2. Heating treatment
Place the raw material in the heating furnace and set the heating temperature according to the material type: The carbon steel billet is heated to a temperature range of 1150℃ - 1250℃ (the austenitization temperature range); The stainless steel billet is heated to 1050℃ - 1150℃ to avoid excessive heating which could cause coarse grains. After heating, the surface of the billet shows a uniform oxide color, which is convenient for subsequent forging operations.
3. Die forging
The heated billet is placed in a dedicated die forging equipment (such as a hydraulic press or a free forging press). Through the forging action of the upper and lower molds, the metal undergoes plastic deformation at high temperatures,
initially forming the outline shape of the double-ended pipe fitting. The technical patent mentions that the dedicated die forging equipment can optimize the mold structure to ensure that the metal flows uniformly and fills the mold cavity, effectively eliminating internal segregation and porosity in the steel ingot, and enhancing the overall density and strength of the pipe fitting.
4. Machining and finishing
The forged blanks need to undergo precision machining using equipment such as lathes and milling machines: End fitting processing: Precisely machine the inner diameters, lengths and chamfers of the end fittings to ensure the fitting accuracy with the steel pipe (the tolerance is usually controlled within ±0.05mm); Surface treatment: Machine the outer circle to ensure coaxiality and surface roughness (Ra ≤ 3.2μm); Dimension calibration: Check the total length of the pipe clamp, the spacing of the fitting ports, etc., to ensure compliance with standards such as GB/T14383 and ASME B16.11.
5. Heat treatment strengthening
Carry out subsequent heat treatment based on the material: Carbon steel pipe clamps: undergo normalizing or quenching + tempering treatment to enhance hardness and impact resistance; Stainless steel pipe clamps: undergo solution treatment to eliminate forging stresses and restore the material's corrosion resistance. After heat treatment, aging stabilization is required to ensure long-term dimensional stability.
6. Surface Treatment and Inspection
Surface Treatment: Perform acid washing, passivation (for stainless steel), galvanization (for carbon steel corrosion prevention), etc. as per requirements;Quality Inspection: Conduct internal defect detection using ultrasonic testing, perform pressure resistance tests (such as burst tests for pressure grades of Class 3000/6000/9000), and inspect dimensions, threads (threaded pipe clamps), or flange fitting accuracy. Only after passing these checks can the products be stored.