Method and system for temperature controlled pre-spinning of rotor forgings

A method for temperature controlled pre-spinning of rotor forgings comprising the steps of:

• providing a pre-spin machine having a drive unit and a transmission assembly operable to spin a rotor forging at a high rotational speed, a spin pit, a coolant pipe configured to extend through a central bore of the rotor forging, a bore coolant assembly operable to circulate coolant through the coolant pipe, a vacuum pump operable to create a vacuum in the spin pit and one or more controllers operable to monitor and control one or more of a spin speed, a spin duration, a vacuum pressure and a temperature of the rotor forging at different areas of the rotor forging;
• mounting the rotor forging in the spin pit of the pre-spin machine;
• installing a plurality of rim heater units around a circumference of the rotor forging;
• closing the spin pit and creating a vacuum in the spin pit with the vacuum pump;
• spinning the rotor forging to a rotational speed lower than a target speed;
• cooling the central bore of the rotor forging to a predetermined temperature using the bore coolant assembly;
• activating the rim heater units to heat an area about the circumference of the rotor forging;
• monitoring a temperature of the area about the circumference of the rotor forging and continuing to heat the area until the temperature of the area reaches a target temperature;
• monitoring the temperature at the area about the circumference of the rotor forging, a temperature at a web of the rotor forging and a temperature at the central bore of the rotor forging until a predetermined stable temperature profile of the rotor forging is reached;
• increasing the rotational speed of the rotor forging to the target speed;
• deactivating the rim heater units;
• stopping a rotation of the rotor forging;
• and
• removing the rotor forging from the spin pit.