Near-net-shape Steel Rings Improve Processes, Lower Costs and Cut Down on Waste
Production of near-net-shape rolled and forged stainless steel rings by Ovako, using closely managed hot-rolled ring mill techniques, is helping customers to reduce process costs and cut down on waste.
Rolled and forged steel rings are vital components for applications in the rolling bearing, heavy vehicle, automotive and machine tool manufacturing industries. Yet machining can be costly with issues of weight and generation of waste materials.
A leading producer of high quality rolled and forged rings for nearly a century, Ovako has recently invested heavily, and further expanded its capabilities, to deliver rolled and forged rings that are extremely close to customers’ final component sizes.
This allows customers to focus on their assembly or final targets with reduced needs for further machining and the associated costs and material waste, such as polluting dust. Some surfaces may even require no further machining at all, providing even more cost-efficient and time-effective processes.
Clean steels for tight tolerances
Ovako strictly controls its whole production chain from the initial melt, carefully managing oxygen levels to manufacture exceptionally clean steels through to the precision rolling of the rings. On completion every ring is inspected for surface defects, discrepancies in their inner and outer diameter, width, height, conicity, ovality, and squareness utilizing an inventive inspection system.
Cleaner steels can enable longer operational lifespans for products with higher wear and corrosion resistance, and reduce maintenance and lifecycle costs.
The near-net-shape rings have very tight tolerances for minimal deviation from each client’s desired net dimensions, with small allowances to accommodate waste reduction targets. They can be heat treated before delivery – including normalized, soft annealed, quenched and tempered and more.
To facilitate individual customer requirements, Ovako can manufacture virtually any ring profile shape in dimensions of 170-4,000 mm and weight ranges between 7-5,000 kg. All the rings are of stable quality with tests carried out on every batch, and batch deliveries are adaptable to suit each customer’s unique requirements.
Expanded production capacity
Ovako has opened a new hot-rolled ring mill at its works in Hofors, Sweden. This will increase its manufacturing capacity by 75% from around 30,000 to 55,000 tonnes, equivalent to more than 3.5 million bespoke rings manufactured per year. The company prides itself on processes that few ring producers can match in terms of consistent quality from delivery to delivery.
About Ovako
AB Ovako is a leading European producer of engineering steel for customers in the bearing, transportation and manufacturing industries. Our production is based on recycled steel and includes steel in the form of bars, tubes, rings and pre-components. Ovako is represented in more than 30 countries and has sales offices in Europe, North America and Asia. For further information please visit us at www.ovako.com.
NC Creative Group
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Ovako AB
Box 1721
SE-111 87
Stockholm
Sweden
Tel: + 46 8 622 1300
Fax: + 46 8 622 1328
Web: www.ovako.com
