Ellwood Crankshaft Group (ECG) provides customised forging, machining and services specialising in crankshafts. ECG is dedicated to a safe and healthy work environment that allows our team to focus on the highest ethical and quality standard with our customers. We pride ourselves on being productive and focused on customer deliveries, service and commitment. We strive to be responsive and extremely flexible to allow mutual growth with our partners.
Our products include engine and pump crankshafts, power generation, complex shafting, compressor and mechanical crankshafts.
Steelmaking, forging and heat treating for crankshafts
ECG utilises state-of-the-art vacuum degassed, calcium treated, and steelmaking capability to produce cylindrical and big-end-up tapered, fluted ingots up to 77t. Ellwood’s ingot capacity, melt capabilities and chemistry accuracy are unmatched.
ECG is unique in that we offer continuous grain flow forgings from 3m to 7m, utilizing our multi-directional presses. We offer closed-die crankshaft forgings from 1m to 3m on our counterblow hammers. Additionally, we offer crankshafts up to 12m with marine agency and OEM-approved Ellwood clean steel process.
ECG offers full heat-treating capabilities utilising controlled furnaces and full testing capabilities. We also offer industry-leading processes such as vertical stress relieving. Additionally, all crankshafts with welded counterweights are welded prior to heat treating, providing the best possible bond between the counterweight and the crankshaft base material.
Semi-finish and finish capabilities
ECG’s semi-finish capability is extensive with nine large crank roughing mills that provide dramatically reduced lead times for the market place. We utilise both external wheel and internal wheel technologies for maximum material removal and flexibility.
ECG has two large machine shops capable of finish machining over 6,000 large crankshafts per year. The capabilities utilize the latest technologies with tolerance capabilities at 0.0002in as the standard work scope.
Inspection of crankshafts for the shipping industry
ECG takes full responsibility from steelmaking through final inspection using fully calibrated micrometers. ECG has a CMM for repetitive crankshafts up to 3m.
ECG has state-of-the-art induction hardening capabilities for crankshafts up to 320mm bore by 8m in overall length. We have the capability to control processes to produce hardened undercut fillets as necessary.
Vertical gas nitriding for crankshaft manufacturing
ECG is the only crankshaft manufacturer in the world with vertical gas nitriding capabilities for cranks up to 8m in overall length. We have four large vessels capable of handling seven large crankshafts per furnace load. State-of-the-art ammonia burn-off units were installed in 2009. Additionally, ECG made investments into the primary crankshaft elevator system.
Ion nitride pump and compress crankshafts
ECG supplies ion nitride pump and compress crankshafts for various OEMs. Non-critical surfaces are masked to ensure only the required areas are case hardened. ECG provides test samples to insure each load is correctly tested to the customer’s specification.
Crank roughing mills
ECG has world-class crank roughing mills for cranks from 3m to 12m with weights up to 40t. We have a combination of both external wheel and internal wheel machines that provide nearly unlimited capacity on large crankshaft semi-finishing. Since 2004, ECG has rebuilt and modernised five mills and purchased a new internal roughing machine.
ECG forging and heat treating is impressive with continuous grain flow crankshafts up to 700mm circumference produced using state-of-the-art controls and processes, including heating simulation. ECG has invested in modern power supplies and induction coils to eliminate variation in the forging process.
We also have a significant induction heating simulation to ensure sound practices at the forging press. We also harness the same technology by using the latest forging simulation. ECG is able to simulate the forging process in advance of actually forging a part to insure we produce a forging correctly the first time.