Due to high dead cycle times during ring rolling, SMS group offers a concept with electrohydraulic direct drives. The drive power required is around 25 to 40 percent lower and the noise level is also reduced by about 15 percent. Another major advantage are lower investment and operating costs compared to conventional ring rolling machines. Up to now, machines with a rolling force of 100, 200 and 1000 tons were sold.
Ring rolling machines are at a standstill for up to half the time during the ring rolling process – either because they are being loaded or unloaded, or because the operator has to wait until the workpieces have been heated. So, to reduce energy losses resulting from these relatively high dead cycle times, experts at SMS group came up with the idea of using electrohydraulic direct drives. "Our colleagues in the specialist departments have very wide-ranging knowledge of electrical and hydraulic systems", explains Martin Gellhaus, who is in charge of sales for ring and wheel rolling plants at SMS group. "So for them the obvious questions was: Why not use the drives that work well in other areas for ring rolling machines too?"