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In June of 2009 I accepted a position to be the Project Engineer responsible for the

manifolds used to control an 800 MN (89,900 Ton) closed die forging press being built

in China; 42,000 hp, 68 pumps, 30 intensifiers, 9,300 psi.

From 6/2009 to 12/2010 I was the project engineer for the manifolds, about 64 of

them the largest block weighs 40,000 lbs. All the manifolds had to be complete in 18

months. It was my task to get them assembled and tested. I generated the BOM’s,

ordered parts, dealt with manufacturing issues, vendor issues, machining issues,

testing issues, etc. I learned to use Solidworks to design miscellaneous parts and

assemblies as required.

The system uses intensifiers [12,500 lbs. ea.] to reach 9,300 psi. I developed a

qualification test for them and designed the required manifolds; one intensifier was run

in the lab to confirm seal durability and overall integrity.

In January of 2011 I became project manager.

In April of 2011 installation was to start but, the customer was behind schedule. Real

installation started June of 2011. In September I realized I would have to go to site as

the time delay from problem identified to solution was causing massive delays and

causing the Site Manager/Installation Engineer great distress.

I made the first trip in September 2011 and made the decision to stay on site. My title

was now “Project Manager/Site Engineer”.

Early March the mechanical assembly and piping was coming to a close and the

electrical installation began. After the wiring was complete the next step was the I/O

checks and initial motor starting. In mid-March we began pressure testing the pipe.

The pipes leading to the rams in the press are 273 mm x 70 mm. The piping was

pressurized to 20% over working pressure for the qualification test.

We were all a little stressed and focused on the job at hand. Nobody thought about

anything else except the 11,200 psi inside those massive pipes. When I got back to

the hotel I figured out we had generated a force of 98, 970 tons, a world record I

believe. You cannot have an uneven number for a record, so the next day we

generated 100,000 tons.

I told the customer they hit a world record force. There was much rejoicing.

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While the mechanical work decreased the software become the massive task we all

knew it would be.

The press can only absorb tension loading. When it moves and develops tonnage the

platen must remain parallel to the die table, the press must not tilt. There are (4)

massive double acting hydraulic cylinders at each corner of the press which generate a

torque to keep the press standing straight up. The leveling system consumes 5,000 hp,

(8) pumps, (4) manifolds, (48) 50 liter accumulators and software. Just a couple of

notes here; the press is over 120’ tall, weighs 25,000 tons, stretches over an inch

under load. There are 5 rams in the press. The moving part of each ram is a 90 ton

rod. To get the press to generate force, the oil has to be compressed, the pipes

expanded and the press stretched. To generate 800 MN of force over 500 additional

gallons of oil has to be added to the system. This calculation does not include all the

oil in the pipes leading from the pumps to the press. The press started closed, it is still

closed, but 500 extra gallons of oil had to be stuffed into the hydraulic system to raise

the required tonnage.

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One of the 5 Rams. Each weighs 90 tons.

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