Agricultural machinery shaft forgings are important components of agricultural machinery, which undertake key tasks such as torque transmission and load bearing. In order to achieve better performance and reliability, the two commonly used production processes are casting and forging. This article mainly analyzes the influence of casting and forging on the performance of agricultural machinery shaft forgings.
- The influence of casting on the performance of agricultural machinery shaft forgings
Casting is a process of melting metal or alloy and pouring it into a mold to form a shape through solidification. Although convenient and practical, the raw materials used in casting are easily polluted by carbon, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, iron and other elements. Consequently, the products made through casting exhibit some fluctuations and reduction in terms of mechanical properties, fatigue performance, and hardness when compared to forging process.
In the case of agricultural machinery shaft forgings, casting technology presents the following problems:
(1) Poor uniformity of organization: During the casting process, raw materials can get polluted at high temperatures, leading to uneven organization of the product, which results in a decline in product’s mechanical performance and durability.
(2) More internal pores and cracks: During the manufacturing process of parts such as clutches, transmissions, etc., there are often a large number of air pockets and cracks inside the agricultural machinery shaft forgings caused by uneven temperature and pressure during casting, reducing the product’s reliability and service life.
(3) Poor mechanical properties and low axial load-carrying capacity: Due to the uneven organization of the material, the cast agricultural machinery shaft forgings cannot withstand higher torques and axial loads, nor can they meet the demands of complex working conditions required for agricultural machinery.
- The influence of forging on the performance of agricultural machinery shaft forgings
Forging is a process of improving the physical properties of materials by forcibly squeezing and shaping the raw materials through plastic deformation. The forging process has excellent mechanical properties and toughness characteristics. All forged materials have higher strength, hardness, and durability than cast materials. In manufacturing some critical shaft forgings, forging technology is often used to obtain high-quality, high-strength and high-precision materials.
In the case of agricultural machinery shaft forgings, forging technology presents the following advantages:
(1) Uniform and dense organization: The repeated deformation from different directions during the forging process improves the organization structure of the metal raw material making it more compact and uniform. Meanwhile, the growth direction of crystal grains can be controlled during the forging process to improve performance in different directions.
(2) Fewer internal defects: Due to lower temperature during the forging process, it is easier to remove impurities, air pockets, and other defects in the raw material than with casting. Thus, for agricultural machinery shaft forgings, this means better reliability and service life.
(3) Higher durability: Compared to cast materials, commonly-used forging materials offer higher hardness, strength, and can meet higher load levels in industrial machinery. Using forging technology, longer durability can be attained, and more stable performance.
- Conclusion
In the production process of agricultural machinery shaft forgings, the choice of different technologies has a significant impact on product performance. Although casting is low-cost, its mechanical properties and quality are lower than those of forging technology and are more prone to defects such as internal cracks and bubbles; forging techniques produce agricultural machinery shaft forgings with superior mechanical properties, physical characteristics, and durability which are better suited for complex demands in agricultural machinery. In practical applications, appropriate technological processes should be chosen based on specific needs to achieve better production results and economic returns.
