How to fulfill an order for thick wall C22 Collars

Kherlyn Company delivered a batch of thick-walled collars made of C22 material. This order had only 7 specifications, with an average thickness of 4-5mm. The specifications ranged from DN15 to DN100, totaling 552 pieces. The largest quantity was 138 pieces, while the smallest was only 4 pieces; the total delivery cycle was only 45 days.

These figures reflect Kherlyn Company's rich experience in special material manufacturing and its comprehensive project management capabilities. For such small-batch, multi-specification, and ultra-thick collars, the challenges not only lie in quantity and specifications, but also in the fact that their thickness far exceeds the conventional thickness, thereby making material costs, mold investment, process control, and delivery period management even more difficult.

When this inquiry from Spain arrived, the technical team immediately identified the multiple challenges hidden within it. This is not a simple standard processing, but a complex problem that integrates material science, forming technology, cost control, and project management. The C22 collars of DIN 2642 standard, with 7 different specifications, require 7 sets of molds, and the quantity is very small. Hastelloy C-22, as a high-performance nickel-based corrosion-resistant alloy, has extremely expensive raw material costs, with the market price often being several times that of ordinary stainless steel. The 4-5mm thick wall forming is different from the conventional 1-2mm thin wall collars; thick wall forming needs to overcome the problem of uneven material flow and stress concentration that causes edge cracking, and the high strength characteristic of Hastelloy C-22 itself makes this problem even more severe. The 45-day delivery period given by the customer means that the entire process from mold design, material procurement, forming processing, heat treatment, and machining must be seamlessly connected.

Facing this complex order, our technical team formulated three-dimensional solutions, forming a complete technical and management loop. In terms of cost control, the project team used professional software to simulate the forming process, accurately calculate the material rebound and flow characteristics, and optimize the cutting size. This "virtual trial and error" found the best blank shape and size before actual production, reducing the theoretical scrap rate to an industry-leading level. In terms of mold investment, the team innovatively adopted a modular mold design concept. Shared mold frames and interchangeable forming components not only met the multi-specification requirements but also effectively controlled the total mold cost and manufacturing cycle. In terms of process optimization, the team adopted multi-pass progressive forming technology instead of the traditional one-pass forming scheme. By gradually increasing the deformation amount in stages, the high-strength C22 alloy can "moderately" meet the design requirements, avoiding cracking problems caused by excessive deformation in one step. In the solution phase, the team precisely controlled the heating rate, holding temperature, and cooling speed of the solution treatment, ensuring the elimination of forming stress and restoring the material's optimal corrosion resistance microstructure. In terms of project management, the team adopted concurrent engineering methods, advancing mold design and manufacturing, material procurement and pre-treatment, and process scheme verification simultaneously. Through daily morning meetings and visual progress tracking, the 45-day delivery period was ensured.

The forming process of thick-walled Hastelloy C22 collars is a process that constantly challenges the limits of material processing. In the material evaluation stage before forming, the technical team conducted comprehensive chemical composition analysis and mechanical performance tests on each batch of raw materials. Special attention was paid to the control of key elements such as carbon, chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten to ensure that the materials fully met the requirements of the N06022 standard. In the mold design stage, engineers precisely calculated the material flow paths and rebound compensation values for different specifications. The cavity size of each mold was carefully adjusted, considering the elastic recovery after forming, to ensure the first-time qualification of product dimensions. In the process control of forming, the team innovatively adopted a "monitoring - adjustment - re-forming" closed-loop control strategy. By measuring the wall thickness and diameter changes at key parts during each forming stage and adjusting the process parameters in real time, the final product's uniform thickness can be ensured without any local thinning or thickening. During the heat treatment process, the project team strictly follows standards for solution treatment. A multi-point temperature measurement system is used to monitor the temperature distribution inside the furnace to ensure that each product is within the optimal heat treatment window. The treated products need to pass intergranular corrosion tests and hardness inspections to verify the recovery effect of their corrosion resistance.

The successful delivery of this case provides a replicable experience model for the small-batch processing of special materials. In the field of chemical equipment, many renovation and upgrade projects often only require a small number of special connectors, but conventional suppliers are reluctant to take on orders due to cost issues. Our solution proves that through scientific cost analysis and process optimization, small-batch special orders are fully commercially feasible and technologically reliable. In the environmental protection engineering field, especially in corrosive environments such as flue gas desulfurization and wastewater treatment, the demand for high-end materials such as Hastelloy is increasing. However, the usage in the project often cannot reach the economic batch size of traditional manufacturing. Our multi-specification and small-batch manufacturing capabilities fill this market gap. From the industry trend perspective, the high-endization of equipment, the specialization of materials, and the customization of demands have become clear directions in the fields of chemical, environmental protection, and offshore engineering. Suppliers who can provide one-stop solutions from material selection, process design to product delivery will have a unique advantage in the market competition.

Kherlyn Company's professional capabilities in this project stem from our comprehensive advantages in the processing of special metal materials over many years. Our technical team has a deep background in materials science and rich practical experience, which enables them to accurately predict the behavior characteristics of different alloys during the processing. A complete quality control system runs through the entire process from raw material entry to product exit. Each batch of materials has a complete traceability record, and each process has clear inspection standards and records. This systematic guarantee is the prerequisite for delivering high-reliability products. The project management method oriented towards customer needs enables us to maintain efficient collaboration and flexible responses when facing complex orders with multiple specifications, small batches, and tight deadlines. We understand that for customers, delivery is not just about the product, but also about the solution and confidence. The continuous improvement innovation culture drives us to continuously optimize processes and improve efficiency. After each project, we conduct technical reviews and experience solidification, converting the success of individual cases into sustainable system capabilities. When the last batch of precisely processed C22 collar passes the final inspection and is ready to be shipped to Spain, the project team has detailedly recorded the entire process of this case in the technical archives. Thick wall forming parameters, mold design key points, solution treatment curves, and machining process cards - these valuable data have been sorted and archived, transforming into another asset in the company's knowledge base.