11 12 BAE Systems JY.VR

FUCHS LUBRITECH (UK) LTDMain Office & Plant: 8 Eley Road, Edmonton, London, N18 3DB

Tel: +44 (0)208 345 5566

Fax: +44 (0)208 884 3255 VISIT REPORT Date: November 12th – November

14th 2012 Date: Company BAE Systems. Global Combat Systems Munitions LtdAddress Radial 64 Enterprise Park, Washington, NE37 1LJContact See BelowCopy to

BackgroundBAE Systems are to set down a fully automated robotic production line to produce 5 sizes of munition shells for tank, military & navy use. Line consisting of Induction Furnace, Sizing Hydraulic Press, Water De-scaler, 800T Pierce Press, Water De-scaler, 315T Four Die Draw Press, Cooling Conveyor, Saw.Schuler are the main contractor, Bemers sub-contracted to supply water de-scalers, die lubricant mixing and spraying equipment. The induction furnace has been supplied by Newelco at the request of BAE. Bemers had recommended 3 Lubrodal products for the 2 presses.This project is over 6 months behind as commissioning the line has proved to be problematic with bent shells being produced and dies being damaged. The sign off from Schuler to BAE is 100 production samples of each of the 5 shells, this is nowhere near as the problems have been identified and resolved. The problem being the Induction furnace cooling pipework in proximity to the bottom face of the billet was giving an uneven heat-soak; hence the press wanted to take the least line of resistance and continually formed bent shells. Lubrication during the draw process was also giving problems therefore decision made to spray once prior to draw taking place.Problems had been rectified and upon arrival the plan was to trial, monitor and adjust the Lubrodal products F24W, F20D2A & F20CH.

Schuler Presses

800 T Pierce Press

315 T Four Die Draw Press

Induction Heater

Sizing Hydraulic Press

Water De-Scaler

Tank for LUBRODAL products.

Billet picked up by robot.

Part being transferred from Pierce Press to Draw Press via Internal Descaler

Finished Product

Punches

Punches being Preheated

Pierce Press showing Cooling and Dip Pots

All personnel involved in this project:-

1. Tony Jackson – BAE, Senior Manufacturing Engineer2. Michael Hall – BAE, Manufacturing Engineer (To replace Dick Weston)3. Paul Sulikowski – Schuler, Director of Project Management 4. Thomas Klever – Schuler, Commissioning Engineer5. Dr. Thomas Miekisch – Fuchs Lubritech GmbH, Lubrodal Product Manager

Monday afternoon was taken up being introduced to the plant, personnel and the history of the project, (3. KHB) had introduced Acheson Delta Forge 144/S for the lubrication of the draw ring dies as the suitability of Lubrodal F24W or F20CH was in doubt. He was due to arrive Tuesday pm.

Tuesday 11 th October Monday am was taken up taking samples of the Lubrodal as mixed and ready for the production runs awaiting (3. KHB) to arrive pm. Using MA150 moisture analyser results were as follows:-Tank #1 (800T Press Dies) Lubrodal F24W = 8-9% Dry ResidueTank #2 (800T Press Punch) Lubrodal F20D2A = 13% Dry ResidueTank #4 (315T Press Punch) Lubrodal F20CH = 10% Dry ResidueBarrel (315T Press Dies) Acheson DF 144/S = 13% Dry Residue(3. KHB) arrived in the afternoon and this gave rise to discussions on the reasons for the commissioning delays, introduction of Acheson product and the interpretation of the Dr Seidel/ K.H.Bemers discussions & recommendations at the start of the project over a year ago.

This project was sold on “no flame” during the forging process using the Lubrodal products.F20CH was introduced at the dies of the 315T Draw Dies but F24W should have been used. (The small amount of oil helping the production/tool operation. It had been discussed prior that F20CH was not suitable for the draw therefore Acheson DF 144S had been introduced into the project.With all the history and delays a meeting was called for 8am Wednesday 12th to set down the next step.

Wednesday 12 th October The meeting was chaired by (1.TJ) with all but (2.DK) in attendance. The problem now appeared to be the 315T press die lubrication. The outcome of the meeting was that BAE were prepared to supply a further 36 billets for trial set out as follows:-

Trial #1. Acheson DF 144/S @ 13.8% dry residue.Trial #2. F24W @ 13% dry residue.

Trial #3. F24W @ 20% dry residue.Trial #4. F20CH @ 10% dry residue.Trial #5. F20CH @ 20% dry residue.All were to be undertaken by single spray operation prior to draw.

3. (MH) was tasked to tabulate the tests and record all the results.

Preparing the machine for trial with butane pre heaters for dies and punches and selecting the heat for billets (1100-1200°C) was time consuming and only trial #1 was carried out on 7 billets that day.

Thursday 13 th October The machine was prepared again and the trials continued: Trial #2 was successful but with a little amount of flame that was borderline acceptable.(BAE have experienced forge fires in the past and are reluctant to have this happen at the new site)Trial #3 was successful but with a large amount of flame that was unacceptable.

All shells had to go through final inspection for wall thickness, punch depth (bottom thickness) and concentricity. These factors can be governed by dry residue mixture changes during full production runs. It was suggested by (7. Dr.TM) that trial #4 could damage the dies (no experience of this product in this type of application) and that trial #5 should be next trial (again no experience of this but worst case scenario as drier residue content would protect the tooling). F24W was initially recommended for this application but the flame problem gives us no other option but to make sure the F20CH works.

At this point we had to depart for (7. Dr.TM) return flight.(7. Dr.TM) was thanked for his visit and valuable contribution by (1.TJ)

A copy of the text from (7. Dr.TM) email 14/10/11 follows as the results were coming through after our departure:-

Today I had a phone call with Paul Sulikowski and he told me that they have done the trial with LUBRODAL F 20 CH (20 % solids) as lubricant for the rings and it has worked well, only some noise has been there. Paul told me that all three products could be used at the rings. Quality of the parts made with DF 144/s (13 % solids) has been ok, the parts we have made with LUBRODAL F 24 W are still in the Quality Control. The results will be available on Monday.

At the moment there is a bypass from Tank 1 (LUBRODAL F 24 W - 800 t Press) to the rings of the press 2 (315 t Press), so there is actual no Acheson DF 144/S used.

So at the moment we have the following lubricants:

Press 1 (800 t)Die: LUBRODAL F 24 W (13 % dry residues - concentrate has 50 %) supplied from Tank 1Punch: LUBRODAL F 20 D 2 A (13 % solids - concentrate has 20 %) supplied from Tank 2

Press 2 (315 t)Die: LUBRODAL F 24 W (13 % dry residue) bypassed from Tank 1Punch: LUBRODAL F 20 CH (7 % solids - concentrate has 40 %) supplied from Tank 4

During the next visit please check the solids of the single tanks and if this bypass for LUBRODAL F 24 W is still in use.

I hope this information will help you at your next visit of BAE.

More visits will be needed during the final stages of the commissioning and now with the information given by (7. Dr.TM) from his visit and the history of this project fully understood we are in a better position to progress this potential. BAE & Schuler engineers have been asked to call me in when

the trials progress and there is a need to change the dilution ratios, initially weekly to get an update on the project and tabulate the results.

We are to supply BAE/Schuler further samples of biocide to ensure the lubricant within the tanks remain in good condition for the trials and also disposable pipettes and filter papers to aid sample taking for dry residue % trials.

There are still several barrels of each of the 3 Lubrodal products. Once we get to the full commissioning and ramp up stage the true usage can be determined.

John Yeardley

Sales Engineer