Forging forming device and method for nickel-based superalloy annular piece difficult to deform

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of annular forge piece manufacturing, in particular to a forging forming device and method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy annular piece. The device comprises a base, a carrier roller assembly, a clamping fixture, a driving roller, a pulsation column and a core roller mechanism, the carrier roller assembly is used for supporting and limiting the annular clamping fixture, the clamping fixture is used for clamping and fixing the nickel-based superalloy annular part, and a special-shaped forming cavity used for forming the annular forge piece supporting column is formed in the side wall of the clamping fixture in the radial direction in a penetrating mode; the pulsating column is contained at the outer side end of the supporting column forming cavity and is used for pulsating forging of the ring forging supporting column; the core roller mechanism and the driving roller are located on the inner side and the outer side of the clamping fixture respectively, the driving roller is used for driving the clamping fixture to rotate and providing power for pulsation forging of the pulsation column, the core roller mechanism is used for conducting ring forging on the inner side of the nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring piece, and finally the ring forging piece with the ring forging piece supporting column is obtained. Near-net forming forging of the ring forge piece is achieved, the precision and production efficiency of the forge piece are improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ring forging technology, and in particular to a forging apparatus and method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring. Background Technology

[0002] Difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloys have wide applications due to their excellent thermal stability, high-temperature strength and hardness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. They are commonly used in the manufacture of critical engine components. In the manufacturing of ring components, forming is required on a ring rolling mill. The forging process of rolling a small-diameter, thick-walled ring billet into a larger-diameter, thinner-walled ring forging is called ring rolling. Existing rolling technologies can produce ring forgings with various cross-sectional shapes through roll configurations. However, these ring forgings all exhibit axisymmetric rotational characteristics, making it impossible to directly roll ring forgings with support pillars on the outer surface of the rotating body.

[0003] Currently, to obtain ring forgings with support pillars, the support pillars are typically machined onto the forging ring by removing material. This method has several drawbacks: first, it wastes a large amount of material, increasing production costs; second, it disrupts the forging grain flow lines of the forging, affecting its mechanical properties; and third, the machining process is cumbersome, wasting time and reducing production efficiency. Therefore, a new technical solution is urgently needed to address these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a forging apparatus and method for difficult-to-deform nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring parts, thereby solving the problems of existing technologies being unable to directly roll ring forgings with support columns, and the waste of material, disruption of grain flow lines, and wasted time associated with removing material from the support columns. This invention achieves near-net-shape forging of ring forgings, improves forging accuracy and production efficiency, and reduces production costs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] This invention provides a forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part, comprising a base and a roller assembly, a die, a drive roller, a pulsating column, and a core roller mechanism disposed on the base. The roller assembly is used to support and limit the die, and the die is used to clamp and fix the nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part. The die has a ring structure and a radially through irregularly shaped forming cavity on its side wall. The irregularly shaped forming cavity is used for forming the ring forging support column. The pulsating column is accommodated at the outer end of the support column forming cavity and extends to the outer side of the support column forming cavity. The pulsating column is used for the pulsating forging of the ring forging support column.

[0007] The mandrel mechanism and the drive roller are located on the inner and outer sides of the die, respectively. The drive roller is used to drive the die to rotate and provide power for the pulsating forging of the pulsating column. The mandrel mechanism is used to perform ring forging on the inner side of the nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring, and finally obtain a ring forging with a ring forging support column.

[0008] The core roller mechanism includes a core roller, a core roller table, and a ring forging drive module. The core roller table is disposed on the base and has the degree of freedom to move radially along the fixture. The core roller is rotatably mounted on the core roller table. The ring forging drive module is disposed within the base and is used to provide power for the radial movement of the core roller table and the rotation of the core roller.

[0009] The drive roller includes a lower drive roller, an upper drive roller, and a middle drive roller. The lower drive roller is rotatably mounted on the base, and the upper drive roller is positioned above the lower drive roller and fixedly connected to it. The upper drive roller and the lower drive roller are used to provide power for the rotation of the fixture.

[0010] There is an installation space between the upper drive roller and the lower drive roller. The middle drive roller is housed in the installation space and slides up and down with the lower drive roller. A lifting hydraulic chamber is formed between the middle drive roller and the lower drive roller. The lifting hydraulic chamber is connected to the hydraulic infinite rotary joint through a lubricating oil circuit. The middle drive roller is used to drive the die to rotate and to provide power for the pulsating forging of the pulsating column.

[0011] The base is equipped with a rotary drive module for driving the drive roller to rotate.

[0012] The mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold with identical structures. The mating surfaces of the upper and lower molds are provided with radially arranged receiving grooves. After the upper and lower molds are closed, the two corresponding receiving grooves form the irregular forming cavity.

[0013] The ring forging support column is spindle-shaped and includes a support column root, a support column middle and a support column head arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The diameter of the support column middle is larger than the diameter of the support column root and the support column head, and the support column root and the ring forging are rounded.

[0014] The pulsating column has a stepped shaft structure, including a root, a middle, and a head arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The root and middle of the pulsating column are both cylindrical, and the diameter of the middle is larger than that of the root. The end face of the root contacts the ring forging support column. The head of the pulsating column has a square structure, and a pulsating column cam is provided on the outer end face.

[0015] The idler roller assembly includes a plurality of idler rollers arranged at intervals along the circumference. Each idler roller is arranged radially along the fixture and is supported at both ends by two columns. The idler roller 4 can rotate relative to the two columns 3. The upper ends of the two columns protrude above the idler roller to radially limit the fixture.

[0016] The base is equipped with a vision system, which can effectively calibrate the accuracy of the ring forging simulation software.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention provides a forging method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring using the apparatus described above, comprising the following steps:

[0018] Step S1: Select metal rod-shaped raw material, cut it according to the size requirements of the ring forging, and then perform upsetting treatment on the raw material to make the length and thickness of the raw material meet the requirements of subsequent processing.

[0019] Step S2: Punch the upsetting raw material to open up the center of the raw material and form a preliminary ring-shaped blank;

[0020] Step S3: The punched annular blank is enlarged using a frame to make the hole diameter meet the design requirements, while achieving a reasonable distribution of the raw material volume, and finally obtaining an annular blank with a rectangular cross section.

[0021] Step S4: Fix the ring blank onto the fixture and perform heat treatment;

[0022] Step S5: Place the heat-treated ring blank and die onto the idler roller assembly for ring forging. Under the action of the drive roller and core roller mechanism, the ring blank is gradually formed into a ring forging.

[0023] Step S6: Drive the middle roller to extrude the pulsating column according to the process requirements, so that the ring forging support column of the pulsating column is subjected to pulsating forging;

[0024] Step S7: The ring forging is performed by driving the lower roller, driving the upper roller and the core roller to perform closed generatrix ring forging. This process belongs to triaxial compressive stress forging and obtains a ring forging that meets the process requirements.

[0025] The present invention has the following beneficial effects and advantages:

[0026] 1. This invention, through its unique device structure and forming process, can directly form ring forgings with spindle-shaped support columns on the outer side, eliminating the need for subsequent material removal and support column processing. This significantly saves material and reduces production costs. Simultaneously, it avoids damage to the grain flow lines of the forging during processing, ensuring the mechanical properties of the forging.

[0027] 2. This invention employs near-net-shape forging technology, which greatly reduces the machining allowance of ring forgings, reduces machining steps, and significantly improves production efficiency.

[0028] 3. The present invention designs the ring forging support column as a spindle shape, and achieves local grain refinement at the root of the support column through pulse forging, thereby improving its bending stress fatigue strength; the middle part of the support column forms local coarse grains, which improves the high temperature creep performance, so that different parts of the support column have specific mechanical properties that meet the requirements of use.

[0029] 4. The present invention uses a pulse forging method with strong filling capacity, which can ensure that the middle part of the support column is fully filled, thus guaranteeing the forming quality of the forging.

[0030] 5. The closed generatrix configuration of the ring forging of the present invention, which drives the lower roller, the upper roller and the core roller to perform closed generatrix contour ring forging of the ring forging, belongs to triaxial compressive stress forging, which can improve the density of the ring forging and further improve the mechanical properties of the forging.

[0031] 6. The vision system in this invention can effectively calibrate the accuracy of the ring forging simulation software, providing a reliable basis for optimizing the forming process and improving the stability and reliability of the process.

[0032] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the written description and the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of a forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring-shaped part according to the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring part according to the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of a portion of point B in the middle;

[0039] Figure 5 This is an isometric view of the ring forging in this invention;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of a portion of point C in the middle;

[0041] Figure 7 This is an isometric view of the pulsating column in this invention;

[0042] Figure 8 This is an isometric view of the fit between the ring forging, the lower die, and the pulsating component in this invention.

[0043] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A magnified view of a portion of point D in the middle.

[0044] In the diagram: 1. Ring forging; 101. Ring forging body; 102. Ring forging support column; 103. Support column root; 104. Support column middle; 105. Support column head; 2. Base; 3. Column; 4. Idler roller; 5. Fixture; 501. Upper fixture; 502. Lower fixture; 503. Receiving groove; 6. Core roller; 7. Drive roller; 701. Drive lower roller; 702. Drive upper roller; 703. Drive middle roller; 704. Lifting hydraulic chamber; 705. Lubrication oil circuit; 706. Hydraulic infinite rotary joint; 8. Core roller table; 9. Pulsating column; 901. Pulsating column root; 902. Pulsating column middle; 903. Pulsating column head; 904. Pulsating column cam; 10. Bolt; 11. Nut; 12. Vision system. Detailed Implementation

[0045] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0047] See Figures 1 to 9As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy annular part, including a base 2 and a roller assembly, a jig 5, a drive roller 7, a pulsating column 9, and a core roller mechanism disposed on the base 2. The roller assembly is used to support and limit the jig 5, which is used to clamp and fix the nickel-based superalloy annular part. The jig 5 has an annular structure and a radially through irregular forming cavity on its side wall. The irregular forming cavity is used for forming the ring forging support column 102. The pulsating column 9 is accommodated at the outer end of the support column forming cavity and extends to the outer side of the support column forming cavity. The pulsating column 9 is used for the pulsating forging of the ring forging support column 102. The core roller mechanism and the drive roller 7 are located inside and outside the jig 5, respectively. The drive roller 7 is used to drive the jig 5 to rotate and provide power for the pulsating forging of the pulsating column 9. The core roller mechanism is used to perform ring forging on the inner side of the nickel-based superalloy annular part, and finally obtains an annular part 1 with the annular forging support column 102.

[0048] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the idler roller assembly includes a plurality of idler rollers 4 arranged circumferentially at intervals. Each idler roller 4 is arranged radially along the die 5 and supported at both ends by two columns 3. The idler roller 4 is rotatable relative to the two columns 3, and the upper ends of the two columns 3 protrude above the idler roller 4 to radially limit the die 5. The idler roller 4 lifts the die 5 from below and forms line contact with the die 5. To ensure stable support of the die 5, it is preferable to arrange three idler rollers 4 at 120° intervals, so that the die 5 is subjected to uniform force during ring forging and to avoid displacement.

[0049] Furthermore, a vision system 12 is provided on the base 2, which can effectively calibrate the accuracy of the ring forging simulation software.

[0050] See Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the die 5 includes an upper die 501 and a lower die 502 with identical structures. The mating surfaces of the upper die 501 and the lower die 502 are provided with receiving grooves 503 along the radial direction. After the upper die 501 and the lower die 502 are molded together, they are connected and fixed by a plurality of bolts 10 and nuts 11. The two corresponding receiving grooves 503 form irregular forming cavities. The contour shape of the irregular forming cavities is adapted to the shape of the ring forging support column 102 and the pulsating column 9.

[0051] In this embodiment, the jig is divided into five symmetrical structures, which are fastened together by bolts and nuts. After assembly, the outer contour precisely covers the main body of the ring forging (upper, lower and outer sides), the side of the support column and the outer side of the pulsating column, providing comprehensive forming constraints for the ring forging and reducing forming deviations. The symmetrical split design facilitates the clamping of the ring billet and the removal of the part after forging, reduces the difficulty of operation and improves the continuity of production.

[0052] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the ring forging 1 includes a ring forging body 101 and one or more ring forging support columns 102 disposed on the outer side wall of the ring forging body 101. The ring forging support column 102 is spindle-shaped and includes a support column root 103, a support column middle portion 104, and a support column head 105 arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The support column middle portion 104 is thicker than the support column root 103 and the support column head 105. This structural design gives the support column root 103 better connection strength, and the support column middle portion 104 can improve high-temperature creep performance.

[0053] Preferably, the root 103, middle part 104, and head 105 of the support column are cylindrical with rounded corners. The diameter of the middle part 104 is larger than the diameter of the root 103 and the head 105. The root 103 is rooted in the ring forging body 101 and has a rounded corner transition with the ring forging body 101 to reduce stress concentration.

[0054] See Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the pulsating column 9 is a stepped shaft structure, including a pulsating column root 901, a pulsating column middle portion 902, and a pulsating column head 903 arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The pulsating column root 901 and the pulsating column middle portion 902 are both cylindrical, and the diameter of the pulsating column middle portion 902 is larger than the diameter of the pulsating column root 901. The end face of the pulsating column root 901 contacts the ring forging support column 102. The pulsating column head 903 has a square structure, and a pulsating column cam 904 is provided on the outer end face. The square structure of the pulsating column head 903 prevents the pulsating column 9 from rotating as a whole.

[0055] The design of the pulsating column 9 enables precise pulsating forging of the ring forging support column 102.

[0056] See Figure 2 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the mandrel mechanism includes a mandrel 6, a mandrel platform 8, and a ring forging drive module. The mandrel platform 8 is disposed on the base 2 and has the freedom to move radially along the fixture 5. The mandrel 6 is rotatably mounted on the mandrel platform 8. The ring forging drive module is disposed within the base 2 and provides power for the radial movement of the mandrel platform 8 and the rotation of the mandrel 6. The rotation axis of the mandrel 6 is orthogonal to the ground. The ring forging drive module drives the mandrel platform 8 to move radially along the fixture 5, thereby allowing the mandrel 6 to move away from or closer to the drive roller 7, thus adjusting the forming size of the ring forging.

[0057] See Figure 3As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the drive roller 7 includes a lower drive roller 701, an upper drive roller 702, and a middle drive roller 703. The lower drive roller 701 is rotatably mounted on the base 2, and the upper drive roller 702 is disposed above the lower drive roller 701 and fixedly connected to it. The upper drive roller 702 and the lower drive roller 701 provide power for the rotation of the fixture 5. An installation space is provided between the upper drive roller 702 and the lower drive roller 701, and the middle drive roller 703 is accommodated in the installation space. Within the space, and in sliding cooperation with the lower drive roller 701, the middle drive roller 703 and the lower drive roller 701 form a lifting hydraulic cavity 704. The lifting hydraulic cavity 704 is connected to a hydraulic infinite rotary joint 706 through a lubrication oil circuit 705. The hydraulic infinite rotary joint 706 is connected to a servo hydraulic system in the base 2, so that the middle drive roller 703 and the lower drive roller 701 form a servo lifting motion pair. The middle drive roller 703 is used to drive the rotation of the jig 5 and provide power for the pulse forging of the pulse column 9. The middle drive roller 703 can switch online to different areas on the outside of the friction drive jig 5 at different times during ring forging according to process requirements to meet the forming requirements of different parts. The base 2 is equipped with a rotary drive module for driving the rotation of the drive roller 7.

[0058] Specifically, the radial translation drive of the core roller table 8 can be a servo hydraulic cylinder; the rotation drive of the core roller 6 can be a servo hydraulic motor; and the rotation drive of the drive roller 7 can be a servo hydraulic motor.

[0059] In the embodiments of the present invention, the drive roller 7 adopts a three-section design of drive lower roller 701, drive upper roller 702 and drive middle roller 703, and is combined with a hydraulic control system of lifting hydraulic chamber 704, lubrication oil circuit 705 and hydraulic infinite rotary joint 706. Drive middle roller 703 can switch different areas on the outside of friction drive fixture 5 online according to process requirements, which can not only meet the overall forming of ring forging body 101, but also accurately adapt to the local forging of support column part, thus solving the technical bottleneck of traditional ring rolling mills that can only process axisymmetric rotating bodies.

[0060] In this embodiment, the working principle of the pulsating column 9 is as follows: the irregularly shaped cavity on the die 5 is adapted to the radial dimension of the middle part of the pulsating column 9, so that the pulsating column 9 can move radially along the die. A part of the pulsating column cam 904 protrudes from the outer side profile of the die 5 so as to cooperate with the drive roller 703 to realize pulsating forging, ensuring that the drive roller 703 can accurately squeeze the pulsating column cam 904 and transmit forging force. Each time the drive roller 703 completes a squeezing action on the pulsating column cam 904 of the pulsating column 9, the force transmission of the pulsating column 9 can enable the root 901 of the pulsating column to perform a precise pulsating forging operation on the ring forging support column 102. The pulse forging process includes two synergistic stages: the first stage is the "pulsating forging absorption" stage of the ring forging body 101 on the ring forging support column 102, that is, the ring forging body 101 absorbs part of the pulse forging energy through its own plastic deformation, providing buffer and load adaptation for the forming of the ring forging support column 102; the second stage is the "pulsating forging release" stage when the mandrel 6 ring forges the ring forging body 101, that is, during the process of the mandrel 6 applying ring forging force to the ring forging body 101, the ring forging body 101 releases the stored pulse forging energy in a directional manner to the ring forging support column 102, thereby enhancing the forming effect of the ring forging support column 102.

[0061] The core priorities of localized pulse forging are: first, to ensure that the middle part 104 of the ring forging support column 102 is fully formed and filled, avoiding defects such as material shortage, shrinkage cavities, and incomplete contours; and second, to achieve localized grain refinement on the outer surface of the root part 103 of the ring forging support column 102, improving the microstructure density and mechanical properties of the support column root. The differentiated structural design of the root, middle, and head of the pulse column can directly act on the corresponding parts of the ring forging support column 102, achieving targeted forging and solving the problem of inaccurate support column forming in traditional machining.

[0062] In this embodiment, the ring forging 1 is made of a nickel-based superalloy, preferably GH4065A. Nickel-based superalloys have good thermal stability, high-temperature strength and hardness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance, making them typical difficult-to-machine materials commonly used in the manufacture of key engine components. The vision system 12 observes the relative motion process between the pulsating column 9 and the fixture 5, effectively calibrating the accuracy of the ring forging simulation software. The preferred software is HEXAGON's SimfactForming process simulation software.

[0063] This invention provides a forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring forging. The device forms a closed generatrix configuration for the ring forging. The lower and upper drive rollers apply pressure from the outside, while the core roller provides support from the inside. These three components work together to achieve triaxial compressive stress forging, effectively eliminating internal defects such as porosity and cracks in the ring forging, and improving the overall density and structural stability of the forging. It is particularly suitable for the forming characteristics of difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloys, which have high high-temperature strength and poor plasticity, requiring sufficient compressive stress to ensure forming quality. By driving the middle roller to squeeze the pulsating column cam, the root of the pulsating column performs pulsating forging on the support column. Combined with the "absorption-release" synergistic effect of the ring forging body, priority is given to ensuring full filling of the middle part of the support column, avoiding defects such as material shortage and shrinkage cavities. No subsequent rework is required, achieving near-net-shape forming of the support column and greatly reducing machining allowance. The device integrates actuators for multiple key processes such as ring forging, pulse forging, and closed busbar contour forging. It can complete the entire forming process from ring blank to finished product without transferring the workpiece, avoiding dimensional deviations and surface damage during workpiece transfer, while significantly shortening the production cycle and improving production efficiency.

[0064] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a forging method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring using the device described above, comprising the following steps:

[0065] Step S1: Select metal rod-shaped raw material, cut it according to the size requirements of the ring forging, and then perform upsetting treatment on the raw material to make the length and thickness of the raw material meet the requirements of subsequent processing.

[0066] Step S2: Punch the upsetting raw material to open up the center of the raw material and form a preliminary ring-shaped blank;

[0067] Step S3: The punched annular blank is enlarged using a frame to make the hole diameter meet the design requirements, while achieving a reasonable distribution of the raw material volume, and finally obtaining an annular blank with a rectangular cross section.

[0068] Step S4: Fix the ring blank onto the fixture 5 and perform heat treatment. Heat treatment improves the plasticity and toughness of the ring blank and reduces the deformation resistance. At the same time, it makes the fixture 5 reach a suitable hardness and strength to ensure the smooth progress of the ring forging process.

[0069] Step S5: Place the heat-treated ring blank and die 5 onto the idler roller assembly for ring forging. Under the action of the drive roller 7 and the core roller mechanism, the ring blank gradually takes shape to form the preliminary ring forging 1.

[0070] Step S6: Drive the middle roller 703 to extrude the pulsating column 9 according to the process requirements, so that the ring forging support column 102 of the pulsating column 9 is subjected to pulsating forging;

[0071] The pulse forging includes partial absorption of pulse forging by the ring forging body 101 on the ring forging support column 102 and release of pulse forging by the core roller 6 when the ring forging body 101 is forged; the local pulse forging prioritizes the full filling of the middle part 104 of the support column to ensure the forming quality of the ring forging support column 102, and at the same time achieves local grain refinement of the outer surface of the support column root 103 of the ring forging support column 102, thereby improving the bending stress fatigue strength of the support column root 103;

[0072] Step S7: The ring forging 1 is forged into a closed generatrix profile by driving the lower roller 701, the upper roller 702 and the core roller 6. This process is a triaxial compressive stress forging, which can further improve the density and mechanical properties of the ring forging, ensure the dimensional accuracy and shape accuracy of the ring forging, and obtain the ring forging 1 that meets the process requirements.

[0073] In this embodiment, a ring forging with a spindle-shaped support column is directly formed through the synergistic effect of ring forging, pulse forging, and closed-busbar contour forging. Pulsating forging specifically targets the support column area for precise filling, prioritizing full filling in the center of the support column, eliminating the need for subsequent machining. Closed-busbar contour forging ensures the overall dimensional accuracy of the ring forging, making the finished forging highly consistent with the design dimensions, greatly reducing machining allowances, and even directly meeting assembly requirements.

[0074] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a forging method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring forging. Designed around the material properties of the difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy and the forming requirements of irregularly shaped ring forgings, it achieves significant advantages in forming quality, production efficiency, material utilization, and performance assurance through multi-process collaborative optimization and innovative forging mechanisms. On one hand, a step-by-step forming process is adopted to reduce deformation resistance: the process employs a stepped flow of "material blanking - upsetting - punching - reaming with a frame - heat treatment - ring forging - pulse forging - closed-line contour forging," gradually changing the raw material's morphology and internal structure. First, upsetting, punching, and reaming with a frame achieve preliminary forming and reasonable volume distribution of the ring blank. Then, heat treatment improves the plasticity of the difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy and reduces deformation resistance, laying the foundation for subsequent high-precision forging. This effectively solves the problems of high high-temperature strength, poor plasticity, and high forming difficulty of this type of material. On the other hand, triaxial compressive stress is used to ensure forming quality: in the closed busbar contour forging process, the driving lower roll and driving upper roll apply pressure from the outside, while the mandrel provides support from the inside, forming a triaxial compressive stress forging environment. This environment can effectively eliminate defects such as internal porosity and cracks in the ring forging, improve the density of the forging, and is especially suitable for the forming requirements of nickel-based high-temperature alloys (such as WASPALOY and In718), avoiding forming failures due to insufficient material plasticity.

[0075] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A forging device for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part, characterized in that, The system includes a base (2) and a roller assembly, a jig (5), a drive roller (7), a pulsating column (9), and a core roller mechanism disposed on the base (2). The roller assembly is used to support and limit the jig (5). The jig (5) is used to clamp and fix the nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring part. The jig (5) has a ring structure and a radially through-type forming cavity on its side wall. The pulsating forming cavity is used for forming the ring forging support column (102). The pulsating column (9) is accommodated at the outer end of the support column forming cavity and extends to the outer side of the support column forming cavity. The pulsating column (9) is used for the pulsating forging of the ring forging support column (102). The core roller mechanism and the drive roller (7) are located on the inner and outer sides of the die (5), respectively. The drive roller (7) is used to drive the die (5) to rotate and to provide power for the pulsating forging of the pulsating column (9). The core roller mechanism is used to perform ring forging on the inner side of the nickel-based high-temperature alloy ring to finally obtain the ring forging (1) with the ring forging support column (102).

2. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core roller mechanism includes a core roller (6), a core roller table (8), and a ring forging drive module. The core roller table (8) is disposed on the base (2) and has the freedom to move radially along the fixture (5). The core roller (6) is rotatably mounted on the core roller table (8). The ring forging drive module is disposed inside the base (2) and is used to provide power for the radial movement of the core roller table (8) and the rotation of the core roller (6).

3. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive roller (7) includes a lower drive roller (701), an upper drive roller (702), and a middle drive roller (703). The lower drive roller (701) is rotatably mounted on the base (2), and the upper drive roller (702) is located above the lower drive roller (701) and is fixedly connected to the lower drive roller (701). The upper drive roller (702) and the lower drive roller (701) are used to provide power for the rotation of the fixture (5). There is an installation space between the upper drive roller (702) and the lower drive roller (701). The middle drive roller (703) is housed in the installation space and slides up and down with the lower drive roller (701). A lifting hydraulic chamber (704) is formed between the middle drive roller (703) and the lower drive roller (701). The lifting hydraulic chamber (704) is connected to the hydraulic infinite rotary joint (706) through the lubricating oil circuit (705). The middle drive roller (703) is used to drive the die (5) to rotate and to provide power for the pulsating forging of the pulsating column (9).

4. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (2) is provided with a rotation drive module for driving the drive roller (7) to rotate.

5. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mold (5) includes an upper mold (501) and a lower mold (502) with the same structure. The upper mold (501) and the lower mold (502) are provided with a receiving groove (503) along the radial direction on the mating surface. After the upper mold (501) and the lower mold (502) are molded together, the two corresponding receiving grooves (503) form the irregular forming cavity.

6. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ring forging support column (102) is spindle-shaped and includes a support column root (103), a support column middle (104) and a support column head (105) arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The diameter of the support column middle (104) is larger than the diameter of the support column root (103) and the support column head (105). The support column root (103) and the ring forging (1) are rounded.

7. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pulsating column (9) is a stepped shaft structure, including a pulsating column root (901), a pulsating column middle (902), and a pulsating column head (903) arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The pulsating column root (901) and the pulsating column middle (902) are both cylindrical, and the diameter of the pulsating column middle (902) is larger than the diameter of the pulsating column root (901). The end face of the pulsating column root (901) is in contact with the ring forging support column (102). The pulsating column head (903) is a square structure, and a pulsating column cam (904) is provided on the outer end face.

8. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The idler assembly includes a plurality of idlers (4) arranged circumferentially at intervals. Each idler (4) is arranged radially along the fixture (5) and supported at both ends by two columns (3). The idler (4) can rotate relative to the two columns (3). The upper ends of the two columns (3) protrude above the idler (4) to radially limit the fixture (5).

9. The forging and forming apparatus for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (2) is equipped with a vision system (12), which can effectively calibrate the accuracy of the ring forging simulation software.

10. A forging method for a difficult-to-deform nickel-based superalloy ring-shaped part using the device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: Select metal rod-shaped raw material, cut it according to the size requirements of the ring forging, and then perform upsetting treatment on the raw material to make the length and thickness of the raw material meet the requirements of subsequent processing. Step S2: Punch the upsetting raw material to open up the center of the raw material and form a preliminary ring-shaped blank; Step S3: The punched annular blank is enlarged using a frame to make the hole diameter meet the design requirements, while achieving a reasonable distribution of the raw material volume, and finally obtaining an annular blank with a rectangular cross section. Step S4: Fix the ring blank onto the fixture (5) and perform heat treatment; Step S5: Place the heat-treated ring blank and die (5) onto the idler roller assembly for ring forging. Under the action of the drive roller (7) and the core roller mechanism, the ring blank is gradually formed into a ring forging (1). Step S6: Drive the middle roller (703) to extrude the pulsating column (9) according to the process requirements, so that the pulsating column (9) and the ring forging support column (102) are subjected to pulsating forging; Step S7: The ring forging (1) is ring forged with a closed generatrix profile by driving the lower roller (701), driving the upper roller (702) and the core roller (6). This process is a triaxial compressive stress forging process, thereby obtaining a ring forging (1) that meets the process requirements.

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