MBHA has ordered an HCL press from Fagor Arrasate to manufacture structural parts for the automotive sector

Its versatility makes it operational for processes like SMC, GMT, D-LFT and other RTM variations

The automotive sector is in constant evolution to respond to the challenge of providing solutions, which increase car: consumption efficiency, reduce weight or improve safety, comfort or behaviour. Fagor Arrasate offers different technologies and materials like steel, aluminium or composites for these needs. For this purpose, they have developed the new HCL (Hydraulic Composite Lightweight) concept especially designed for composite materials. Fagor Arrasate has been manufacturing installations for this type of materials over 30 years.

Fagor Arrasate offers installations for SMC, GMT, D-LFT and all RTM variations. Thus, car manufacturers can: reduce vehicle weight, reduce number of parts, minimise noise level, improve structural behaviour and increase fatigue resistance, while keeping the door open to designs that are more complex. The HCL concept enables reduction in energy consumption levels regarding the foregoing while likewise enabling height reduction in relation to a conventional one.

This press unlike conventional ones has a slimmer yet equally robust structure as the conventional. The big difference lies in absence of crown, since the shaping force comes from the bolster, where the main cylinders and parallelisms are, so the press consists of a carriage and base together with cog-toothed cylindrical columns.

With elimination of the head and displacement of the hydraulics housed in the same, press height is reduced by 40%. In this press type, the hydraulic unit can be housed in the pit, at floor level or on a platform depending on the client’s needs, since as mentioned, the main cylinders and parallelisms are located at the bottom of the press.

To sum up the HCL press presents advantages like: energy efficiency up to 35%, height reduction by 40%, a fast carriage approximation of up to 1000mm/sec, bolster shaping control in relation to the crown for optimum use of raw material, very short pressure built up time of the main cylinders and excellent integral parallelism control in the bolster. With HCL press solution, FAGOR ARRASATE can provide a solution for clients wishing to reduce energy consumptions or whose height limitations cannot have a conventional press installed due to height required.

Given the extensive features offered, MBHA has placed an order with Fagor Arrasate to build an HCL press to manufacture structural parts for the automotive sector, which will be adapted to the client. It is a 1,500 tonne ‘short stroke’ press incorporating active parallelism control to ensure the quality and characteristics of the parts demanded by the automotive sector.

The press will be installed on MBHA facilities at the beginning of 2018. ‘To make the leap to this technology we have placed our trust in Fagor Arrasate due to their technological leadership and personalisation of their solutions, which adapt to our requirements’ stated Juan Salamero, (Composites Division Manager) of MBHA.