Nakamura Iron Works, Japan, has placed an order with SMS Meer, Germany, for an 8,000-tonne open-die forging press.

This strategic investment, the largest press at Nakamura Iron Works, is being made to reduce costs and improve the qualities of the materials that are difficult to process.

The plant currently has five forging presses. The new press is necessary because the largest existing press, rated at 4,000 tonnes, does not have adequate power to sufficiently improve the microstructure of nonferrous metals. The new press will also facilitate the manufacture of larger
chambers for the next generation of liquid crystal production.

The new 8,000-tonne two-column press from SMS Meer is capable of flexibly producing forgings with complex forms. The weight of these products can be as high as 50 tonnes. While the main application will be the pressing of materials that are difficult to process, e.g. superalloys, the press will also be used to forge structural steels. As a result of the installation of the new press, the plant’s production capacity will be increased to 1,500 tonnes per month.

Erection of the press is scheduled to commence in October 2005, with production due to start in March 2006.

Nakamura Iron Works’ plant in Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture, is specialized in the open-die forging of high-grade materials including nonferrous alloys (copper, aluminum and titanium), tool steel, stainless steel and high-alloy materials. Its monthly production capacity is 1,000 tonnes. Forgings are used as component parts for industrial machinery, ships and vessels, aircraft and nuclear power plants. Nakamura Iron Works is a market leader in these segments.

SMS Meer GmbH forms part of the Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology Business Area of the SMS group, which is internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering relating to the processing of steel, non-ferrous metals and plastics. The group is divided into the Business Areas of Metallurgical Plant and Rolling Mill Technology, Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology and Plastics Technology. In the year 2003 around 9,500 employees worldwide generated a turnover of around EUR 2.20 billion.