Forging

Types of forging
• Smith forging
• Drop forging
• Press forging
• Machine forging
Open Die Forging
Close Die Forging
Close Die Forging
 Open Die Forging
Advantages
Simple, inexpensive dies; wide range of
sizes; good strength

Limitations
Simple shapes only; difficult to hold close
tolerances; machining necessary; low
production rate; poor utilization of material;
high skill required
 Closed Die Forging
Also called impression-die forging; compresses the material into the
shape of the die cavity
Fig 1. Schematic diagram of stages in drop forging of a lever
Fig 1. Schematic diagram of stages in machine forging (Upset forging)
Fig 2. Schematic diagram of upsetting die
Fig 3. Schematic diagram of some typical upset forged components
Fig 4. Schematic diagram of parting planes in a bench lever
Fig 5. Schematic diagram of counter locking reduced by changign the parting plane
Fig 6. Schematic diagram of parting line to reduce the depth of a punched hole
Fig 7. Schematic diagram of effect of edge radius on the flow of metal
Fig 8. Schematic diagram of Allowances shown on forged components
Fig 9. Schematic diagram of Gutter proportions
Fig 10. Schematic diagram of proportions of flash in drop forging
Fig 11. Schematic diagram of plug type insert in a drop forging die
Fig 12. Schematic diagram of a full die insert in a drop forging die
 Forging Die Design

Fig 1. Schematic diagram for various features of a typical impression die forging
 Forging Die Design
• The most important rule in die design is the fact that the part will flow in
the direction of least resistance.
• The dies are to be designed in such a way that they lock during
engagement In order to avoid side thrust, balance the forces and
maintain die alignment during forging.

➢ Preshaping.
• material would not flow into the flash.
• The grain flow pattern should be favourable.
• Excessive sliding at the workpiece-die interface to be minimized.
➢ Parting line.
• It is usually at the largest cross-section of the part.
• For simple symmetrical shapes the parting line is a straight line at the
centre of forging but for complex part it is may not lie in a single
plane.
 Forging Die Design
➢ Draft angles.
• For the removal of the part from die
• Internal draft angles are made larger than external one.
➢ Inserts.
• Dies may be assembles with die inserts particularly for complex shapes
• Inserts can be made of stronger and harder material.
➢ Allowances.
• Machining allowances should be provided to at flanges, holes and at mating pa
 Die materials and Lubrication
➢ Die Materials should have following characteristics.
• Strength and toughness at elevated temperature.
• Hardenability and ability to harden uniformly
• Resistance to thermal and mechanical shock
• Wear resistance.

➢ Lubricants greatly influences.

➢ Additional factors.
• Production rate.
• Dimensional accuracy.
• Maintenance.
• Operating skills required.
• Noise level.
• Cost.
 Forging practice and process capabilities
➢ A typical forging operation involves the following sequence.
1. Prepare a slug by shearing, cropping or cutting after cleaning the
surface by shot blasting.
2. For hot forging heat the workpiece and after that descale it with a
wire brush, waterjet, steam or by scrapping.
3. For hot froging preheat and lubricate the die and for cold froging
lubricate the blank.
4. Forge in appropriate dies and in proper sequence.
5. Clean the froging and check it’s dimensions.
6. Perform additional operations such as straightening and heat
treating or any finfshing process if required.
7. Inspect the forging for external or internal defects.
 Forging practice and process capabilities
➢ Automation in forging.
• Blanks and forgings are handled by robots and other automatic
handling equipments which can also includes loading and unloading.
• Mechanical manipulators to move and position the billets in the dies.
• Lubrication, heat treating also have been automated.
• Automation has been particularly effective in producing high quality
parts such as gears, axles, nuts, bolts and bearing races.
 Die manufacturing methods
➢ Casting.
• Sand casting:- Usually for large dies weighing many tons.
• Sheel moding:- For small dies.
➢ Machining processes.
• Dies are machined from forged die blocks by processes such as
milling, turning, grinding and electrochemical machining.
• Diamond dies for drawing fine wire are manufactured by
producing holes with a thin rotating needle coated with diamond
dust.
➢ Heat treatment.
• Proper selection of temperature, atmosphere, quenching media
as well as its practice are important.
➢ Finishing operations.
• Grinding, polishing, chemical and electrical processes are
applied to obtain desired surface qualities and dimensional
 Die failures
➢ Following are the factors affecting die failures.
• Improper design.
• Improper heat treatment and finishing processes.
• Overheating.
• Overloading of tools and dies can cause premature failure.
• Improper handling.
• Excessive wear.
• Metal working fluid can adversely affects tool and die materials.
 The economics of forging
➢ Several factors are involved in cost of forgings.
• Complexity of the forging.
• Cost of the raw material.
• Labour cost.
• Tool and die cost.
 Advantages of Forging
Some common advantages of forging are given as under.
1. Forged parts possess high ductility and offers great resistance to
impact and fatigue loads.
2. Forging refines the structure of the metal.
3. It results in considerable saving in time, labor and material as
compared to the production of similar item by cutting from a solid stock
and then shaping it.
4. Forging distorts the previously created unidirectional fiber as created by
rolling and increases the strength by setting the direction of grains.
5. Because of intense working, flaws are rarely found, so have good
reliability.
6. The reasonable degree of accuracy may be obtained in forging
operation.
7. The forged parts can be easily welded.
 Disadvantages of Forging
Few dis-advantages of forging are given as under.
1. Rapid oxidation in forging of metal surface at high temperature
results in scaling which wears the dies.
2. The close tolerances in forging operations are difficult to
maintain.
3. Forging is limited to simple shapes and has limitation for parts
having undercuts etc.
4. Some materials are not readily worked by forging.
5. The initial cost of forging dies and the cost of their maintenance
is high.
6. The metals gets cracked or distorted if worked below a specified
temperature limit.
7. The maintenance cost of forging dies is also very high.
 Applications of Forging
Almost all metals and alloys can be forged.
• The low and medium carbon steels are readily hot forged
without difficulty
• high-carbon and alloy steels are more difficult to forge and
require greater care.
Forging is generally carried out on
• carbon alloy steels,
• wrought iron,
• copper-base alloys,
• aluminum alloys, and magnesium alloys.
• Stainless steels,
• nickel based super-alloys, and
• titanium are forged especially for aerospace uses.
 DEFECTS IN FORGED PARTS
Defects commonly found in forged parts that have been subjected to
plastic deformation are as follows.

(i) Defects resulting from the melting practice such as dirt, slag and
blow holes.
(ii) Ingot defects such as cracks, poor surface and segregation.
(iii) Defect due to faulty forging design.
(iv) Defects of mismatched forging because of improper placement of
the metal in the die.
(v) Defects due to faulty design drop forging die.
(vi) Defects resulting from improper forging such as seams cracks laps.
etc.
(vii) Defects resulting from improper heating and cooling of the forging
part such as burnt metal and decarburized steel.
.
1. Mismatched forging
Reasons
Due to non alignment of proper die halves.
2. Brunt and overheated metal
Reasons
This is caused by improper heating the metal at high
temperature or for a long time.
3. Fibred flow lines discontinued
Reasons
This will occur because of very rapid plastic flow of metal.
4. Scale pits
Reason
These are formed by squeezing of scale into the metal surface
during forging.
5. Oversize components
Reasons
Due to worn out dies, incorrect dies, misalignment of die halves.