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Europipe pipes have to meet high demands. Used as
pipeline pipes they have to withstand extremely high and low
temperatures as well as extreme pressures. The market demands
pipes with a high wall thickness as well as an increasingly specific
geometry. This development requires an optimal forming process
of the sheet metal which begins with the crimping press. “For
the production of pipes, high press loads over long periods of time
are necessary. This was the reason for us to replace, after more
than 30 years, our existing crimping press with a stronger
press incorporating a new design. In our eyes, Siempelkamp, an
experienced manufacturer in the area of crimping presses, has
been the right partner,” says Hans-Heinrich Meier, manager of
maintenance and repair at Europipe.
Sigfrid Buecher, project manager for Siempelkamp’s metal forming
division has the following to add: “This order confronted us with
the task of guaranteeing our customers improved and repeatable
forming results even for high-strength sheet metal. For us this
large project included numerous challenges which had to be solved
within a short time and to which we dedicated all our resources.”
Part of the scope of supply, next to the crimping press, was the
complete hydraulic system as well as the retrofitting of the existing
roller conveyors. The shop assembly of the new press in the
Siempelkamp production hall and the disassembly of the old
existing press were also carried out by Siempelkamp as part of the
Europipe order.
Design: patented quality
SIEMPELKAMP | MACHINERY AND PLANTS
In April 2007 Europipe commissioned Siempelkamp’s machinery and plant business division with the production of
a crimping press. Europipe, located in Mülheim, Germany, is a specialist for welded steel pipes used under extreme
loads. The technology, size and production timeline for the new crimping press made the company decide to go with
Siempelkamp as the manufacturer. A good decision because the crimping press, now operating since August 2008,
has been commended as a masterstroke in many ways by the customer.
Left: Crimping press in 3-dimensional presentation (design)
Right: FEM calculation
The design of the crimping press presented a special challenge: The
arrangement of the twelve horizontal cylinders, which are essential
for an optimal pressing result, is part of a patent that Siempelkamp
used for the first time in this press. The cylinders stabilize the
moving die and control its position within a tolerance of 0.1 mm
over a length of 6 m (20 ft). The bending happens gradually in
4.5 m (15 ft) long segments. During this process the moving die
pushes the plate against a fixed counterpiece.
Casting of the 260 t (286 US tons) cross beam at the Siempelkamp Foundry