China’s Shandong Iraeta Heavy Industry Co. recently rolled off a huge seamless stainless steel forged ring, which it claims is the world’s largest. The ring, which weighs 150 tons and measures 51 feet (15.6 meters) in diameter, was manufactured as the key part of a nuclear power unit. The product was developed by the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ordered by the China National Nuclear Corporation. It is expected to play the supporting function in a nuclear reactor vessel to withstand pressure of up to 7,000 tons. The giant steel structure was produced by welding segmented sections into an assembly.

Ellwood Group Inc. of Ellwood City, Pa., will acquire McInnes Rolled Rings, a manufacturer of seamless carbon, alloy and stainless steel rolled rings. The deal is scheduled to close on March 31, and Ellwood expects to run Erie, Pa.-based McInnes independently as a wholly owned subsidiary. Operations at both companies are expected to continue seamlessly throughout the acquisition process. The deal fits Ellwood’s strategy to provide quality metals and custom-engineered components for critical applications around the world.

SMS group received an order from Dongfeng Forging Co., part of commercial vehicle manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group, for the supply of an eccentric forging press with a forging force of 5,000 tons for its plant in Shiyan, Hubei Province, China. Dongfeng Forging, which operates a total of 26 forging lines at this site, intends to use the new forging press to manufacture light-truck crankshafts with a maximum finished part weight of 47 pounds (21.5 kg). The closed-die press will forge parts fully automatically with a nominal forging force of 50 MN.

The Forging Industry Association (FIA) announced a new partnership with Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas (MCRT), a bipartisan government-affairs consultancy. MCRT helps its clients develop winning strategies by educating and building relationships with key policymakers in Congress, the White House, government agencies and regulatory bodies. As FIA’s new lobby firm, they will work with the association to facilitate and advance its advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. They will also help coordinate FIA Lobby Day, an annual event that offers FIA members an opportunity to meet with key members of the U.S. House and Senate.

On Feb. 8, 2019, Arconic Inc. announced its decision to split itself into two separate companies: Engineered Products & Forgings and Global Rolled Products (GRP). The two businesses will focus on, respectively, the production of finished parts and the production of sheet. The company says it is considering the sale of operations and assets that do not fit its new organizational model. Also, it has reduced its dividend from $.06/share to $.02/share.

The forging industry will meet in Cleveland for the third consecutive time at Forge Fair 2019. The new Huntington Convention Center will host the biennial event May 21-23, 2019.

SMS group received an order from Musashi Europe for the delivery of a 5,000-ton eccentric forging press for its plant in Bockenau, Germany. Commissioning of the closed-die forging press is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019. The press will enable Musashi Europe to produce large rotationally symmetric forgings for passenger cars and truck applications in a highly efficient, fully automatic production process.

Are we starting to see the signs of an “extinction-level event” as future vehicle innovation accelerates?

SMS group received an order from China’s Sichuan Liuhe Forging Co. for a high-speed, 50/55 MN open-die forging press. The press is a two-column, push-down design and features a table shifter and die shifting unit. Operating with a press force of up to 50 MN and a maximum upsetting force of 55 MN, it is suited to forging high-quality products with finished dimensions within the close tolerance range of ±1 mm.