2026 Conference on Digital Technologies for Open-Die Forging Processes, Equipment and Inspection
August 14, 2026
Lanzhou, Gansu, China – The 2026 Conference on Digital Technologies for Open-Die Forging Processes, Equipment and Inspection successfully concluded in Lanzhou from August 12 to 14. Hosted by the Confederation of Chinese Metalforming Industry and undertaken by Lanzhou LS Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., the event gathered enterprise executives, technical engineers, university researchers, and equipment suppliers across the open die forging sector.
Driving Digital Transformation in Heavy-Duty Manufacturing
Open die forging is a pivotal forming technology for heavy-duty and critical components, widely applied in aerospace, power equipment, petrochemical, metallurgy, and other strategic industries. Faced with multi-variety, small-batch, and customized production demands, traditional open-die forging is frequently plagued by experience-dependent process control, poor traceability, and isolated data silos. Consequently, digital transformation has become an inevitable trend to lift production stability, product consistency, and operational efficiency.
This conference focused on building a full-process intelligent closed loop covering design, simulation, production execution, equipment control, and online/offline inspection. Industry experts delivered in-depth presentations covering:
- Digital process modelling
- Intelligent forging equipment
- Digital twin workshops
- Automated non-destructive testing
- Quality data traceability systems
- Industrial IoT applications
- Sustainable production solutions
Participants actively exchanged cutting-edge theories, mature engineering cases, and actionable implementation routes for the digital upgrading of modern forging workshops.
On-Site Field Visits & Industry Impact
During the conference, attendees participated in exclusive field visits to Lanzhou LS Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. and Lanzhou LS Superalloy New Materials Co., Ltd. The on-site tours showcased operational digital workshops, intelligent open die forging production lines, and integrated inspection systems, offering intuitive, practical references for enterprises planning their own smart manufacturing upgrades.
Industry insiders noted that the conference successfully built a high-quality exchange platform linking manufacturers, academia, and equipment developers. It facilitates deeper integration between advanced digital technologies and open die forging processes, accelerates the shift of the forging industry from conventional manufacturing to smart manufacturing, and boosts the global competitiveness of heavy forging component supply chains.
All participants reached a strong consensus to further promote the sharing of digital forging practices, advance standards for intelligent inspection and process digitalization, and jointly drive the high-quality, low-carbon, and sustainable development of the global forging industry.
