Forging – The process
Metal forging is a metal forming process that involves applying
compressive forces to a work piece to deform it, and create a desired
geometric change to the material.
It is the process of shaping heated metal by the application of sudden
blows or steady pressure and makes use of the characteristics of
plasticity of material.
Application of heat lowers the yield point and makes permanent
deformation easier.
Smithy is the best example for Forging.
Rolling Forging
Pressure Application Continuous / Intermittent /
intermittent Contineous
Product Flowing mass Discreet pieces
Die shape Cylindrical Roll Rectangular block
Motion of dies Rotary motion Linear motion
Forging Products
Classification of Metal Forging Process
By the degree to which the flow of material is constrained -
1. Open die forging - In which the work is compressed between two
die that do not constrain the metal during the process.
2. Impression die forging / Closed Die forging - In which cavities
within the die restrict metal flow during the compression of the part,
causing the material to deform into a desired geometric shape.
Some material in impression die forging is not constrained by the
cavities and flows outward from the die, this metal is called flash. In
industrial metal forging, a subsequent trimming operation will be
performed to remove the flash.
Closed and open die forging processes
Open- Die Forging
Closed- Die Forging
Impression- Die Forging
Forging operations
1. Upsetting
A simple type of open die
forging is called upsetting.
In an upsetting process the
work is placed between two flat
die and its height is decreased by
compressive forces exerted
between the two die.
Since the volume of a metal
will remain constant throughout
its deformation, a reduction in
height will be accompanied by
an increase in width.
Forging operations
1. Upsetting
In real conditions during
industrial manufacturing, friction
plays a part in the process.
Friction forces at the die-work
interface oppose the spreading of
the material near the surfaces, while
the material in the center can
expand more easily.
The result is to create a barrel shape to the part. This effect is called
barreling in in metal forging terms. Barreling is generally undesirable
and can be controlled by the use of effective lubrication
Forging operations
2. Cogging / Drawing out
Cogging is an open die forging process in which flat or slightly
contoured die are employed to compress a work piece, reducing its
thickness and increasing its length.
The part is forged in a series of steps. After each compression of the
material, the open die advance along the length of the work piece and
perform another forging compression.
The distance the die travel forward on the work piece between each
forging step is called the bite, and is usually about 40 to 75 percent of
the width of the die, in industrial practice.
Forging operations
3. Fullering
Fullering is mostly used as an earlier
step to help distribute the material of
the work in preparation for further
metal forging operations.
This often occurs when a
manufacturing process requires several
forging operations to complete.
In fullering, open die with convex
surfaces are used to deform the work
piece. The result is to cause metal to
flow out of one area and to both sides.
Forging operations
4. Edging
• Edging is also an close die forging
process often used in manufacturing
practice, to prepare a work for
sequential metal forging processes.
• In edging, open die with concave
surfaces plastically deform the work
material.
• Edging acts to cause metal to flow
into an area from both sides.
• Edging and fullering both are used
to redistribute bulk quantities of the
metal forging's material.
Forging operations
5. Drawing is used to reduce the
cross-sectional area of the work
piece with concurrent increase in
length.
6. Piercing and punching are used
to produce holes in metals.
The pierced billet is further
processed
Forging operations
7. Swaging is used to produce a
bar with a smaller diameter
(using concave dies).
Swaging is a special type of
forging in which metal is formed
by a succession of rapid hammer
blows.
Swaging provides a reduced
round cross section suitable for
tapping, threading, upsetting or
other subsequent forming and
machining operations.
Forging Equipment
For open die forging – Hammers / press
Hammer consist of 4 main parts
1. Falling weight i.e. ram or top
2. Frame or guide for the falling weight
3. Base or anvil
4. Lifting mechanism for the ram
Depending upon lifting mechanism, the hammers may be classified as-
a) Steam hammer
b) Pneumatic hammer
c) Spring Hammer
a) Steam Hammer
Steam hammer provides greater capacity,
in which the ram is accelerated on the
down stroke by steam or air pressure in
addition to gravity.
Steam or air pressure is also used to raise
the ram on the upstroke.
• The total energy supplied to the blow
Where,
m = mass
v = velocity of ram at start of deformation
g = acceleration of gravity
p = air or steam pressure acting on ram cylinder on
down stroke
A = area of ram cylinder
H = height of the ram drop
Press - Hydraulic Press
Using a hydraulic press or a mechanical press to
forge the metal, therefore, gives continuous
forming at a slower rate.
Provide deeper penetration.
Better properties (more homogeneous).
Equipment is expensive.
Hydraulic presses are load-restricted machines in
which hydraulic pressure moves a piston in a
cylinder.
Due to slow speed, contact time is longer at the
die-metal interface, which causes problems such
as heat lost from work piece and die
deterioration.
Hydraulic presses are more expensive than
mechanical presses and hammers.
Classification of Closed Die Forging
1) Drop Forging
2) Press Forging
Classification of Closed Die Forging
1) Drop Forging
In this process, the forging is made by hammering a heated bar or billet
into aligned die cavities by allowing the ram to drop using Gravity
The forging equipment used for this is “Drop hammer”
Types of Drop hammer are –
1) Steam – air drop hammer
2) Board drop hammer
3) Belt drop hammer
4) Rope drop hammer
5) Chain drop hammer
Board Hammer
The upper die and ram are raised by
friction rolls gripping the board. After
releasing the board, the ram falls
under gravity to produce the blow
energy.
The hammer can strike between 60-
150 blows per minute depending on
size and capacity.
The board hammer is an energy-
restricted machine. The blow energy
supplied equal the potential energy
due to the weight and the height of the
fall.
Potential energy = mgh
This energy will be delivered to the
metal work piece to produce plastic
deformation.
Belt hammer
Here, the Ram is suspended from
a Belt
Provide rapid impact blows to the
surface of the metal.
Energy (from a gravity drop) is
adsorbed onto the metal, in which
the maximum impact is on the
metal surface.
Dies are expensive being
accurately machined from special
alloys (susceptible to thermal
shock).
Drop forging is good for mass
production of complex shapes.
2. Press Forging
• In press forging, the pressure is applied on the heated billet continuously
• Parts are made by plastically deforming a metal into die-cavities by a
slow squeezing action
• The presses used for press forging are-
Mechanical press (Crank, eccentric, knuckle or screw)
Upright hydraulic press
Functions Of Flash
The flash serves two purposes:
1) Acts as a ‘safety value’ for excess
metal.
2) Builds up high pressure to ensure
that the metal fills all recesses of the
die cavity.
Forging Defects
Incomplete forging penetration- should forge on the press.
Buckling, in upsetting forging - Subject to high compressive stress.
Surface cracking - due to temperature differential between surface and
centre, or excessive working of the surface at too low temperature.
Micro cracking - due to residual stress.
Flakes : internal rapture caused by improper cooling.
Forging Defects
Pitting - Caused by scale, which if not removed thoroughly from the die cavities is
worked into the surface of the forging.
Remedies – Frequent cleaning of dies
Die shift – Caused by misalignment between the top and bottom forging dies
Incomplete filling of the die – Caused by – wrong amount of metal, insufficient
number of blows during forging, forging the stock at too low temperature when it
has lost its plasticity
Hot tears and thermal cracking: these are surface cracks occurring due to non
uniform cooling from the forging stage or during heat treatment.
