Heavy work as Forgemasters completes castings project

Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) has produced both a 315-tonne and 285-tonne casting which will form the carcass of a huge screw press for Italian engineering company Bifrangi UK’s Lincoln site.

Bifrangi, which supplies forged parts to the power generation industry including engine crankshafts, is installing a new screw press at its Monks Road site as part of a £50m upgrade to its facilities.

The multi-million pound castings required Forgemasters to make 600 tonnes of molten steel for each one. They were completed nearly three months ahead of schedule and left the Brightside Lane site on two specialist trucks with a girder trailer, said Forgemasters.

The table casting measures seven metres in length, four metres in width and three metres in height, while the headpiece, moved separately, measures six metres long, four metres in width and 3.6 metres in height.

Forgemasters, which has a global network of offices and exports more than 70 per cent of its products, was awarded the contract by German company Schuler Pressen formerly Muller Weingarten. It said it was up against tough worldwide competition for the UK-based job.

The installation of the 320,000 kN operating force screw press will allow Bifrangi, a family-run firm with 180 staff, to expand its production of engine crankshafts.

Mick Holloway, senior sales manager castings at SFIL, said: “The PZS1200 table and headpiece were manufactured and finish machined entirely in-house at our Brightside Lane site and we completed the job ahead of schedule.

“The project included using Forgemasters’ expertise in many areas, from pattern making to moulding, casting, heat treatment, fettling, non-destructive testing, finish machining, and to complete with painting and packing.

“The relationship with our client Schuler Pressen grows from strength to strength, in fact The Schuler group recognise Sheffield Forgemasters as a key supplier and a world leader in the supply of critical castings and forgings for this market. SFIL will continue to support them with their future business endeavours.”