Raising Extrusion Billet Utilization with Spinning Log Welding Process--Rotary Friction Welding Operation Makes Quality Two-Piece Billets

摘要

A series of successful field tests of its newly developed spinning log welding process, which solves many of the problems extruders face with off-cuts and two-piece billets, has been completed by Granco Clark of Belding, MI. The new patent pending process effectively creates an "endless" log downstream of the log furnace from which billets can be cut to length upstream of the extrusion press. This is done by first removing oxides from the two butted ends with a precisely aligned hot saw to generate flat and clean cut surfaces that are then friction welded by relative rotation of the two segments (Figure 1). Thus, a welded two-piece billet cut by the hot saw to a required length can be fed to the press.