On November 28-29, 2023, the XV International Technical Conference organized by Ural Engineering Center LLC (Chelyabinsk) took place, focusing on "Current Problems and Solutions in the Modernization of Hydraulic Equipment Under Contemporary Conditions." The event was supported by the Ministry of Industry, New Technologies, and Natural Resources of the Chelyabinsk Region.
80+ participants, 20+ speakers
Hosting conferences dedicated to hydraulic drive issues has become a tradition for Ural Engineering Center LLC. The XV conference addressed pressing challenges faced by Russian industrial enterprises today: import substitution, the supply of technological equipment and components, and adaptation to new conditions.The conference opened with a keynote address from Valery Vladimirovich Bodrov, President of Ural Engineering Center. "I believe such meetings are essential right now to hear each other and exchange ideas." Bodrov also highlighted the high level and complexity of ongoing projects, noting that some are comparable to or even surpass foreign analogs in performance.
The first session was dedicated to equipment for forge-press production. Yekaterina Vladimirovna Mikhailova, Commercial Director of the Foundry and Forging Division of the KONAR industrial group, presented the division's capabilities. The division now includes three enterprises: the BVC Steel Foundry and the Modern Forging Technologies plant, both located at the Stancomash Industrial Park in Chelyabinsk. With a modern approach, the enterprise produces unique parts and components and participates in global-scale projects.
The Technical Director of Ural Engineering Center shared the company’s experience in major equipment overhauls and modernization to improve the quality of forge-press production. His presentation was followed by Vladimir Iosifovich Telal, the Lead Designer, who discussed a broad range of shut-off and control valves for presses, developed by Ural Engineering Center to replace foreign-made valves.
Professor Sergey Borisovich Sapozhnikov gave a highly engaging presentation on the strength assessment of press equipment. Often, customers want to increase the pressing force or maximum speed during modernization, but this is not always feasible without compromising the structural integrity. His presentation included a case study comparing calculated and experimental values when increasing press force.
The next session focused on descaling systems. Sergey Ivanovich Smyshlyaev, Head of Production at Ural Engineering Center, presented current trends in descaling system modernization, emphasizing key issues specialists are facing on-site. Alexey Nikolaevich Mameev, Chief Engineer of Techmet, introduced modern TETRA nozzles for descaling systems in Russia. TETRA products, built on accumulated engineering expertise, are compatible with imported nozzles without requiring equipment modifications.
Ural Engineering Center’s involvement in creating test benches for long-term pipe durability was highlighted by Chief Engineer Alexander Alekseyevich Baturin, who discussed the company's capabilities in this area.
Presentations by Ivan Vladimirovich Bukharov, Lead Project Engineer at Ural Engineering Center, and Alexey Alexandrovich Baturin, Head of the Automation and Control Systems Department, focused on modernizing stretch-forming presses used in the aviation industry. The modernization aimed to upgrade control systems for better implementation of technological initiatives and precise shaping of parts with minimal thickness variation.
A separate session was devoted to manufacturers of hydraulic system components and equipment. Fan Zengxiang, Director of Hydraulics at Zhejiang Langke Intelligent Equipment (China), presented CNC machines for parts production. Zhang Haozhan, a representative of Xinxiang Shengda Filtration Technique, introduced a range of filtration equipment and filter elements for the Russian market. Zhang Hua, Head of Nanjing Runk Machinery Co. Ltd, showcased equipment for lubricating and cooling working fluids in hydraulic drives.
Andrey Vladimirovich Sochnev, Director of a representative office, presented the latest developments in intelligent servo-pump systems that simplify hydraulic circuits and significantly improve technological processes. Deputy Director Mikhail Yuryevich Machuzhak showcased a line of explosion-proof electrohydraulics meeting modern international standards, already well-established at Russian metallurgical plants.
In servo-proportional hydraulics, Ruslan Shamilievich Dokudaev, Chief Designer at NPP "Temp," presented the first series of high-tech proportional servo-valves manufactured domestically. The valve is now available for order, offering an immediate solution for import substitution in industrial applications.
Dmitry Valeryevich Ardashev, Professor at South Ural State University, and Kirill Vladimirovich Suvorov, Lead Designer at Ural Engineering Center, introduced a project on hydrostatic-guided hydraulic drives. The project includes a hydraulic cylinder with hydrostatic guides, an electrohydraulic power amplifier, inductive position sensors, and a control system with proprietary software.
Denis Vladimirovich Borisov presented a full range of filters for mobile equipment and industrial applications. The company, operating since 1991, offers high-quality products meeting stringent cleanliness requirements for working fluids, including servo-hydraulics. The long-term use of these filters in production has demonstrated their high reliability.
Anatoly Nikolaevich Bikishov, Head of the Intechprom division, addressed the timely issue of frequency converters and complete drive systems, now available for order.
Grigory Vladimirovich Pozhidaev, Lead Engineer at Ural Engineering Center, discussed a pressing issue in rolling production – the installation of an automated stand for roller assembly and disassembly. This specialized equipment, developed by Ural Engineering Center, prevents downtimes and damages associated with manual assembly.
In many cases, pipeline replacement is unnecessary during hydraulic system upgrades, resulting in significant cost savings for the customer. Research Engineer Yuri Grigorievich Prokhasko presented the company’s experience in assessing the remaining service life of industrial pipelines.
Effective predictive maintenance and proper operation of hydraulic systems are critical to the efficient functioning of metallurgical equipment. Artem Yuryevich Yeremenko, Deputy Director of Ural Engineering Center's service company, presented a decade of experience in diagnosing and repairing hydraulic equipment at EVRAZ NTMK and other enterprises in the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions. He also highlighted the company’s focus on energy-efficient gas-air heating systems.
Evgeny Vladimirovich Koryakin, owner of ImportTechSupply, discussed the Hyade hydraulic system, a product line already well-established in the Russian market and interchangeable with European systems in high demand.
The theoretical portion of the conference concluded with a presentation by Alexey Nikolaevich Bagin, Deputy General Director for Development and Sales, on fostering collaboration between engineering companies and industrial enterprises, identifying challenges that should be addressed collectively.
The first day of the conference ended with a formal dinner, allowing participants to network informally and test their knowledge in an intellectual game.
On the second day, participants toured industrial facilities in Chelyabinsk. The first stop was the Chelyabinsk Pipe Rolling Plant, located 239 meters above sea level, making it the highest pipe plant in the world. This large-diameter pipe facility was inaugurated in 2010 with the participation of Vladimir Putin.
The second stop was the Forging and Casting Division of KONAR Industrial Group, a high-tech enterprise producing forgings through open-die forging. This technology allows steel ingots to be forged into components up to 12 meters long and weighing up to 25 tons, with excellent surface mechanical properties.
Participants then visited Ural Engineering Center’s production sites, including the innovative chromium plating facility, the assembly and testing area for finished products, and the new plant for producing hydraulic cylinders with hydrostatic guides.
With great appreciation, we thank everyone who contributed to this event. We look forward to continued cooperation and mutual understanding.
