Forging Manipulators

The forging manipulator is the machine that works alongside the press or hammer during the metal’s plastic deformation process, fulfilling a role once entrusted entirely to specialized labor: holding, rotating, advancing, and positioning the incandescent workpiece with the precision and continuity required by the process.

In a modern plant, the manipulator is not an optional accessory: it is the component that determines the production rate, the geometric repeatability of the forging, and the safety of the operators. A manipulator that loses control of the workpiece during forging does not just generate scrap; it creates a risk for the entire production cell.

The main applications of HTS forging manipulators include:

• Open-die forging of shafts, discs, rough rings, and structural components

• Precision forging in combination with servo-hydraulic presses

• Handling of billets and ingots during heating and transfer stages

• Automated lines for the mass production of forged components

The structural heart of every HTS manipulator is an electrowelded frame designed to ensure torsional rigidity and resistance to dynamic stresses generated by handling heavy loads at high temperatures. At the center of the frame, suitably dampened by a hydraulic suspension system, the tong unit is suspended the component that interacts directly with the workpiece.

The Tong Unit: Versatility and Control

The tong unit represents the interface between the manipulator and the forging. HTS has developed a solution that combines operational versatility with structural robustness:

• Perpendicular and oblique movements relative to the press axis, adapting to different processing geometries without repositioning the manipulator.
• Quick tool change system: switching from configurations for rounds to squares, allowing for the handling of billets and forgings of different sections without prolonged interruptions to the production cycle.
• Continuous or stepped rotation via a dedicated hydraulic motor, featuring low, adjustable speed and high torque—the ideal combination for precise control of the piece’s orientation during forging.

The high torque at low speed is not a random choice: in forging, the rotation of the workpiece must be slow, controlled, and reversible at any time, without inertia that could compromise positioning under the press.

Rail-Bound Manipulators

Rail-bound manipulators are the benchmark solution for dedicated high-productivity forging lines, where the handling path is fixed and repeatable: they are ideal for forging large ingots in line with the presses. The rail constraint ensures trajectory precision, reduces cycle times, and simplifies integration into automated systems with PLC control.

Wheeled Manipulators (Mobile)

Wheeled manipulators offer maximum flexibility of movement within the forging department. They can be quickly repositioned between different presses or workstations, making them ideal for plants with variable production layouts or for foundries processing a wide variety of forging geometries.

Internal Combustion Engine Power

HTS manipulators with internal combustion engines comply with all current anti-pollution regulations and represent the operational choice for plants where electrical power is not available or practical in all work areas. Their operational autonomy makes them particularly suitable for foundries with extensive layouts..

Electric Power

Electric motor manipulators are the preferred solution for indoor plants with controlled air quality requirements, automated lines, and contexts where integration with energy management systems is a strategic goal. Zero emissions, reduced noise, and full compatibility with Industry 5.0 monitoring systems.

Both configurations are designed to be used in fully integrated production cycles, in combination with hydraulic presses, heating furnaces, and automated handling systems.

Next-generation HTS forging manipulators are designed for native integration into Industry 5.0 paradigms, where the goal is not only to automate the process but to make it measurable, optimizable, and safe for the operator.
Available digital integration features include:

• Integrated IIoT sensors for real-time monitoring of pressures, temperatures, speed, and tong group position.
• Cloud data transmission for remote supervision of the handling cycle and operational performance analysis.
• Predictive maintenance based on hydraulic and vibrational signature analysis, with proactive alerts before faults occur.
• PLC and SCADA integration for synchronized control of the manipulator with the press and other production cell components.
• Advanced operator interface with real-time process parameter visualization and digital logging of every handling cycle.

In high-cadence industrial forging, part quality does not depend solely on press force or die geometry: it depends on the precision with which the manipulator interacts with the press in real time. A misplacement of just a few millimeters, or a rotation delayed by fractions of a second, can result in a scrapped part, asymmetrical die wear, or in the most critical cases an operational accident.

The HTS control system solves this problem at its root through automatic press-manipulator synchronization: the manipulator receives real-time status signals from the press and autonomously coordinates the rotation and advancement of the part exactly in the interval between two consecutive strokes, without manual operator intervention.

Millimetric Precision: Electronic Control of Azimuth and Advancement

Electronic rotation (azimuth) and linear advancement control of the tong group ensures positioning precision within a millimeter, even for heavy workpieces and irregular geometries. HTS proportional logic blocks continuously regulate the speed and position of the manipulator based on sensor feedback, eliminating cumulative inaccuracies typical of open-loop control systems.
The practical result is immediate: every press stroke finds the workpiece in the exact position required by the forging cycle, with the correct section exposed to the die and the angular orientation verified. This results in:

• Reduced scrap due to incorrect positioning, with a direct impact on cost per part
• Geometric repeatability of the forged part across massive production lots
• Lower asymmetrical die wear, extending the service life of the tooling
• Increased production cadence by eliminating downtime related to manual position corrections

Heat Protection: Seals and Shielding for Extreme Environments

Proximity to incandescent forgings generates a radiant heat flux that, without adequate countermeasures, rapidly degrades cylinder seals, alters hydraulic fluid viscosity, and compromises the mechanical characteristics of rubber and technical plastic components.

HTS manipulator valve blocks and hydraulic cylinders are designed with:

• Thermal shielding in refractory material or stainless steel, positioned between the tong group and the most sensitive hydraulic components.
• Special high-temperature seals in PTFE and elastomeric materials certified to operate continuously near intense heat sources.
• Hydraulic fluid cooling circuits to maintain operational viscosity within nominal values even during the most intense shifts.
• Integrated temperature sensors in the hydraulic circuit, with automatic alarms if operational thresholds are exceeded.

A forging manipulator operates in one of the most hostile industrial environments in existence: proximity to metallic masses at 1,200°C, hammer blows propagating through the floor and the plant structure, and loading and unloading cycles repeated thousands of times per shift. In these conditions, standard components do not last days—they last hours.

HTS has developed specific engineering solutions to protect the manipulator’s critical components from the mechanical and thermal stresses that characterize the forging environment.

Hydraulic Dampening Systems: Absorbing the Water Hammer Effect

Every hammer blow generates a pressure wave that propagates through the manipulator’s hydraulic circuit, with peaks that can damage valves, cylinders, and fittings if not properly managed. HTS manipulators integrate hydraulic accumulators and special anti-water hammer valves specifically sized for the kinetic energy generated by the hammer in use.

Accumulators absorb instantaneous pressure peaks, releasing the stored energy in a gradual and controlled manner. Special valves intercept pressure waves before they reach the most sensitive components of the circuit—particularly the proportional tong control valves, which operate with internal tolerances in the micron range and cannot tolerate impulsive overpressures.

Heat Protection: Seals and Shielding for Extreme Environments

La vicinanza a forgiati incandescenti genera un flusso termico radiante che, senza adeguate contromisure, degrada rapidamente le guarnizioni dei cilindri, altera la viscosità del fluido idraulico e compromette le caratteristiche meccaniche dei componenti in gomma e plastica tecnica.

I blocchi valvole e i cilindri idraulici dei manipolatori HTS sono progettati con:

• Thermal shielding in refractory material or stainless steel, positioned between the tong group and the most sensitive hydraulic components.
• Special high-temperature seals in PTFE and elastomeric materials certified to operate continuously near intense heat sources.
• Circuiti di raffreddamento del fluido idraulico per mantenere la viscosità operativa entro i valori nominali anche durante i turni più intensi.
• Hydraulic fluid cooling circuits to maintain operational viscosity within nominal values even during the most intense shifts.

In traditional forging plant design, descaling and forging are treated as separate phases, with the workpiece being transferred manually or with dedicated handling between stations. HTS proposes a radically different approach: direct integration between the manipulator and the descaling machine in a continuous, uninterrupted production flow.

Integrated Flow: From Furnace to Press in a Single Cycle

Il ciclo integrato HTS si articola in tre fasi consecutive, gestite dal manipolatore senza rilasciare il pezzo:

1. Furnace extraction: the manipulator picks up the billet or ingot directly from the heating furnace, with the tongs already configured for the workpiece geometry (round, square, polygonal).

2. Passing through the HTS descaling ring: the manipulator inserts the piece into the descaling ring, which uniformly removes the surface scale layer with high-pressure water jets. The piece is never released—the tongs maintain their grip throughout the entire descaling cycle.

3. Positioning on the press: he piece, now clean and at the correct temperature, is positioned directly onto the press die for the forging cycle.

Perché l’Integrazione Fa la Differenza

La scaglia superficiale non è solo un problema estetico: se non rimossa prima della forgiatura, viene inglobata nella superficie del pezzo durante la deformazione plastica, generando inclusioni che compromettono le proprietà meccaniche del forgiato e richiedono operazioni di pulizia aggiuntive — o, nei casi più gravi, la rottamazione del pezzo.

L’integrazione manipolatore-discagliatrice HTS elimina questo rischio e porta benefici misurabili:

• Superfici del forgiato prive di inclusioni di scaglia, con proprietà meccaniche superficiali certificate
• Aumento della vita utile degli stampi della pressa, che non subiscono l’usura abrasiva causata dalla scaglia inglobata
• Riduzione dei tempi di ciclo rispetto alla gestione separata delle due fasi
• Minore dispersione termica del pezzo, che arriva alla pressa alla temperatura ottimale senza soste intermedie

In linea con i principi dell’Industria 5.0, i manipolatori da forgiatura HTS di nuova generazione non sono macchine mute che lavorano fino al guasto: sono sistemi che comunicano continuamente il proprio stato di salute, consentendo interventi manutentivi pianificati prima che si verifichi qualsiasi anomalia operativa.

Monitoraggio del Fluido Idraulico: Temperatura e Pressione in Tempo Reale

Il fluido idraulico è il sistema circolatorio del manipolatore. La sua degradazione, accelerata dall’esposizione al calore radiante dei forgiati e dai picchi di pressione generati dai colpi del maglio, è la causa principale di guasti prematuri a valvole, cilindri e pompe.

I sensori integrati nei manipolatori HTS monitorano in continuo:

• Temperatura del fluido in più punti del circuito, con allarme preventivo al superamento delle soglie critiche
• Pressione nei circuiti principali e ausiliari, con rilevamento precoce di perdite, ostruzioni o derive di comportamento delle valvole
• Grado di contaminazione del fluido tramite analisi delle particelle in sospensione, con segnalazione automatica della necessità di sostituzione o filtrazione straordinaria

Analisi dei Cicli: Prevedere l’Usura Prima che Diventi Guasto

Ogni ciclo di movimentazione — prelievo, rotazione, avanzamento, rilascio, genera un dato. I sistemi HTS contano e archiviano questi cicli, costruendo nel tempo un modello di usura predittiva per i componenti soggetti a deterioramento progressivo:

• Boccole di guida del gruppo tenaglia, soggette a usura per strisciamento
• Pinze di presa, che subiscono deformazioni termiche e meccaniche cicliche
• Guarnizioni dei cilindri, la cui vita utile è funzione del numero di cicli e della temperatura operativa media
• Catene cinematiche degli attuatori di rotazione e traslazione

Quando il conteggio dei cicli si avvicina alla soglia di manutenzione predefinita, il sistema segnala proattivamente la necessità di intervento, prima che il componente ceda, prima che il ciclo produttivo si interrompa, prima che un guasto in ambiente ad alta temperatura diventi un problema di sicurezza.