References

STEELMAKING

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Much of the European steel industry uses VALDUNES INDUSTRIES products. Most plants explicitly recommend VALDUNES INDUSTRIES products for their performance and long life:

  • Alucam;
  • Aperam;
  • ArcelorMittal;
  • Asco Industries;
  • Constelllium;
  • Dillinger
  • Industeel;
  • RIVA Group;
  • Saarstahl;
  • Tata Steel;
  • Thyssen Krupp;
  • Vallourec;
  • and more.

 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

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Manufacturers of new equipment (travelling cranes, port cranes, gantries, container ships, bucket wheels, etc.) as well as maintenance workshops trust in the quality of VALDUNES INDUSTRIES:

  • Danieli;
  • ECL;
  • Eiffage;
  • Fayat Group;
  • Government of India Department of Space;
  • Koch, Government of India;
  • Konecranes;
  • Kranbau Köthen;
  • NFM Technologies;
  • Préfaco, La Réunion;
  • Reel;
  • SMS Demag;
  • Société Nouvelle des conduites d'Eau, Maroc;
  • Socalmo, New Caledonia;
  • TAIM-Weser;
  • Tata Steel Growth Shop India;
  • and more.

 

PORTS, RIVERS, AND MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT

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Our products are used in many port and river terminals:

  • Independent Port of Dunkirk;
  • Independent Port of Paris-Gennevilliers;
  • London Thamesport;
  • Ministry of Equipment and Transport in Belgium;
  • SNCF (French national railways);
  • and more.

 

OTHER REFERENCES

Other companies also trust in the expertise of VALDUNES INDUSTRIES:

  • ADF;
  • Alstef;
  • Baudin Chateauneuf;
  • CORDM;
  • Endel;
  • Groupe Fives Stein;
  • Indian Space & Research Organization;
  • Lafarge;
  • Poma;
  • RBG;
  • and more.

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES long lifetime steel

THE HARDENABILITY OF VALDUNES INDUSTRIES' PATENTED STEEL, AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL MEANS OF SURFACE TREATMENT, MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE UNPARALLELED RESULTS IN COMPONENT RELIABILITY AND LIFESPAN.

 

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES "42CrMo5-04" Steel

This special steel is produced at the ASCO Industries steel mill in Dunkirk, which makes special steels for crane wheels and mechanical parts intended for all industries that requires handling and manutention of heavy loads.

The steel 42CrMo5-04 is exclusive to VALDUNES INDUSTRIES - ASCO Industries for industrial applications by VALDUNES INDUSTRIES. This very clean, vacuum-degassed steel, refined in the ladle, makes it possible to achieve essential properties for long-term component strength:

  • Very high hardness (up to 550HB) that extends deep into the hardened area (up to 35mm);
  • Strong resistance to wear;
  • Impact resistance.

mlls 01

 

A PROVEN FORGING PROCESS

The forging process provides excellent flow lines with a correctly oriented structure (fibrous type). They are very compact, even when the geometry is unfavourable. The forging reduction is high, and there are no residual stresses from cooling.

 

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES HEAT TREATMENT: UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCE GUARANTEED

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES adapts its heat treatment conditions based on the properties requested: immersion quenching, surface quenching, softening treatment, etc. The properties obtained are as follows:

IMMERSION QUENCHING

  • Hardness of 270 to 390 HB.

 

SURFACE QUENCHING

Through a surface quenching method involving the spraying of pressurised water, VALDUNES INDUSTRIES is able to achieve unparalleled mechanical properties:

  • Up to 550HB on the tread surface;
  • 400HB up to 35mm deep;
  • Hub zone > 280HB.

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As shown in the graph, hardness decreases at a very regular rate (no sudden transitions) from the rim to the hub. This is possible owing to a surface treatment method that involves spraying pressurised water, unlike older surface treatments (using flames or induction) which ensure hardness only to shallower depths, with a less regular decrease from rim to hub.

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES' patented steel - due to its high hardenability - combined with an effective heat treatment process, makes it possible to boost scaling resistance and add to the hub compression stresses that inhibit the spread of any cracks. What you get is a reliable product, which ensures that your equipment runs more frequently while needing less frequent maintenance.

Forged Mechanical Components

KEEP YOUR EQUIPMENT RUNNING AND OPTIMISE THE LIFESPAN OF YOUR COMPONENTS TO LOWER THE TOTAL OF OWNERSHIP.

VALDUNES INDUSTRIES designs and custom-manufactures rotating parts made of forged steel for use in various industrial applications:

 

CRANE WHEELS

Crane wheels

  • TYPE OF FINISH: rough machined, finish machined, equipped with accessories (roller bearings, transmissions...).
  • APPLICATIONS: travelling cranes of all capacities, gantries and cranes (for steelworks, ports...) of all capacities, rotating furnaces, ship lifts & canal locks, funiculars, hangar doors, retractable roofs...
  • DIAMETER: 250 mm to 1400 mm.
  • GRADES: 42CrMo5-04 (VALDUNES INDUSTRIES patented steel), 42CrMo4 Class C, 50CrMo4, 18CrNiMo7-6.
  • HARDNESS: immersion quenched - 270 to 390 HB. Surface quenched - 390 to 550 HB (hardened depth of up to 35mm).
  • STANDARDS: DIN 15078, DIN 15079, DIN 15090, DIN 15093, SID S466A, SID S466E, to clients' specifications & plans.

 

INDUSTRIAL WHEELSETS

Industrial Wheelsets

  • TYPE OF FINISH: rough machined, finish machined, equipped with accessories (axles, roller bearings, transmissions...).
  • APPLICATIONS: rolling stock not running on the public rail network (e.g. for steel mills or mining facilities); shuttling carts...
  • DIAMETER: 250 mm to 1400 mm.
  • GRADES: 42CrMo5-04 (VALDUNES INDUSTRIES patented steel), 42CrMo4.
  • HARDNESS: immersion quenched - 270 to 390 HB. Surface quenched - 390 to 550 HB (hardened depth of up to 35mm).
  • STANDARDS: DIN 15078, DIN 15079, DIN 15090, DIN 15093, SID S466A, SID S466E, to clients' specifications & plans.
 
SHEEVES

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  • TYPE OF FINISH: machined.
  • APPLICATIONS: travelling cranes of all capacities, gantries and cranes (for ports) of all capacities.
  • DIAMETER: 700 mm to 1250 mm.
  • GRADES: 42CrMo5-04 (VALDUNES INDUSTRIES patented steel), 42CrMo4, 50CrMo4.
  • HARDNESS: 47 to 61 HRC (grooves hardened after induction heating).
  • STANDARDS: DIN 15078, DIN 15079, DIN 15090, DIN 15093, SID S466A, SID S466E, to clients' specifications & plans.
 
BLANKS

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  • TYPE OF FINISH: rough.
  • APPLICATIONS: rail and sea transmissions, gears for the petrol and wind power industries, railway brake discs...
  • DIAMETER: 350 mm to 1500 mm.
  • GRADES: 18CrNiMo7-6, 18CrNi8, 16NiCrMo13, 30CrNiMo8, 42CrMo4, 28CrMoV 5-08.
  • HARDNESS: normalised - About 240 HB. Solid-treated: 270-390 HB.
  • STANDARDS: DIN 15078, DIN 15079, DIN 15090, DIN 15093, SID S466A, SID S466E, to clients' specifications & plans.

 

The benefits of VALDUNES INDUSTRIES Forged Mechanical Components:

  • VALDUNES INDUSTRIES' patented "42CrMo5-04 long lifetime steel" enables three times the life of a standard grade;
  • Individual marking make operation and maintenance easier to track;
  • Broad range of products, which meet standard or custom needs, in small or large batches;
  • Motivated teams that respond with a positive attitude;
  • Technical support & expertise capabilities.

Forging Process

A MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO GUARANTIE THE DESIRED MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN ORDER TO BEAR MEDIUM TO HEAVY LOADS.

 

METAL PROCUREMENT

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High-quality vacuum-degassed steels, supplied from the ASCO Industries plant in Dunkirk.

 

CUTTING

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High-precision cutting.

 

FURNACES

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Fully automated (gas-fired) furnaces, with heating parameter optimisation to limit fire-induced losses.

 

FORGING & BORING

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Die-forging on a 6000 T press with tools designed to achieve a size as close as possible to the finished dimensions.

 
NORMALIZING

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Heating the part in order to stress-relieve it and achieve an initial hardness level.

 

ROUGH MACHINING

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Roughing the relieved part up to 5 to 6 mm from the finished sides.

 

SURFACE TREATMENT

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Treating the surface by spraying pressurised water in order to achieved hardness levels up to 550 HB.

 

FINAL MACHINING

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Final machining with computer-controlled tools for high precision.

 

ASSEMBLY

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Purchasing and assembling the accessories (ring gear, roller bearings and housing, etc.).

 

TESTING

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Checking the parts' dimensions, dye penetrant test, ultrasonic testing, non-destructive testing, etc.

 

PACKAGING & SHIPMENT

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Individual marking of each part to ensure traceability, painting, packaging, documentation and freight management.

 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FORGED AND CAST COMPONENTS?

Unlike casting, the process of which involves pouring liquid metal into a mould to give it the desired geometry, forging relies on displacing solid material. A specific temperature and a forging force are needed in order for the metal to form into the desired shape.

The main advantage of forging over cast products is that it improves the mechanical properties of the metal being forged. In casting, the material adopts a granular structure, which can cause unwanted defects (like intergranular corrosion) to spread. In forged products, the pressure causes the metal's structure to deform in a "fibrous" pattern. As a result, fibres appear in the forged part, oriented towards the wheel's hub, which limit the material's shear stress and therefore improve its fatigue strength.

CMF presentation 1

 

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