This year's spring meeting of the DGM Heavy Metal Extrusion Products working group  was well attended with a total of 19 participants. The meeting was hosted by SMS group GmbH, a globally successful mechanical and plant engineering company. 

Cross-Section of Company-Relevant Topics

The presentations given by the experts from SMS group GmbH provided a good cross-section of topics that are also relevant to the companies of the members of the heavy metal extrusion products working group.
In the first presentation, a new extrusion concept was presented, which redesigned the hydraulics in particular. The hydraulic oil in combination with the high temperature in the front area of the extrusion press leads to an increased risk of fire. This is where the new concept comes in. SMS group has developed an electromechanical shear and an electromechanical tool pusher to replace the hydraulics in this process step. A further aim is to reduce the total amount of oil used in the pressing process. To this end, the usual hydraulic cylinders have been replaced by multi-surface cylinders, and the tank size has been significantly reduced. 

Insights Into the Decarbonization of Smelting Furnaces

In addition, the participants were presented with developments on a shaft melting furnace in copper processing, explaining innovations in three areas: furnace design and charging, hydrogen-compatible burner design and digitalization. These innovations help to significantly reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In addition to the gas-fired shaft melting furnace, induction-heated melting furnaces can also be used. 

The first lecture series ended with an input on the topic of process monitoring and increasing productivity through digitalization. The participants then visited the SMS Test Center and the production facility.

Artificial Intelligence in the Process Industry 

The event concluded with a guest lecture by Stephan Boy (ABB AG), who addressed issues relating to the application of artificial intelligence in the process environment with a focus on the use of AI in plant operation and presented a practical example. Plant operators can receive well-founded suggestions for solutions to problems in the production process from an AI, which opens up completely new possibilities for optimizing the process chain. 

New Working Group Leader Elected

At the end of the meeting, a new working group leader was elected. The DGM office would like to thank Mr. Frank Termöllen for his extraordinary commitment and for his many years of leadership of the heavy metal extrusion products working group in the extrusion expert committee. The working group will be chaired in future by Dr. Olaf Schwedler (KME Mansfeld GmbH).
The next meeting of the heavy metal extrusion products working group is planned for 13 and 14 November 2024 at the Forschungszentrum Strangpressen (FZS) of TU Berlin.