FORGING PROCESSES

(HOT WORKING PROCESSES)

Hot working it means the temperature of the material ( raw material ) it is above the recrystallization temperature.
Cold working the temperature of the material ( metal) is at the room temperature

1. Deformation processes:
forces ( compressive )
Forging
Rolling process
 INTRODUCTION:
1. Forging is a process where deformation is induced by
localized compression forces.
2. Equipment used could be manual or power hammers,
presses or special forging machines.
3. Forging usually implies HOT FORGING done above the
recrystallization temperature (1100 – 1300o C for steel)
4. Many small parts made of ductile metal are forged at room
temperature.
5. Large parts and metal of low ductility must be forged while
hot to prevent cracking.
6. Quality production of forged parts is now done almost
entirely with machines.
7. Hand forging is limited largely to repair work and making
custom parts.
In forging, the metal may be:

1. Drawn out to increase its length and decrease its cross

section

2. Upset to decrease the length and increase its cross

section

3. Squeezed in closed impression dies to produce

multidirectional flow
 ADVANTAGES OF FORGING:

1. When metal is hot, it is in a soft plastic state and forms easily under
pressure without breaking.
2. Forged parts are stronger (about 20%) than machined parts of the same
material. Machining cuts through the grains of the metal (similar to grain
in wood). But forging causes the grain to follow the shape of forged parts.
3. Since shape is produced by hammering or squeezing, not cutting, much
less metal is lost in the process.

DISADVANTAGES OF FORGING:

4. The high forging temperatures cause rapid oxidation. This produces a

surface scale that has a poor finish.
5. Because of scaling, close tolerances cannot be obtained.
COMMON FORGING PROCESSES INCLUDE:

a) Open-die drop hammer forging

b) Impression-die drop hammer forging

c) Press Forging

d) Upset forging

e) Automatic Hot Forging

f) Roll Forging
• Forging is divided into
a. By the shape of die
1. Open die i.e The shapes are simple ( like round or
rectangular)
2. Impression Die / closed die the dies have the shape
of the part machined in it.
b. By the mechanism of forging( or striking or applying
forces)
3. Hammer forging
4. Press forging
 OPEN-DIE DROP HAMMER FORGING

1. Basically the same as done by the black smith, but now

massive mechanical equipment is used to impact repeated
blows.
2. Metal is first heated by oil or electric furnaces.
3. Impact is delivered by mechanical hammer, simplest being
gravity drop or board hammer, steam or air hammers, which
use pressure to both raise and propel hammer.
4. Open die forging does not confine the flow of metal. The
operator must obtain the desired shape by orienting and
positioning the work-piece between repeated blows.
5. The hammer may contact the work-piece directly or through
special-shaped tools which are inserted to assist in making
simple shapes (round, concave, convex), forming holes, etc.
6. This technique is usually employed to pre-shape the metal in
preparation or further operation.
HAMMER OR SMITH FORGING (OPEN-DIE DROP HAMMER FORGING)
IMPRESSION-DIE DROP HAMMAR FORGING
1. It is a mass production technique that hammers the metal
between closed dies.
2. SHAPED DIES to control the flow of metal are used.
3. Steam hammers are used for drop forging.
4. A set of dies: One half of the die is attached to the hammer and
the other half to the anvil.
5. The heated metal is placed in the cavity of lower half of the die
and struck one or more blows by the upper die.
6. This forces the metal to flow in all the directions, filling the die
cavity.
7. Excess metal squeezed out around the periphery of the cavity in
the form of a flash.
8. After forging is completed, the flash is cut off in another press
with a trimming die.
 IMPRESSION-DIE DROP HAMMAR FORGING (cont.
….)
9. Because of the intermittent blows, the form is changed gradually,
until final shape is produced.
10. It can produce parts ranging from a few ounces to hundreds of
pound in weight (up to 22,000 lbs.).
11. Examples are: hand tools, fasteners, gear blanks, machine parts, etc.
12. Steel, aluminum, titanium and several other metals can be forged.
13. Approximate forging temperatures are:
a) Steel: 1100 – 1250o C
b) Copper and its alloys: 750 – 925o C
c) Magnesium: 315o C
d) Aluminium: 370 – 450o C
14. FLASHLESS FORGING:
a) Calculated amount of work-piece is put in the die.
b) Advantage is elimination of scrap due to flash as 20% – 45% material is
wasted as flash.
DROP FORGING ( IMPRESSION-DIE DROP HAMMAR FORGING)
IMPRESSION-DIE DROP HAMMAR FORGING(cont.
….)
15. Most conventional forgings are impression-die forgings and is
produced in dies with a series of cavities:
a) FIRST DIE: Edging or fullering impression: Distributes metal
roughly.
b) SECOND DIE: Blocking: Intermediate impression. Blocking
metal to approximately its final shape.
c) THIRD DIE: Finisher Impression: Final step. To bring to final
shape and size.

16) Impression die casted work-pieces are about 20% stronger

(strength/ weight ratio) than casted or machined parts, because:
a) Recrystallization of grain structure
b) Absence of voids.
 (3)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(2)

(1)
 DIES:

1. Dies for impression die forgings are normally made

of High Alloy or Tool Steel and can be quite costly
to design and construct.
2. PROPERTIES:
i. Impact resistance
ii. Wear resistance
iii. Strength at high temperatures
iv. Ability to withstand cycles of rapid heating and
cooling.
PRESS FORGING
1. In this process, a slow squeezing action is used to form the metal.
2. The slow squeezing action penetrates the entire work piece,
making possible the forging of large objects.
3. For large pieces or thicker products, PRESS FORGING is often
required.
4. Press forges are made in sizes exceeding 50,000 tons capacity.
Press forging may use either open or close dies.
5. Small parts are often forged in close dies in one stroke.
6. Large parts may require more than one stroke.
7. Large parts such as train wheels, main spars for aircraft wings and
aircraft landing gear parts are press forged.
8. Since process is slower than drop-hammer forging, the surface of
the work-piece cools, becomes less ductile and may crack, if
deformation is continued. Heated dies are generally used to
reduce heat losses.
PRESS FORGING
 UPSET FORGING
1. Also called hot heading, is a process
by which the diameter of a bar is
increased by compressing its length.
(Either at an end or at some point
along its length.)
2. Starting stock is usually wire or rod or
bars up to 10 in. in diameter.
3. Usually employs split dies,
containing multiple positions or
cavities.
4. Heading tool or ram moves
longitudinally against the bar,
upsetting it into the cavity. Maximum
length that can be upset is 2.5 to 3
times the diameter of stock.
5. The dies separate enough for the bar
to advance between them and move
to the next position.
 UPSET FORGING (cont. …)

6. Heads of bolts, valves, single and

cluster gear blanks etc., are examples
of parts made by upset forging.
7. Parts can be forged both hot and cold
on special machines on specially
designed upsetting machines.
8. The same process, when done in cold,
is called cold heading.
9. Mass production of fasteners such as
nails of al types, machine and wood
screws, rivets, hinge pins and other
small parts.
 ROLL FORGING
1. Flat or round bar stock is reduced in
thickness and increased in length to
produce parts like AXLES, TAPERED
LEVERS and LEAF SPRINGS
2. Performed on machines that have two
cylindrical or semi cylindrical rolls.
3. These rolls have grooves containing
the desired shape.
4. Heated bar is inserted between the
rolls.
5. Rolls rotate, the forging action is
performed.
6. Rolls have more than one grooves, and
the work piece can be inserted in the
next set of grooves.
ROLL FORGING