Plain carbon (Mn 1.00% max)
11xx Resulfurized
12xx Resulfurized and rephosphorized
15xx Plain carbon (Mn 1.00% to 1.65%)

Manganese steels
13xx Mn 1.75%
Nickel steels
23xx Ni 3.50%
25xx Ni 5.00%

Nickel-chromium steels
31xx Ni 1.25%, Cr 0.65% or 0.80%
32xx Ni 1.25%, Cr 1.07%
33xx Ni 3.50%, Cr 1.50% or 1.57%
34xx Ni 3.00%, Cr 0.77%

Molybdenum steels
40xx Mo 0.20% or 0.25% or 0.25% Mo & 0.042 S[3]
44xx Mo 0.40% or 0.52%

Chromium-molybdenum (Chromoly) steels

41xx Cr 0.50% or 0.80% or 0.95%, Mo 0.12% or 0.20% or 0.25%
or 0.30%

Nickel-chromium-molybdenum steels
43xx Ni 1.82%, Cr 0.50% to 0.80%, Mo 0.25%
43BVxx Ni 1.82%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.12% or 0.35%, V 0.03% min
47xx Ni 1.05%, Cr 0.45%, Mo 0.20% or 0.35%
81xx Ni 0.30%, Cr 0.40%, Mo 0.12%
81Bxx Ni 0.30%, Cr 0.45%, Mo 0.12%[3]
86xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.20%
87xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.25%
88xx Ni 3.25%, Cr 1.20%, Mo 0.12%
94xx Ni 0.45%, Cr 0.40%, Mo 0.12%
97xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.20%, Mo 0.20%
98xx Ni 1.00%, Cr 0.80%, Mo 0.25%

Nickel-molybdenum steels
46xx Ni 0.85% or 1.82%, Mo 0.20% or 0.25%
48xx Ni 3.50%, Mo 0.25%

Chromium steels
50xx Cr 0.27% or 0.40% or 0.50% or 0.65%
50xxx Cr 0.50%, C 1.00% min
50Bxx Cr 0.28% or 0.50%[3]
51xx Cr 0.80% or 0.87% or 0.92% or 1.00% or 1.05%
51xxx Cr 1.02%, C 1.00% min
51Bxx Cr 0.80%[3]
52xxx Cr 1.45%, C 1.00% min
Chromium-vanadium steels
61xx Cr 0.60% or 0.80% or 0.95%, V 0.10% or 0.15% min
Tungsten-chromium steels
72xx W 1.75%, Cr 0.75%
Silicon-manganese steels
92xx Si 1.40% or 2.00%, Mn 0.65% or 0.82% or 0.85%, Cr
0.00% or 0.65%

High-strength low-alloy steels

9xx Various SAE grades
xxBxx Boron steels
xxLxx Leaded steels

Forging temperature
Steel - 9600C to 12500C
Stainless Steel - 9000C to 11500C

3.1.2 Aluminium
Aluminium is a chemical element in the boron group with symbol Al and atomic number 13. It is
silvery white, and it is not soluble in water under normal circumstances.

Aluminium is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon), and the most
abundant metal, in the Earth's crust. It makes up about 8% by weight of the Earth's solid surface.
Aluminium metal is so chemically reactive that native specimens are rare and limited to extreme
reducing environments. Instead, it is found combined in over 270 different minerals. The chief ore
of aluminium is bauxite.

Aluminium is remarkable for the metal's low density and for its ability to resist corrosion
due to the phenomenon of passivation. Structural components made from aluminium and its alloys
are vital to the aerospace industry and are important in other areas of transportation and structural
materials. The most useful compounds of aluminium, at least on a weight basis, are the oxides and
sulphates.

Aluminium Forgings are predominantly used in the automobile, electrical and pneumatic
tools industry. Also aluminium components such as surgical tools, garden implements and even
Golf Club heads are almost always produced through aluminium forging.

Forging temperature - 3500C to 4400C

3.1.3 Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and
is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant (including sea water, aqua regia and chlorine) transition
metal with a silver color.

The two most useful properties of the metal form are corrosion resistance and the highest
strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some
steels, but 45% lighter.

Titanium is fairly hard (although not as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel), non-
magnetic and a poor conductor of heat and electricity. Machining requires precautions, as the
material will soften and gall if sharp tools and proper cooling methods are not used.

Forging temperature - 8500C to 9400C

3.2 FORGING
Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive
forces. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is performed: "cold",
"warm", or "hot" forging. Forged parts can range in weight from less than a kilogram to 580 metric
tons. Forged parts usually require further processing to achieve a finished part.

Forging can produce a piece that is stronger than an equivalent cast or machined part. As
the metal is shaped during the forging process, its internal grain deforms to follow the general
shape of the part. As a result, the grain is continuous throughout the part, giving rise to a piece
with improved strength characteristics.

Some metals may be forged cold, but iron and steel are almost always hot forged. Hot
forging prevents the work hardening that would result from cold forging, which would increase the
difficulty of performing secondary machining operations on the piece. Also, while work hardening
may be desirable in some circumstances, other methods of hardening the piece, such as heat
treating, are generally more economical and more controllable. Alloys that are amenable to
precipitation hardening, such as most aluminium alloys and titanium, can be hot forged, followed
by hardening.

Production forging involves significant capital expenditure for machinery, tooling, facilities
and personnel. In the case of hot forging, a high-temperature furnace (sometimes referred to as
the forge) is required to heat ingots or billets. Owing to the massiveness of large forging hammers
and presses and the parts they can produce, as well as the dangers inherent in working with hot
metal, a special building is frequently required to house the operation. In the case of drop forging
operations, provisions must be made to absorb the shock and vibration generated by the hammer.
Most forging operations use metal-forming dies, which must be precisely machined and carefully
heat-treated to correctly shape the work piece, as well as to withstand the tremendous forces
involved.

3.2.1 Upset forging

Upset forging increases the diameter of the workpiece by compressing its length. Based on number
of pieces produced this is the most widely used forging process. A few examples of common parts
produced using the upset forging process are engine valves, couplings, bolts, screws, and other
fasteners.

Upset forging is usually done in special high-speed machines called crank presses, but
upsetting can also be done in a vertical crank press or a hydraulic press. The machines are usually
set up to work in the horizontal plane, to facilitate the quick
exchange of workpieces from one station to the next. The initial workpiece is usually wire or rod,
but some machines can accept bars up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in diameter and a capacity of over 1000
tons. The standard upsetting machine employs split dies that contain multiple cavities. The dies
open enough to allow the workpiece to move from one cavity to the next; the dies then close and
the heading tool, or ram, then moves longitudinally against the bar, upsetting it into the cavity. If all
of the cavities are utilized on every cycle then a finished part will be produced with every cycle,
which makes this process advantageous for mass production.

These rules must be followed when designing parts to be upset forged:

 The length of unsupported metal that can be upset in one blow without injurious buckling
should be limited to three times the diameter of the bar.
 Lengths of stock greater than three times the diameter may be upset successfully provided
that the diameter of the upset is not more than 1.5 times the diameter of the stock.
 In an upset requiring stock length greater than three times the diameter of the stock, and
where the diameter of the cavity is not more than 1.5 times the diameter of the stock, the
length of unsupported metal beyond the face of the die must not exceed the diameter of
the bar.

3.2.2 Drop forging

Drop forging is a forging process where a hammer is raised up and then "dropped" onto the
workpiece to deform it according to the shape of the die. There are two types of drop forging:
open-die drop forging and closed-die drop forging.

3.2.2.1 Open Die Drop Forging

Open-die forging is also known as smith forging. In open-die forging, a hammer strikes and deforms
the workpiece, which is placed on a stationary anvil. Open-die forging gets its name from the fact
that the dies (the surfaces that are in contact with the workpiece) do not enclose the workpiece,
allowing it to flow except where contacted by the dies. Therefore the operator, or a robot, needs to
orient and position the workpiece to get the desired shape. The dies are usually flat in shape, but
some have a specially shaped surface for specialized operations. For example, a die may have a
round, concave, or convex surface or be a tool to form holes or be a cut-off tool.

Open-die forging lends itself to short runs and is appropriate for art smithing and custom
work. In some cases, open-die forging may be employed to rough-shape ingots to prepare them for
subsequent operations. Open-die forging may also orient the grain to increase strength in the
required direction.
3.2.2.2 Closed Die Drop Forging

Closed die drop forging sometimes referred to as impression die forging comprises of a die on the
anvil which resembles a mould, the ram which falls and strikes the top of the work piece can also
be equipped with a die. The metal work piece is heated and placed on the lower die while the ram
falls down forcing the metal to fill the contours of the die blocks. The ram may impact the work
several times to ensure all of the contours are filled, with all the pressure put on the work piece its
common place to get metal flow between the dies called flash, however the flash due to its
decreased size cools relatively quickly and therefore helps block or reduce further flow between
the dies. This flash will have to be trimmed off once forging is complete.
3.3 FORGING HAMMERS

The most common type of forging equipment is the hammer and anvil. Principles behind the
hammer and anvil are still used today in drop-hammer equipment. The principle behind the
machine is simple: raise the hammer and drop it or propel it into the workpiece, which rests on the
anvil. The main variations between drop-hammers are in the way the hammer is powered; the
most common being air and steam hammers. Drop-hammers usually operate in a vertical position.
The main reason for this is excess energy (energy that isn't used to deform the workpiece) that isn't
released as heat or sound needs to be transmitted to the foundation. Moreover, a large machine
base is needed to absorb the impacts.

To overcome some shortcomings of the drop-hammer, the counterblow machine or

impactor is used. In a counterblow machine both the hammer and anvil move and the workpiece is
held between them. Here excess energy becomes recoil. This allows the machine to work
horizontally and have a smaller base. Other advantages include less noise, heat and vibration. It
also produces a distinctly different flow pattern. Both of these machines can be used for open-die
or closed-die forging.

Forging hammers employed at SIFL include 16 T, 6 T,10 T and 1T hammers.

3.3 FORGING PRESSES

A forging press, often just called a press, is used for press forging. There are two main types:
mechanical and hydraulic presses. Mechanical presses function by using cams, cranks and/or
toggles to produce a preset (a predetermined force at a certain location in the stroke) and
reproducible stroke. Due to the nature of this type of system, different forces are available at
different stroke positions. Mechanical presses are faster than their hydraulic counterparts (up to 50
strokes per minute). Their capacities range from 3 to 160 MN (300 to 18,000 short tons-force).
Hydraulic presses use fluid pressure and a piston to generate force. The advantages of a hydraulic
press over a mechanical press are its flexibility and greater capacity. The disadvantages include a
slower, larger, and costlier machine to operate.

Two forging presses are employed at SIFL having capacities 500 Ton and 1000
Ton.
3.4 DIES

In forging processes, several operations are often required to achieve gradual metal flow from a
simple shape of initial billet to a more complex shape of the desired final forging. Amongst various
kinds of preforming operations, the blocker is the stage that is normally used before the finishing
operation. The geometry of the blocker cavity is often similar to that of the finisher. An appropriate
design of the blocker preform can lead to a defect-free metal flow in the final forging operation and
complete die-filling with minimum metal loss and die wear. However, the optimum design of the
blocker die is an extremely difficult task and is known to be an art by itself, requiring skills that are
achieved only by years of extensive experience.

3.5.1 Die materials

The exact material used to make a forging die is dependant upon all the details of that particular
forging process. In general a forging die must be tough, possess high strength and hardness at
elevated temperatures, good shock resistance, resistance to thermal gradients, hardenability and
ability to withstand abrasive wear. During the manufacture of a hot forged part the mold is usually
preheated before the operation begins. Preheating die reduces thermal cycling that can cause
cracks in the die.

Forging die are hardened and tempered. Mold dimensions must account for shrinkage of
the work, as well as extra material allowances for the finishing of the part. The abrasive wear
present in hot forging operations is due largely to the scale on the work piece. Much of the scale
can be removed from the blank immediately after heating in the furnace, prior to the forging of the
part. Adequate lubrication can also greatly mitigate wear. Sometimes a mold may be assembled
using different sections. These sections, called die inserts are manufactured separately and may be
of different materials. Complex cavities can be produced easier with die inserts, also different
sections of the mold can be individually replaced.

Some factors to consider when determining the material composition of a forging mold are,
type of metal forming operation, number of forgings desired, size of forged part, complexity of
forged part, type of machinery to be used, temperature that the part will be forged at, and the cost
of materials. Forging die are made from tool steels, that depending upon process criteria are
alloyed with various levels of one or more of these materials, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium,
and nickel. Die blocks are cast from the alloy, metal formed, then machined, and finished. The die
material used most of the time is DIN2714.
DIN2714:-
This is an alloy used for making dies in forging. It is highly recommendable for Close Die Forgings
due to its characteristics of high wear-resistance, extra toughness , high hardness which is achieved
with Cr-Ni-Mo-V high graded alloys.
Its composition consists of:-

3.5.2 Forging Die Design

Forging die design will always depend on the factors and requirements of the manufacturing
process. However, there are some general principles to consider for good forging die design. During
the forging process metal is flowing under pressure to fill the impression within the mold. Similar to
the metal casting process of die casting, in forging, an increase in pressure on the metal within the
mold will increase the ability to fill the mold completely. One main difference being that in die
casting the metal is liquid, while in forging, the work is a solid metal above or below its
recrystallization temperature. Smaller, thinner, longer, and more complex sections can be
produced with more pressure, but too much pressure within the mold is bad because it can
damage the die and machinery.

The formation of flash is an important part of impression die forging manufacture. First,
flash provides a way for excess material from the work piece to exit the mold. If this material could
not escape during compression, the build up of pressure as the volume of work metal exceeded the
volume of the mold could easily crack the die. Flash, while allowing material to escape does
increase the pressure within the die cavity (mold). Flash must travel through a narrow passage
called land before it opens up into a gutter. As it flows through land, the friction between the flash
and the mating surfaces resists further flow of material out of the mold, increasing pressure within
the mold. In addition the cooling of the flash from the mating surfaces increases resistance to flow
of material out of the mold, thus also increasing pressure within the die cavity. A longer land will
cause the flash to have to flow further under resistance increasing the mold pressure. Decreasing
the width of land will increase the cooling rate of the flash, as the temperature goes down the
metals resistance to flow goes up. More resistance to flow will cause a thinner land to have higher
mold pressure. The pressure within the die cavity is often controlled by varying the width of land.

3.6 LUBRICATION IN INDUSTRIAL FORGING

Frictional forces within the mold, between the work and the surfaces of the die cavity, have a large
influence over the flow of material in a forging operation. Lubricants are used in industrial forging
production in order to lower frictional forces, and enact a smoother flow of metal through the
mold. In addition they are used to slow the cooling of the work and reduce temperature gradients
in hot forging manufacture, serving as a thermal barrier between the metal and the mold.
Lubricants also help keep the metal and die surfaces from sticking together and assist in the
removal of the forging from the die. Common lubricants used in modern forging industry include,
water, mineral oil, soap, saw dust, graphite, molybdenum disulfide, and liquid glass.
3.7 HEAT TREATMENT

Heat treating is a group of industrial and metalworking processes used to alter the physical, and
sometimes chemical, properties of a material. The most common application is metallurgical. Heat
treatments are also used in the manufacture of many other materials, such as glass. Heat
treatment involves the use of heating or chilling, normally to extreme temperatures, to achieve a
desired result such as hardening or softening of a material. Heat treatment techniques include
annealing, case hardening, precipitation strengthening, tempering and quenching. It is noteworthy
that while the term heat treatment applies only to processes where the heating and cooling are
done for the specific purpose of altering properties intentionally, heating and cooling often occur
incidentally during other manufacturing processes such as hot forming or welding.

3.7.1 Physical Processes

Metallic materials consist of a microstructure of small crystals called "grains" or crystallites. The
nature of the grains (i.e. grain size and composition) is one of the most effective factors that can
determine the overall mechanical behaviour of the metal. Heat treatment provides an efficient way
to manipulate the properties of the metal by controlling the rate of diffusion and the rate of cooling
within the microstructure. Heat treating is often used to alter the mechanical properties of an alloy,
manipulating properties such as the hardness, strength, toughness, ductility, and elasticity.

There are two mechanisms that may change an alloy's properties during heat treatment.
The martensite transformation causes the crystals to deform intrinsically. The diffusion mechanism
causes changes in the homogeneity of the alloy.

3.7.2 Annealing
Annealing is a rather generalized term. Annealing consists of heating a metal to a specific
temperature and then cooling at a rate that will produce a refined microstructure. Annealing is
most often used to soften a metal for cold working, to improve machinability, or to enhance
properties like electrical conductivity.

In ferrous alloys, annealing is usually accomplished by heating the metal beyond the upper
critical temperature and then cooling very slowly, resulting in the formation of pearlite. In both
pure metals and many alloys that can not be heat treated, annealing is used to remove the
hardness caused by cold working. The metal is heated to a temperature where recrystallization can
occur, thereby repairing the defects caused by plastic deformation. In these metals, the rate of
cooling will usually have little effect. Most non-ferrous alloys that are heat-treatable are also
annealed to relieve the hardness of cold working. These may be slowly cooled to allow full
precipitation of the constituents and produce a refined microstructure.
 Ferrous alloys are usually either "full annealed" or "process annealed." Full annealing
requires very slow cooling rates, in order to form coarse pearlite. In process annealing, the cooling
rate may be faster; up to, and including normalizing. The main goal of process annealing is to
produce a uniform microstructure. Non-ferrous alloys are often subjected to a variety of annealing
techniques, including "recrystallization annealing," "partial annealing," "full annealing," and "final
annealing." Not all annealing techniques involve recrystallization, such as stress relieving.

3.7.3 Normalizing

Normalizing is a technique used to provide uniformity in grain size and composition throughout an
alloy. The term is often used for ferrous alloys that have been heated above the upper critical
temperature and then cooled in open air.[17] Normalizing not only produces pearlite, but also
bainite and sometimes martensite, which gives harder and stronger steel, but with less ductility for
the same composition than full annealing.

3.7.4 Quenching

Quenching is a process of cooling a metal very quickly. This is most often done to produce a
martensite transformation. In ferrous alloys, this will often produce a harder metal, while non-
ferrous alloys will usually become softer than normal.

To harden by quenching, a metal (usually steel or cast iron) must be heated above the
upper critical temperature and then quickly cooled. Depending on the alloy and other
considerations (such as concern for maximum hardness vs. cracking and distortion), cooling may be
done with forced air or other gases, (such as nitrogen). Liquids may be used, due to their better
thermal conductivity, such as water, oil, a polymer dissolved in water, or a brine. Upon being
rapidly cooled, a portion of austenite (dependent on alloy composition) will transform to
martensite, a hard, brittle crystalline structure. The quenched hardness of a metal depends on its
chemical composition and quenching method. Cooling speeds, from fastest to slowest, go from
polymer (i.e. silicon), brine, fresh water, oil, and forced air. However, quenching a certain steel too
fast can result in cracking, which is why high-tensile steels such as AISI 4140 should be quenched in
oil, tool steels such as ISO 1.2767 or H13 hot work tool steel should be quenched in forced air, and
low alloy or medium-tensile steels such as XK1320 or AISI 1040 should be quenched in brine or
water.

However, most non-ferrous metals, like alloys of copper, aluminium, or nickel, and some
high alloy steels such as austenitic stainless steel (304, 316), produce an
opposite effect when these are quenched: they soften. Austenitic stainless steels must be quenched to
become fully corrosion resistant, as they work-harden significantly.

3.7.5 Tempering

Untempered martensitic steel, while very hard, is too brittle to be useful for most
applications. A method for alleviating this problem is called tempering. Most applications require
that quenched parts be tempered. Tempering consists of heating a steel below the lower critical
temperature, (often from 400 to 1105 ˚F or 205 to 595 ˚C, depending on the desired results), to
impart some toughness. Higher tempering temperatures, (may be up to 1,300 ˚F or 700 ˚C,
depending on the alloy and application), are sometimes used to impart further ductility, although
some yield strength is lost.

Tempering may also be performed on normalized steels. Other methods of tempering

consist of quenching to a specific temperature, which is above the martensite start temperature,
and then holding it there until pure bainite can form or internal stresses can be relieved. These
include austempering and martempering.

3.8 TESTING AND INSPECTION

The different types of testing processes include

Non-Destructive testing

o Ultrasonic testing
o Magnetic particle
o Dye penetrant

Physical/chemical testing

o Tensile strength
o Charpy impact
o Drop weight
o Metallography
o Mass spectrography
o Radiography
o Brinell and Rockwell hardness
o Alloy separation
3.8.1 Ultrasonic testing

The product is tested with sound wave emission and the amount of waves coming back is indicating
if some non conformities are present. The problem is that it cannot be performed on every
material. The austenitic material is difficult to test as well as the grey (flake) and malleable irons.
The other problem is that the operator is reading the result on the screen and that there is no
prove for later discussion in the form of a paper or file. The advantage is that the equipment is not
expensive and the tests can be done everywhere. The second advantage is that the location of the
non conformance is easy to state (with simple calculations).
The method can also be used for:

1. structure and graphite morphology testing, using the value of the sound
velocity
2. thickness measurements.

3.8.2 Magnetic Particle Testing

This test is used to detect non-conformities in and just below the surface. Depending on the
strength of the magnetic field, the thickness of the tested surface layer is set. It requires a set up
location that can be darkened to have a good picture of the involved indications. The length as well
as the surface of the non-conformity is measured and evaluated with the standard descriptions.
The advantage is that it can also measure the layer below the surface and the result is easier to
evaluate for irons (materials with a loose structure). The disadvantage is that it requires a conform
location and the equipment can cost a lot (especially the high current types for deep testing).

The chemical which illuminates the deformities is Magnaglo-410.

3.8.3 Dye penetrant test

The liquid penetrant method does use a penetrating fluid, which does fill every surface non-
conformity like:
1. cracks
2. surface porosity
3. open structure (irons).
It must be properly applied and a picture can be taken. The result is evaluated by the comparison
with reference pictures, provided with the standards. The disadvantage is that it is time consuming
and it uses products, which must be removed completely after the test to avoid surface damage
like corrosion. Most of the tests are done without pictures, which anyhow must be taken on the
prescribed time to be valid. The advantage is that it is, especially for small surface area very cheap
and does not require an investment in equipment. The other advantage is that it can be used for all
types of materials.
 4. DEPARTMENTS IN SIFL

The following are the main departments in SIFL :

4.1 Technical Department
4.2 Production Planning and Control (PPC)
4.3 Quality Assurance (QA)
4.4 Heat Treatment and Laboratory (HT & Lab)
4.5 Die Shop
4.6 Forging Shop
4.7 Maintenance Department
4.8 Materials Management Department
4.9 Finishing & Dispatch (F&D)

4.1 TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT

The technical department initiates all the processes at SIFL. When a customer makes
his order at SIFL, the technical department determines the feasibility of the product
and prepares the estimate for the product. If both the customer and the company
agrees over the estimate, SIFL proceeds with the order. Technical department
enquires about the requirements, facilities and equipments available at the company
for production. If any of the requirement is not available in the company they make
provisions for either procuring them from an external source or developing it at the
company itself.

Technical department is responsible for preparing all the designs required

for the job. These designs include blocker design, if required, finisher design, die
design etc... It also prepares the drawings for these. Computer softwares are
used for drawing and drafting purposes. The important softwares include
SolidWorks, Catia, Pro-E, MasterCAM. Technical department prepares the
process sheet for each job.

As per the requirements of the customer technical department gives the

order for procuring the material of the job. The materials forged at SIFL are steel,
stainless steel, aluminium and titanium. Steel is purchased from Steel Authority of
India Limited (SAIL).

4.2 PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL (PPC)

At SIFL it is usually referred by its abbreviation PPC. When the technical department
give its nod for a job, it is then forwarded to the PPC. PPC after contacting with every
departments, prepares the schedule for the job. This
schedule includes all the operations to be performed on the job like cutting material,
upsetting, finisher forging, heat treatment, shot blasting, grinding, inspection etc..

PPC also prepares the daily and monthly schedules for each department. If any
of the operations could not be completed on time as expected, PPC makes the
required adjustments on the schedule. Also it allots some backup time for each job in
case anything goes wrong. Sundays are usually allotted for maintenance department.

4.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA)

QA is one of the most important department of SIFL. After each stage of production
QA is responsible for checking the quality of every single job. The customer may
have certain demands for a job in terms of its hardness, strength, finish and it is the
duty of QA department to ensure this. QA uses many state-of-the-art techniques for
ensuring quality like equo tip hardness tester, spectrography etc..

The main methods used by QA include

o Ultrasonic testing
o Magnetic particle
o Dye penetrant
o Tensile strength
o Charpy impact
o Mass spectrography
o Brinell and Rockwell hardness

4.4 HEAT TREATMENT AND LABORATORY

The heat treatment system with its charging machine is one of the latest and best available in
the country. The facilities include oil fired, electrical continous and bogie hearth furnaces, muffle
furnaces etc. to carry out annealing, normalizing, hardening, tempering, isothermal annealing
etc. or any other operations as specified by the customers. There are about 10 furnaces in the HT
department. Charging machine is used to load the jobs into the furnaces and it has movement in
many axes.

Quenching facilities available at the heat treatment shop are oil quenching, water
quenching and air quenching. QA department carry out the hardness testing
process for each and every job and if any corrections are required, they suggest the retreatments as
necessary.

4.5 DIE DESIGN

SIFL designs both single and multi-impression dies. SIFL uses CAD/CAM facilities for die design
and developments. This helps SIFL to grow quickly into a premier steel forings unit, capable of
producing highly complex and precision closed die forgings with close dimensional tolerances.

Numerous machine tools are employed at SIFL for developing the dies. A HMT make CNC
lathe and Johnford make CNC milling machine are used in the die shop.
The commonly used machines like conventional lathes, milling machines, drilling machines,
coping machines etc. are also used. Templates are prepared for every die designs to check the
die impressions for dimensional tolerances.

For a job it may require to make several blockers and finishers and the die shop is entitled
to prepare all these. Material used for making die is a special grade of steel DIN2714 . SIFL cuts the
required angles for the dovetail for holding it in the hammer. It also bores the holes for both 16T
,10T &6Thammers.

4.6 FORGING SHOP

Forging shop can be said as the core department of SIFL. It is from here that the required shape of
the job is produced. Forging shop currently employs three hammers of capacities 1 ton, 6 ton, 10
ton & 16 Ton. The dies are fixed on the hammer with keys and locks. The upper die is fixed on the
moveable part i.e. piston of the hammer and the lower die is fixed on the stationary vice. The steel
and aluminium billets are first heated to the red hot condition in an oil furnace whereas titanium
billet is heated in an electric furnace and then placed on the die with the help of tongs. The
hammer is dropped from a height on to the workpiece several times until the required shape is
achieved. Mechanism used for lifting and dropping hammer is pneumatic valve mechanism. 6T
hammer uses two valves and 10T hammer uses a single valve mechanism.

After drop forging the flash of the job are removed by presses. Two presses are used at
SIFL of capacities 500 ton and 1000 ton.
 4.7 MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT

Maintenance department carries out predictive maintenance at regular intervals. Sundays are
usually allotted for maintenance works when no other works are held at the company.
Maintenance engineers carry out operations like inspection, testing, repairing, lubrication level
checking etc. Also breakdown maintenance are performed in case of breakdown of any machines.
A breakdown of any machines cause bottleneck of production. Sometimes experts from outside the
company may be required to perform the repairing operations such as the complex welding
processes performed by L&T personnels.

4.8 MATERIALS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT (MMD)

This department is responsible for the storage and management of the materials, jobs and all other
equipments required for the processes. It houses a store for storing the tools and devices like the
drill bits, cutting tools, grinders, nuts, bolts etc. MMD keeps a Goods Receipt Inspection Note
(GRIN) for everything received at the store and it requires a Storage Requisition note for any
department to obtain anything from the store. Goods inquired by a department will not be
supplied to any other department from the store. Monthly assessment is done for the things
stored at the store. It also carries out yearly auditing.

4.9 FINISHING AND DISPATCH

Finishing and Dispatch department is responsible for finishing the job and reaching it to the customer in
the demanded condition. Smaller finishing operations like coarse and fine grinding is carried out at SIFL
plant in Athani and for higher finishing operations requiring high grades of finish are either machined at
the SIFL machining unit in Shoranur or outsourced to external agencies. Punching operations as demanded
by the customer are also performed at SIFL. Finished products are finally dispatched to the customer on
their scheduled time.
CONCLUSION

Steel and Industrial Forgings Limited (SIFL) is a premier industry in the manufacturing sector of
India. It is the numero uno company in South India in terms of jobs produced. With a realistic
production capacity is 5000MT/annum of closed die forgings, SIFL specializes in the medium and
heavy range of forgins of alloy steel, super alloys, aluminium and titanium.

Untiring efforts of two decaded has saddled firmly in the forging industry scenario of India
and abroad with best ratings for its products and services. Forgings with a exquisite designs and
shapes, flawless forms and contours, broadbands and spectra of metals including titanium and
aluminium: all in wide range of weights and unmatched quality have made SIFL the most sought
after Forge shop in the country for critical components.

Competence and willingness of SIFL to take up forgings in special alloys and materials of
unique chemistry has stood SIFL in good stead for assuring a niche market in the premium weight
range for a variety of forgings. SIFL have so far developed more than 700 different forgings for
various applications.

REFERENCE
[1] SIFL brochure