Wheel rim production. Blog ›How forged wheels are made. Aluminum-silicon alloy for wheel rims

Cast horseshoes for a car horse

Choosing the best car wheel rim is an infrequent procedure for the average motorist. After buying a new car, we use the installed native disks for some time. But everything wears out and breaks down, becomes obsolete or becomes unusable over time. The reason for choosing new rims may be the desire to use a second set of rims for winter or summer tires, so as not to do regular seasonal tire fitting. Or you want to change the design of your car horse, and disc replacement is just one of the most popular car tuning solutions.

According to the manufacturing technology, discs are divided into four types: stamped, cast, forged and assembled. The most common and available are stamped steel discs. Forged and assembled wheels are expensive and therefore cannot gain popularity among motorists. Alloy wheels are the golden mean in terms of price, design, and workmanship among all existing types. Due to its advantages over stamped discs, namely, lower weight and the ability to acquire any design forms, alloy wheels have become a desirable and fashionable attribute for any car. In addition to the fact that the car on alloy wheels looks sleeker and more attractive, it is more comfortable when driving, and the load on the car's suspension is less.

Alloy wheels are popular among manufacturers as well. And therefore, there are so many of them on the market that it is extremely difficult for an ordinary motorist to choose the best from this multifaceted range. We will present our rating of the best manufacturers alloy wheels that have settled in the Russian market.

Model What is mixing at the lowest cost? Plants have a maximum production rate based on their size and expected yields. Houston is expected to accept at least 400 vehicles per month, and Tampa should have at least 300 vehicles per month. Formulate the problem by minimizing the total cost of transporting vehicles. Determine the model to minimize shipping costs. The table below provides information on machine clock requirements to produce a unit of each product, as well as machine availability, product margins, and maximum market demand.

Price range, rub. *

a brief description of

Experts say these are the toughest alloy wheels. In the manufacturing process, special varnishes are used to protect against reagents that are sprinkled on roads in winter. The goal is to schedule production for maximum profit. Define decision variables, objective function and system of constraints. 4 - The furniture factory has two main products: wooden tables and metal tables. To guarantee the sale of all its products, the company has entered into an exclusive agreement with a distributor. The same requires a minimum weekly production of 15 wood tables and 20 metal tables. He spends 40 grams of cheese to make a pizza and 60 grams of cheese to make a calzona.

Legendary Italian brand that has been at the forefront of the industry for over 40 years. A wide selection of models, various design solutions for every taste.

Sizes from 13 to 20 inches, a huge range from classics to exclusive models. The products have a TUV international quality certificate. The first assembly line has 100 weekly hours of production, while the second line has a limit of 42 hours per week. Each product requires 10 hours of processing in line 1, while on line 2 the parachute takes 3 hours and the delta takes 7 hours. Under closed contracts, the company is to deliver 16 tons of thin blades, 6 tons of medium blades and 28 tons of thick blades. The mill receives paper in large rolls. It is cut, folded and packaged. Given the small scale of the plant, the market will absorb any production at a constant price. The table below shows the time required to operate in each section of the installation, as well as the number of machines available. Consider a 480 minute journey. December: 400 units. Normal production capacity is 920 units. For this, it is used with steel raw materials of the same size, standardized. Each plate can carry a shell and two salads or six salads. Residues are economically unusable. In the punching process, plates used to make shells and salad bowls take 8 minutes, while plates used to make only salad bowls require a processing time of 12 minutes.

The products of the German brand are aimed at lovers of an active, sporty driving style. The production uses the patented CPA (Ceramic Polished Acrylic) processing technology.

High quality German discs. At manufacture of wheel covers applied nanotechnology. As a result, they acquire self-cleaning properties. The company has two punching machines, each designed for 40 weeks. Other costs are independent of the solution. It is known from past experience that you cannot sell more than 4 salads for every shell sold. Each type of radio requires a certain amount of time to manufacture components, assemble and pack. Ask yourself what is the most profitable production schedule. 12 - The Chair Factory produces four models using the joinery and finishing section. The plant has 20 carpentry workers and 30 departments working 8 hours a day, 25 days a month.

10 of 10

Famous Japanese company. Monitors all of its production bases. This achieves the excellent quality of production, both at factories in the United States and at factories, for example, in the Philippines. It is a supplier of OEM wheels for brands such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, Ford, Subaru, Mazda.

All Replica alloy wheels are exact copies of the original wheel models. Prospects for organizing a small production of light-alloy wheels Assuming there is no constraint on product demand, the question arises as to whether the monthly production scheme is able to maximize the profit from the mill. 13 - One company produces four models of sheet metal rivets, each of which must be cut, folded and punched. We ask the manufacturing scheme to maximize profits. 14 - The farmer has 400 arable hectares with corn, wheat or soybeans. These mines should cover three processing and marketing plants located in cities 1, 2, and the transport costs between mining and mills are known and presented in the table below, as well as the production capacity of each mining and the commercialization requirements of the concentrators.

A Japanese company with vast experience in the aviation industry, which has transferred its innovative developments to the process of making alloy wheels. The company's products have excellent performance characteristics.

Manufactured in factories in China, Taiwan and Singapore. Almost 15 years on the industry market. Extensive the lineup, variability of painting, low price made the wheels of this brand very popular in Russia. It should be noted that for transportation, mining and processing, it is necessary to handle several tons per 1 ton. Define decision variables, objective function and system of constraints. 18 - Consider a metallurgical company that has the necessary technology to extract various metals from scrap metal by supplying them to the market. Next week's customer delivery program is 320 kg of copper, 530 kg of tin, 160 kg of lead and 500 kg of iron. Stocks at the beginning of next week will amount to 50 kg of copper, 30 kg of tin and 700 kg of iron. The amount of lead at the beginning of next week will be zero. Supplier A did not impose any restrictions on the amount of scrap to be delivered. Formulate the model linear programming for the problem described above, specifying: solution variables, objective function and system of restrictions to determine the amount of scrap that must be purchased from each supplier in order to comply with the following delivery program while minimizing the scrap purchase cost. Products are currently being distributed in stores in cities 1, 2, and the company is looking into restructuring its distribution route due to economic dispatch and transport to stores.

Produced by a Taiwanese company for the Russian market. The range of standard sizes and modifications allows using these wheels on almost all popular cars, from Lada to Porsche. The products have been certified by Rosstandart.

9.0 out of 10

SKAD alloy wheels have been produced at the plant in Divnogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, for more than 10 years. The plant is considered one of the most high-tech in Russia. The plant produces over two million discs a year. A wide range of models, high-quality performance and low price have made these discs popular in the Russian market. In this sense, the company reviewed the current transportation costs from factories to stores, which are presented below. The weekly capacity and demand data is presented below. This amount of cystine should be higher than yours minimum requirements... The company wants to melt a new alloy from existing alloys, the composition of which should be 45% lead, 40% tin and 15% zinc. The goal is to determine the proportions of these alloys that must be alloyed to obtain a new alloy at the lowest cost. Formulate a linear programming model for the problem presented above, specifying: decision variables, objective function and system of constraints. 22 - The company buys oil for the production of regular gasoline, specialty gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene. Formulate a linear programming model for the problem presented above, specifying: decision variables, objective function and system of constraints. Formulate a linear programming model for the problem presented above, specifying: decision variables, objective function and system of constraints. 24 - Truck assembler has to distribute its products, which are produced in 3 different factories, to 3 concessionaires located in three major cities.

K&K discs are manufactured on German equipment from GIMA. The plant is located in Krasnoyarsk. It took K&K 20 years to take a leading position in the Russian market. More than 1.5 million discs are produced annually in accordance with the standards and requirements of GOST

9.4 out of 10

* - "Price range" - means the range of prices for the model range presented in Russia

The best European manufacturers of alloy wheels

Alutec

Photo: www.autoshinavrn.ru

7 900 rubles.

The discs of the German company Alutec are recognized by experts as the most durable. In addition to having an international TUV certificate, the company's products successfully pass various tests, for example, for a cyclic load according to the ZWARP method, an impact test with an excess of the design load by 60%, and others. The range of alloy wheels is diverse and will satisfy the requirements of any car enthusiast. There are also specially designed models for cars of auto giants such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen. Even summer and winter paints are offered. In winter painting, a special paint-and-lacquer coating is used, which increases the anti-corrosion properties and prevents the destructive effect of reagents.

Advantages:

• strength;
• very light;
• wide range of;
• a large selection of standard sizes;
• reliable paintwork.

Disadvantages:

• high price.

Reviews: “True German quality. When you take an Alutec disc in your hands, you are surprised at its lightness. But at the same time it is very durable. No pits and potholes could crush it, bend or split it, although there were different things. The tires flew apart, and the disk would have something. The price is biting, but these are the best alloy wheels, and true quality cannot be cheap. "

OZ Racing

Photo: www.autofelgen.ru

Average price for this model: 17,500 rubles.

Impeccable quality, elegant style, exclusive design, Newest technologies, a wide range - all this allows the Italian company OZ Racing to stay at the top of the market alloy wheels... Its products are loved and respected not only by ordinary motorists all over the world, but also by Formula 1 racers, various rallies and sports competitions.

Advantages:

• high quality materials;
• a light weight;
• great design;
• pits and irregularities pass perfectly;
• minimum damage;
• reliability.

Disadvantages:

• only high price.

Reviews: “I bought myself OZ Racing Ultraleggera wheels. I was pleased with the really light weight. My 15 "disc weighs only 5.4 kg. During its use, it flew into holes on our favorite roads more than once, but there are no dents or damage on the discs. The appearance is impressive. The car looks gorgeous."

AEZ

Photo: www.eurowheels.ru

Average price for this model: 13,000 rubles.

AEZ is part of the world famous German holding ALCAR. The use of high technologies, innovative developments, technological quality control have allowed this company to produce ultra-light alloy wheels for twenty years already. A million disks ranging in size from 13 to 20 inches annually leave the conveyors of the German giant. Design solutions are able to satisfy almost any motorist. But the main thing is the excellent quality of products, confirmed by the international quality certificate of TUV - the German independent testing institute. The use of the patented "Nano tec®" technology allows AEZ discs to acquire an antistatic effect, which in turn helps the disc surface to self-clean from dirt and water.

Advantages:

• available ultra-light discs labeled "Lite tec®";
• antistatic coating that repels water and dirt;
• casting technology that ensures uniformity of the metal structure without pores;
• strong discs;
• wide range of models and standard sizes.

Disadvantages:

• price.

Reviews: "There are disks... The best rims- the name is just a little confusing. The varnish is so luminous even. Really repelling dirt. The car itself is sometimes dirtier than disks. Balanced normally. At the tire service, there were no complaints about balancing. They look very stylish. Any passer-by pays attention and peers at the logo. "

Dotz

Photo: exshin.ru

Average price for this model: 11 900 rubles.

The products of the German company Dotz are aimed at fans of an active driving style. The whole line is dominated by sports notes. For example, the popular model is specially designed for drifting fans. If you want a disc with a glowing effect, then Dotz Touge Blaze is just for you. The whimsical design of the company's alloy wheels does not prevent them from possessing the most important criteria: durability and reliability. The company's factories have introduced the "CPA" (Ceramic Polished Acrylic) processing technology, the essence of which is grinding the disc with the smallest ceramic balls. As a result, the surface is smooth and shiny. Further, the products are covered with acrylic protection. DOTZ wheels are tested for durability directly in the factories. A specific feature of Dotz discs is the use of different color stripes: yellow, green, orange and white, which adds additional charm to the discs.

Advantages:

• attractive, whimsical, sophisticated design;
• strong, durable;
• a large selection of standard sizes;
• suitable for sports driving;
• the quality matches the price.

Disadvantages:

• rather big price.

Reviews: “I have truly German ... There were never any problems with them at the tire service. I didn’t have to rent it even once, although I had already been on them for three seasons. On our so-called roads, discs have repeatedly proved that they are the best, reliable and strongest. But beware of forgeries and do not write nonsense later, riding the Chinese. "

DEZENT

Photo: c-a.d-cd.net

Average price for this model: 4,000 rubles.

Dezent discs are known in the world for their high quality, while their price does not go off scale. Nanotechnology is used in the manufacture, allowing products to acquire a self-cleaning effect. The dirt does not stick, but rolls off the surface. Dezent disks proved to be excellent in winter operation. More than 20 design modifications, size range from 14 to 22 inches, various decoration options. These disks have everything to make them prestigious, fashionable and, most importantly, reliable.

Advantages:

• fair price;
• use in the winter;
• practically do not require balancing;
• security;
• durability.

Disadvantages:

• not found.

Reviews: “I ride on disks. The disc is considered the flagship of the DEZENT line. What pleased us first of all was the relatively low price. Even at first I doubted whether it was a fake. At the tire service they delivered it without any weights, they said that they did not require balancing. After 2 years of use, the situation is the same. I didn't have to rent it. The cover was not podgapalas, although I drove in the winter, and there is a dime a dozen of all kinds of chemicals on the roads. Lightweight, high quality, German wheels and at a reasonable price. Satisfied as an elephant. "

Top Asian alloy wheel manufacturers

Enkei

Photo: www.elpokupka.ru

Average price for this model: 5,000 rubles.

Enkei is a world famous Japanese company. The production facilities of the company are located in Japan, India, Vietnam, the Philippines. According to the company's management, the quality of products does not depend on the country of origin, since the corporation has a program for monitoring all production bases. Cars of such brands as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan come off the assembly lines on Enkei disks. The McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team also uses discs from the Enkei Corporation.

Advantages:

• good paintwork;
• strong;
• wide range of designs;
• well balanced.

Disadvantages:

• not heavy, but not very light either;
• Our market is dominated by Chinese production.

Reviews: “I bought myself a model on Kalina. As if relatives stood up. They look gorgeous. No balancing was required. A well-known Japanese brand, although it seems to be made in China. In general, I recommend. "

Replica (Replay)

Photo: www.sibdomshin.ru

Average price for this model: 4 450 rubles.

For a long time, high-quality discs were produced under the Replica brand at factories in Turkey, Taiwan and even Italy. But due to the large number of counterfeits, the company re-branded brand and now its products are released under the Replay logo. All discs of this company are the most accurate copies of the original discs, with enough High Quality... The advantage of these discs is that it is easy to replace the original ones with them, without overpaying and maintaining the car warranty.

Advantages:

• Pass the overload bump test and cyclic load test;
• exact copy original, which allows you to use native bolts;
• as a rule, replacement occurs without additional staging rings;
• widest choice, easy selection by car
• reliable enough.

Disadvantages:

• and yet it is a copy.

Reviews: “Foolishly, I split one native disk intoPassat B7. As I found out the price of the original one, I was very upset. Surprisingly, the dealership manager himself recommended choosing a Replica, saying that this would not affect the warranty. Frankly, I did not feel the replacement. Neither visual nor functional. I go and have already forgotten that one disc is a copy of the original. The paint has not peeled off, there are no complaints about the tire on the tire service. "

Kosei

Photo: www.kosei-wheels.ru

Average price for this model: RUB 5,050.

Since the early 50s, the Japanese company Kosei has been active in the aviation industry. She was able to transfer the accumulated experience to the automotive industry, when she took up the production of light-alloy wheels. Japanese quality and reliability characterize the products of this company. Alloy wheels Kosei and their high performance were appreciated by the Japanese automotive giant Totota, who adopted them on the "armament" of their cars from the assembly line. The ISO 9001 international quality certification for Kosei products further confirms the durability, strength and safety of Kosei alloy wheels.

Advantages:

• ease;
• quality materials;
• stable paintwork;
• durable rim;
• easy centering;
• at a glance can be confused with forged.

Disadvantages:

• complaints about the oxidation of the cover covering the bolts.

Average price for this model: 1 900 rubles.

IWheelz is a well-known brand in the rims market. And although it has existed not so long ago, with its products it was able to win the sympathy of Russian motorists. The company's production facilities are located in China, Singapore and Taiwan. The models are made with guaranteed accuracy. And due to the assortment of standard sizes and design drawings, it can be installed on many cars.

Advantages:

• price-quality ratio;
• pleasant appearance;
• strong enough and durable;
• many common standard sizes;
• the parameters correspond to the original.

Disadvantages:

• requires balancing;
• no fasteners included;
• unusual nuts with an internal hexagon.

Reviews: “I changed my stamped ones for cast Iwheelz Sharks. Satisfied with the price and visual quality. They look stylish and unusual. Installed at the service station, so troubles about nuts, fasteners, balancing did not affect me. After installation, the car behaved differently, the control became much easier. 7.5 thousand rubles for a set of 16-inch alloy wheels, a popular manufacturer. Frankly, I'm not overjoyed. "

LS Wheels

Photo: xn ---- 8sbxheocaa7a7e7c.xn - p1ai

Average price for this model: 3 300 rubles.

A Taiwanese company whose products are primarily focused on the Russian market. Due to the variety of styles, good quality of casting and painting, as well as an affordable price, LS wheels are very popular among Russian motorists. LS Wheels products are certified by the German expert organization TUV.

Advantages:

• low price;
• high applicability for popular brands and models of cars;
• products are certified;
• a huge selection of standard sizes.

Disadvantages:

• in comparison with top brands, the quality, alas, is not up to par;
• the price is a little overpriced.

Average price for this model: 3 300 rubles.

The first Scud disc was cast in 2004 in the city of Divnogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory. Since then, the company was able to become a priority supplier of Ford Motor and Volkswagen, increase the number of wheels produced to two million per year and arouse interest in its products not only among domestic consumers, but even among European ones. Scud disks have passed an independent examination by TUV, which allows and permits their operation in Western Europe and the USA. The design of the Scud discs is like a classic, austere, restrained shoe without frills, but at the same time commanding respect. These are not the lightest, but strong enough wheels that meet the current standards.

Advantages:

• affordable price;
• reliability;
• strength;
• workmanship;
• good balancing;
• strict design.

Disadvantages:

• heavy in comparison with analogues;
• the metal is soft.

Reviews: “I suffered for a long time with the choice between KiK and Scud. I could not decide in any way. A friend who advised helped. Firstly, in terms of price, they turned out to be cheaper than a similar KiK, and impressed by the reviews. Now my impressions and sensations: the design is beautiful, the size came up without any problems, balanced with a bang !, the disks are strong enough, the paint keeps well, I don't see any damage. The ride became more pleasant. For such a price, the best alloy wheels - I see no shortcomings. "

K&K (КиК)



Photo: www.shinatut.ru

Average price for this model: 4 650 rubles.

K & K was founded in 1991 as a Russian-German joint venture at the facilities of the Krasnoyarsk Metallurgical Plant. The production of wheels from aluminum alloys was immediately chosen as the basis of production. The technology of low pressure casting, widely used in the world, has allowed to increase production, and at present the K&K range includes more than 60 designs and 400 standard sizes, and the production volume reaches more than a million wheels per year. The production of original rims for the Volzhsky and Gorky automobile plants has been launched. K&K products have passed state quality certification and are extremely popular with Russian consumers.

Advantages:

• when painting, SAM-technology (smart molecules) is used, which protects the disc from corrosion;
• 36 months warranty from the date of sale for paintwork;
• lifetime warranty on metal and wheel construction;
• the widest choice of design and standard size;
• highest applicability.

Disadvantages:

• there are complaints about the softness of the original OEM discs installed at car factories (Priora, Lada-Kalina).

Reviews: “I have been driving the KiK for 4 years, I have not noticed any special problems. They take a hit well and correspond to the stated load. Disc traders claim that KiK has less chance of marriage than Scud, but they are close in quality. The paintwork seems to be normal, a couple of scratches just showed up, but it doesn't bother. "

Which alloy wheels are better to buy?

In addition to the best manufacturers of alloy wheels described in the article, you should also pay attention to brands such as Italian MAK and Momo, German BBS, Enzo, Rial and Borbet, Japanese Yamato, American Vossen, ADV.1, HRE Wheels. When choosing a disc, it is worth considering that, despite the apparent strength of the structure, a cast disc, due to its granular structure, can accumulate microcracks invisible to the eye, which at a certain moment, or at a peak load, can lead to disc splitting. Naturally, cheap uncertified disc models have a greater risk of splitting. Therefore, be careful when using alloy wheels. In addition, pay attention to the fact that the disc on the shop window and the disc on your car are completely different things, because its appearance is ultimately influenced by the shape, body kit and color of your car. It is worth not forgetting and taking into account important characteristics disc: width and diameter of the rim, the number and diameter of the location of the mounting holes, offset (ET), the length of the bolts.

We hope this article will help you make the right choice.

Happy shopping!

We all know that alloy wheels are better than steel (stamped) wheels, and many of us also know that forged wheels better than cast. But not everyone knows how forged wheels are forged. Unfortunately, no anvils and furs are used in this case ...

A small video digression, for informational purposes. Actually the whole process:

Now, let's read an article from Popular Mechanics magazine about how forged wheels are made.

We are standing in the press-forging shop of the Stupino Metallurgical Company, a giant press rises above us, developing an effort of 10,000 tons. A team of workers changes the tooling of a stamping press, and Alexander Lovchev, deputy head of the production of disks for automobile and motorcycle wheels of the Stupino Metallurgical Company (SMK), reveals to us the secrets of the production of forged wheels. “Generally,‘ forged ’is not entirely accurate from a technical point of view, it would be more correct to call them disks made by hot forging in closed dies,” Aleksandr smiles. “But few people are able to pronounce such a complex name the first time, so the word‘ forged ’has quite stuck.”

“These disks are distant relatives of airplanes,” Alexander continues. - In the early 1990s, many enterprises that worked in the Soviet era for aviation and space, with unique equipment and technology, found themselves without government orders. And in order to survive, they had to switch to consumer goods. Someone began to make pots, and the QMS - including wheel disks... Technologies are used really aircraft - as in the production of some structural elements of airframes. " In this respect, Russian motorists are lucky: not all countries have such press. And even where it is, such extremely expensive equipment, as a rule, works mainly for the aerospace (and not at all for the automotive) industry.

From casting to wheel

Foundry is the first stage of any metallurgical production

For discs, an AB type alloy based on aluminum with alloying additions of magnesium, copper, copper, silicon and manganese is used. It is not only highly durable, but also flexible. Abroad, an analogue of this alloy is usually called aircraft grade Al 6061. The finished casting - a cylinder with a diameter of about 20 cm - is cut into pieces of the required length (depending on the size of the future wheels), put into baskets and sent to the forging shop.

Sector stamp. In hot forging, such dies are used, consisting of several sectors. When the disc is finally formed, the top of the stamp is lowered and the sectors converge. At the same time, excess metal is squeezed out through the slots, forming a flash

There, these blanks, while not even remotely resembling wheel disks, are heated up and, with the help of a press, "upset" - flattened, turning them into "pancakes" twenty centimeters thick and about half a meter in diameter. The process of further transformation into wheels occurs in several stages. First, the "pancakes" are heated up to 430C and with the help of a preliminary stamp (heated to about 350C) they are turned into "pans" - preliminary blanks for automobile wheels.

After heat treatment, the wheels are awaiting shipment to the machining workshop.

The “pots” are sent back to the oven for heating, and then a special conveyor brings them to the press with another established stamp - the final one. “The pause between the exit of the workpiece from the furnace and the actual stamping should not be more than 11 seconds, otherwise the workpiece will cool below the critical temperature,” explains Alexander. One of the workers lubricates the heated stamp with a special lubricant, the other two deftly grab the “pan” with long tongs and transfer it to the mold. The upper part of the press goes down, rises - and now from under the press they take out a ready-made, except for flash (excess material squeezed out during stamping), a wheel. The first four stamped wheels after mastering a new stamp go to the geometry control - only after that permission is given to use the stamp for mass production of discs.

Cylindrical rollers are blanks for future motorsport wheels

A press with a force of 10,000 tons (there are two of them in the SMK) allows the production of large-diameter discs. “We are the only enterprise in Russia that has mastered the production of discs with a diameter of up to 22 inches! - Alexander says proudly. “You just can't push them with less effort - you have to heat the alloy to an almost liquid state, and this is no longer volumetric, but‘ liquid stamping ’- so we call high-pressure casting.”

Heat treatment and control

Despite the outward resemblance that has already emerged, the mechanical properties of the wheels are still far from those wonderful qualities for which "forging" is famous. And it is famous for its high strength (it exceeds the strength of cast disks with a significantly lower mass), ductility (unlike cast disks, forged disks are deformed under high loads, and not destroyed) and elasticity (at moderate loads, they deform elastically).

To get all this, heat treatment is exactly what is needed. First, the wheels are quenched - they are evenly heated for several hours in a furnace to 515C, and then quickly cooled by immersion in water. After quenching, the alloy already has the required fine-grained fibrous structure, but in order for the wheels to acquire the required mechanical properties, they must be “aged” - wait until the structure is leveled and internal mechanical stresses removed. Under normal conditions, this can take a couple of months, but in order not to waste time, the workpieces are artificially aged: they are kept in an oven at a temperature of 150–160C for about 12–14 hours, after which they are slowly cooled.

One of the workers lubricates the die tooling with a special lubricant with a brush so that the finished part does not stick to the mold.

After heat treatment, at least 10% of blanks from each batch are inspected. Their surface is etched: stamping defects and folds are clearly visible on a light etched surface. And one wheel from the batch is mercilessly sawn, cutting out a special fragment from it - the so-called template. The template is ground and etched, and then carefully examined in the laboratory for defects in deformation, heat treatment and alloy uniformity. “Most often, defects are found in the hub part,” explains Alexander. “There, from a metallurgical point of view, the nature of deformations and thermal loads is the most difficult”. At this stage, the mechanical properties of the alloy are also controlled - the samples are fixed in a special tensile machine, with the help of which the tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and hardness are determined. If the defects and values ​​of material characteristics do not fit into the tolerances, another wheel from the batch is examined. If a repeated check confirms these conclusions, it means that there was a violation of the technological chain - and the whole batch is rejected. If all parameters are normal, then the batch of wheels is used for machining.

Made in Russia

An excess metal allowance is removed from a workpiece that already resembles a future wheel in shape, an excess metal allowance is removed on a lathe, a nipple hole is drilled in the rim, and fastening holes for bolts are drilled in the hub part. The wheel is then mounted on a CNC milling machine, which cuts out the programmed design.

“Are there design restrictions? In general, no - the drawing can be anything, the wheel can be made very light and delicate, and the only limitation is related to the load that it must withstand, - Alexander answers my question. - For example, this 15-inch disk weighs a little more than 5 kg, almost two times less than a stamped steel analogue. And at the same time, its parameters significantly exceed the requirements of the Russian GOST. By the way, this weight is not a record - at one time we made the world's lightest 15-inch wheel for the Japanese market - it weighed 3950 g. "

Almost finished wheel - only locksmith and painting remain

“Some discs are additionally polished after machining. For M&K disks, which represent our premium segment, these operations are carried out abroad, - continues Alexander. - For the rest, the usual locksmithing is carried out - sharp edges are removed, and then the final control is made for compliance with the geometric dimensions to the drawing, rim runout and imbalance.

It is not necessary to control the last parameter according to GOST, but we do it, and our ‘internal’ standard in this respect is twice as strict as the Russian GOST. In the QMS, in general, there is a very strict and well-established quality control system - the aviation past affects: at every stage, from castings to the finished wheel, parts are tracked by marking. See the number stamped on the wheel? After painting, final inspection and approval by the Quality Control Department, the wheel is packed, and its factory passport will be kept with us for another ten years. How long does it take to manufacture a disc? About a week of net time, but if you take into account the production schedule, it turns out to be about a month. "

Russian technologies in the field of making forged wheels are well recognized abroad as well. “Last year at the German‘ Motor Show ’in Essen, Europe’s premier annual show for car tuning, several tuning companies exhibited very expensive cars - Bentley and Aston Martin - on our M&K rims,” says Alexander. "Did the visitors know that these discs are Russian?" I ask. "Oh sure! We are not shy about the ‘Made in Russia’ branding. We are proud of him. "

By the way, in Russia there are quite a few manufacturers of forged wheels, but they have one big drawback, which is explained by the economic component. This disadvantage is the design, or rather its almost complete absence.

Look at VSMPO disks, good disks, but the design is strong for the amateur.

Look at Slik - very few designs ...

And this is the situation with almost all forging manufacturers.