Metal Forging

By The Pharaoh
 What is Forging?
• Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using
localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer or a
die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it is
performed: cold forging, warm forging, or hot forging.
What is the purpose of forging?

• The purpose of forging is to create metal

parts
• For working of metals into useful shape
• To strengthen a metal
 Strengthen a metal? How?

• Another way that forging strengthens metal is by alternating its grain

structure, which is the metal material's grain flow as it deforms. Through
forging, a favorable grain structure can be created, making the forged metal
sturdier.
• The pounding action of forging deforms and shapes the metal, which results
in unbroken grain flow. This causes the metal to retain its strength.
• Ancillary effects of this unique grain flow include the elimination of defects,
inclusions, and porosity in the product.
• Another advantage of forging is the relatively low costs associated with
moderate and long production runs.
• Once the forging tools have been created, products can be manufactured at
relatively high speeds with minimal downtime.
 Forging…

• It is used to produce critical aircraft parts and transportation equipment.

Forging is also used to fortify hand tools such as chisels, rivets, screws, and
bolts.
What are the different types of forging?

• There are two main types of forging: hot and cold.

 Hot Forging

• Hot forging requires the metal to be heated above its recrystallization

temperature. This can mean heating metals up to 2,300 degrees
Fahrenheit.
• The main benefit of hot forging is the decrease in energy required to form
the metal properly. This is because excessive heat decreases yield strength
and improves ductility. Hot forged products also benefit from the
elimination of chemical inconsistencies.
• Advantages of Hot Forging
• Because the forging process occurs at high temperatures, the plastic metal is ductile and easily molded. Intricate shapes and designs can be created during hot forging,
unlike cold forging where this can be extremely difficult. If you’re looking to manufacture customized metal pieces, hot forging is the best option because of its
malleable state before hardening. This method is ideal for creating 3-D and complex shapes.
• Unlike cold forging, which sometimes requires the extra step of heating the outside of the metal afterward to give it the right properties, the surface of the metal that
has been forged through high temperatures is ideal for most types of finishing work.
• Hot forging is also ideal for metals with a high formability ratio, because the integrity of the metal isn’t compromised by the high heat. These metals can be easily
shaped without seeing any defects in the metal, making them both strong and ductile.

• Disadvantages of Hot Forging

• A disadvantage of hot forging, when compared to cold forging, is that some metals can be warped if not carefully watched when heated, forged, and then cooled. This
means less precise tolerances than metal forged through cold forming.
• Hot forging is also often more expensive than cold forging because of the heat treatment necessary to start the forging process, as well as the cooling process that
prevents warping. This heat treatment is best done when automated, especially on the industrial scale, which may result in additional up-front costs to purchase tools.
 Cold Forging

• What is Cold Forging?

• Also called cold forming, cold forging is a process that takes place near room temperature, rather than at higher temperatures like warm and hot forging. It’s done by placing the workpiece in-between two dies, and pounding the dies until the metal
assumes their shape. Because of the friction created by the process, the temperature of the metal being forged can actually rise to 250° C or 482° F. Cold forging has its advantages and disadvantages.
•
• Advantages of Cold Forging
• Because this process takes place without heating the metal beforehand, it provides many advantages and is often used in the automotive industry. For example, it’s often more economical than other processes, as the final product doesn’t require
much finishing if any at all. There’s also little to no excess material left afterward, as the net weight of the original metal is about the same as the weight of the finished product. In addition to having no excess material, the dies used in cold forging
last longer than in hotter processes, meaning fewer replacements.
• Another advantage is that although the ductility of the metal decreases during the cold forging process, the metal sees a great increase in both yield and tensile strength. Because it’s not heated, the grain of the metal retains its size and changes
direction to match the change in the shape of the piece itself, resulting in this increased strength.
•
• Disadvantages of Cold Forging
• The main disadvantage of cold forging is that it can’t be used for every metal because certain types are much more likely to crack or break during the process. For example, while some steel can be forged at room temperature, steel types with a
carbon content of .5% or above cannot.
• Another disadvantage is that cold forging can only create certain shapes. Those shapes are usually more basic and mass-produced. If you’re looking for a custom metal piece, a different process will probably work better for your desired outcome.
•
• How is it Different From Hot Forging?
• The most obvious difference between cold and hot forging is the temperature. Unlike cold forging that starts at or near room temperature, hot forging happens when metal is heated above its recrystallization temperature. This is usually an extremely
high temperature, for example, steel is heated to 1150°C or 2202 °F, and copper alloys to 700-800°C or 1300-1470°F, which equals about 75% of the melting temperature. These high temperatures are necessary to keep the metal from strain
hardening during the forging process. At these temperatures, the metal is in a plastic-like state, still technically a solid, but much more malleable.
• Hot forging is usually done through a process called stamping, which means the heated metal is put into a press, and then squeezed in between a die and a tool.
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