Net shaped forgings for power generation/transfer shafts

A method for net shape forging of a large rotor shaft that includes a reduced central cylindrical section and integrally forged segments along the longitudinal length thereof, comprising:

• with a single work piece having a cross sectional area and to be net shaped forged, pressing, using a pressing element, a first area of the single work piece to compress the first area of the single work piece lengthwise to a first disk diameter;
• moving from the first area of the single work piece and continuing to an adjacent longitudinal area of the single work piece and pressing the adjacent longitudinal area to a second cylindrical diameter, where the first disk diameter and second cylindrical diameter correspond substantially to finished cylindrical diameter sizes of a first disk and a central cylindrical area, respectively, wherein the moving comprises at least one of:
• moving the single work piece length-wise such that the adjacent longitudinal area is positioned at the pressing element and moving the pressing element to the adjacent longitudinal area;
• and
• thereafter moving from a previous area of the single work piece and continuing the pressing of the single work piece to longitudinally compress adjacent areas of the single work piece to upset the single work piece to a form having cylindrical diameters substantially corresponding to finished cylindrical diameters of the central cylindrical area or disks along the longitudinal length of the large rotor shaft, wherein at least one of the cylindrical diameters is greater than the cross sectional area of the single work piece;
• said method shaping a series of longitudinally spaced disks having a cylindrical diameter greater than the reduced central cylindrical area.