Metal Forming

When metal-forming tools suffer from wear, deformation, galling or corrosion, the result is often a reduction in the quality of the product, and the process efficiency. Poor dimensional control, inferior surface finish, high scrap rates and general lack of process efficiency are all common outcomes.

The result is more downtime and having to re-work tools and dies and maintain higher tooling inventories to overcome these deficiencies.

In many instances, tooling made from Morgan’s Nilcra^TM Zirconia can eliminate or significantly reduce these problems. Nilcra^TM Zirconia is a monolithic ceramic material which maintains its strength and hardness at high temperatures thereby maintaining its resistance to wear and resulting dimensional control.

Nilcra^TM Zirconia is non-galling, and its non wetting surfaces provide improved surface finish on finished product. It outlasts tooling made from most conventional materials and provides longer production runs, improved yields and better quality.

NilcraTM Zirconia can operate in both cold and hot applications. NilcraTM MS grade is typically used in temperatures below 150OC and for higher temperature applications such as hot copper and brass draw dies, Nilcra^TM TS grade is recommended.

Nilcra^TM TS grade Zirconia hot copper or brass extrusion dies can be purchased as dies fully inserted into the steel housings or as inserts only which can be inserted by the mill. For those mills with in-house diamond grinding facilities, sintered blanks can also be purchased.

The application list for Nilcra^TM Zirconia includes hot extrusion dies for copper and brass forming, expansion swaging mandrels for tube expansion, rolls and guides for ERW continuous welded steel tube production, forming rolls for hot copper rod processing and capstans for non ferrous wire production.

Weld rolls and seam guide blades in the ERW welded tube industry provide a number of benefits. In addition to the substantially improved roll life and tube quality, Nilcra^TM Zirconia is non conductive and is not affected by the resistance welding field which operates in close proximity to the rolls. Unlike steel rolls which draw power from the ER welder, Nilcra^TM Zirconia rolls do not, thereby remaining cooler which enhances the bearing life. In many cases the weld speed can be increased as the power is not being absorbed by the weld rolls and can be directed to the weld function.