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Introduction to Cold Forming

March 6, 2007 Independence, Ohio Presented by Carpenter Technology Corporation

Copyright 2007 CRS Holdings, Inc.

Introduction Terminology Processes Benefits Material Characteristics Applications Steps to Manufacture Coatings and Lubricants

The information and data presented herein are typical or average values and are not a guarantee of maximum or minimum values. Applications specifically suggested for material described herein are made solely for the purpose of illustration to enable the reader to make his/her own evaluation and are not intended as warranties, either express or implied, of fitness for these or other purposes.

History and Development of Cold Forming

March 23, 1794

Josiah Pierson Cold Header Rivet Machine

November 16, 1796

Isaac Garretson U.S. Patent for nail cutting & heading machine

Cold Forming Terminology


Cold Forming terms:

Cold Heading:

cold forming process in which the force of the punch must exceed the materials elastic limit to cause plastic flow elastic limit = yield strength forging operation without the heat

Cold Forming Terminology


Cold Forming terms:

Cold Extrusion

decreasing the diameter of the blank by pushing it through a smaller hole


reduces size without yield loss generic term describing the combination of cold heading with cold extrusion

Cold Forming:

Applications:

Cold forming machines - by the number of dies and blows

for example:

1 Die/2 blow 2 Die/3 blow 2 Die/4 blow

The wire is fed in through the cut-off die to a wire stop. The cut-off knife shears the blank.

The cut-off knife transfers the blank to the heading die.

Now the blank is ready to receive the first punch operation. Proper cut-off of blank is critical. Blank mass equals mass of finished part.

Upsetting of a fastener head is accomplished by using one of these 4 methods.

Typical 1-Die/2punch method is common in producing headed fasteners. The first blow combines coning with shank extrusion. Coning is a partial head upset. The second blow finishes the head shape.

Knockout pin acts as a blank support, during heading operation. Then ejects finished part. Rule of thumb:
Unsupported pin not to exceed 8D Supported pin is recommended over 8D

Open Extrusion

Trap Extrusion

30% area reduction

75% area reduction

Examples using trap extrusion and open extrusion.

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

7 Station Cold Forming Process

Benefits of Cold Forming


Advantages of Cold Forming Design Versatility
High strength parts from non-heattreatable alloys Most cost effective way vs. milling, machining, hobbing and chemical etching High production rates

Metallurgical Effects
Grain flow Improves strength, hardness, toughness & fatigue resistance

Material Savings

Benefits of Cold Forming


Heading improves the finished parts grain structure by making it conform to the flow of the design. The machined diagram shows how the grain structure is weakened by cutting operations.

Materials - Characteristics
Material Description
Tensile strength of mild steel with 1/3 the weight. Ex: 2024 Alloy of Cu & Zn. Tough, rustproof. Relatively inexpensive. Ex: 274 Yellow Brass High corrosion resistance. Expensive. Ex: 110 Electrolytic Tough Pitch Approximately 2/3 Nickel, 1/3 Cu with small amounts Fe. High strength, resistance to heat and corrosion. Ex: NiCu400

Tensile (ksi)

Yield

Formability

Cost Index Steel = 1

Aluminum Alloys

55

50

Excellent

5.0

Brass

60 min

40 min

Excellent

6.0

Copper

35 40

10 35

Excellent

6.5

Nickel Alloys

80 min

60 min

Excellent

18.0

Materials - Characteristics
Material
Typical max Description Tensile as annealed Typical max Cost Index Tensile w/ Formability 50% cold Steel = 1 work

1010 1018 1022 1038

Low carbon Low carbon Medium carbon Medium carbon Medium carbon low alloy

55 65 70 85

62 98 108 157

Excellent Good to Excellent Good to Excellent Fair to Good

1 1 1 1

4037

83

166

Fair to Good

1.5

Materials - Characteristics
Material 410 430 302HQ 305
Typical max Typical max Cost Index Tensile w/ Formability Description Tensile as Steel = 1 annealed 5% cold work Martensitic Stainless Steel Ferritic Stainless Steel Austenitic Stainless Steel Austenitic Stainless Steel Austenitic Stainless Steel

78 75 75 83

90 86 83 93

Fair Fair Fair Fair

4.0 4.0 4.5 4.5

A-286

95
120

95
135

Fair to Poor
Poor

6.5
12.0

Pyromet Hi Temperature 718 Alloy

Pyromet is a reg. tm. of CRS Holdings, Inc.

Applications for Cold Formed Parts

Applications for Cold Formed Parts


Automotive

brake parts ball joints & steering parts starter pinions oxygen sensors constant velocity joints manifold bolts engine valves gears fasteners for assembly

Appliance Industry

Applications for Cold Formed Parts


Construction, Off-road equipment

bolts, nuts screws tapping, window, roofing, deck transmission gears similar parts for automotive rivets, fuselage engine bolts fasteners - landing gear, interior

Aerospace

Decision Process for Cold Forming


Production of Formed Parts

Equipment

Material

Part

Cold, Warm or Hot Forming

Decision Process for Cold Forming

Equipment

which machine which tools skill of personnel

Material

formability incoming condition

Part

accuracy tolerances additional treatments

Decision Process for Cold Forming


Production of Headed Parts

Cold Heading
Room Temperature No heat

Warm Heading
Forming of heated slugs at temperatures from: 550 950 C (1020 1740 F)

Hot Heading
Forging temperatures from 950 1250 C (1740 2300 F)

Decision Process for Cold Forming


Cold Heading
Carbon Steel >0.3% carbon, >3.0% alloy

Warm Heading
550 - 850oC 1020 - 1560oF

Hot Heading
>950oC >1740oF
Blue Brittleness Problem

Room temp

Austenitic Steels
Aluminum alloys

Room temp

400 - 450oC 750 - 840oF


420 - 480oC 790 - 900oF 350 - 620oC 660 - 1150oF

550 - 850oC 1020 - 1560oF

Room temp

Not applicable

Brass alloys

Room temp

Not applicable

Decision Process for Cold Forming


General Aspects of Heading Methods Forming Type
Temperature

Cold
Room

Warm

Hot

accuracy formability material energy costs surface quality tolerances grain structure heat treatments machining

550 - 950oC 950 - 1250oC 1020 1740 1740oF 2300oF high good low restricted good good restricted large variety large variety low moderate high high good low close closer low good good variable few few definite least less necessary

Decision Process for Cold Forming


Tooling Loads in Heading Operations
120% 100%

Relative Load

80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Cold Warm Hot

Steps to Manufacture: From raw material to finished parts

Process Chain of Cold Forming

Raw Material

Heat Treatment

Surface Treatment

Cold Forming

Formed Part

Metal Removal

Heat Treatment

Metal Removal

Finished part

Steps to Manufacture
Raw Material Wire/Rod
hot rolled shaved - seam free cf/anl
material in the softest condition optimum for cold forming

anl/cf
uniform volume uniform diameter specific incoming mechanical properties desired

Steps to Manufacture
Heat Treatment of Raw Material Benefits
Improves ability of deformation Reduces hardness

Improves metal structure towards better forming

Steps to Manufacture
Heat Treatment of Raw Material Types of heat treatment
Tempering to form spherical cementite Annealing
to remove strain hardening to set the desired mechanical properties to normalize the microstructure

Steps to Manufacture
Surface Treatment Alkaline cleaning
warm 170o-190oF/ 77o-88oC

Cold rinsing
removes alkaline cleaner

Acid pickling
sulphuric hydrochloric nitric/hydrofluoric

Cold/warm/hot rinsing
removes acids

Steps to Manufacture
Surface Treatment Pre-coating
carbon
zinc phosphate

stainless
potassium sulfate lime

Drying
approx. 250oF/ 120oC

Metallic Coating
copper plating

Steps to Manufacture
Surface Treatment

Non-metallic coatings
molybdenum disulfide MoS2 Soaps
sodium stearates calcium stearates

Steps to Manufacture
Cold Forming Single stage presses Multi stage presses
up to 5 or 6 stages, as many as 8

Secondary forming operations


threading
rolled machined

Steps to Manufacture
Heat treatment after Cold Forming

Annealing
relieve stress re-crystallize normalize

Hardening
increase the hardness after forming

Steps to Manufacture
Metal Removing Hard Surfaces
turning grinding honing lapping

Soft Surfaces
turning drilling milling

Steps to Manufacture
Surface Treatment Cleaning of parts
de-phosphate washing acid to remove copper coating

Corrosion protection
passivation stainless steel

Plating
zinc chromate - Cr+6 (hexavalent chrome) can be a problem

Coatings and Lubricants


Coatings Uses
prevent metal to metal contact with tooling, galling act as a carrier for machine lubricants

Types
precoat lime copper plating zinc phosphate molybdenum disulfide oxalate

Coatings and Lubricants


Lubricants Types
soaps
calcium stearate sodium stearate

drawing oils Metal-removing coolants


oil emulsion synthetics

Coatings and Lubricants


Process
Hot Rolling Drawing

Lubricant
Water Pre-coat: phosphate, lime, oxalate Lubricants: Soaps, Oils

Cold Forming
Thread rolling Cutting/slotting

Oils
Metal removal coolant: Emulsion, Solution, Oil Metal removal coolant: Emulsion, Solution

Sources:

Heading Hints: A Guide to Cold Forming Specialty Alloys Carpenter Technology Corporation (2001) Steel Wire Handbook Vol. 3 The Wire Association, Inc.(1972) Tool Design and Part Shape Development for Multi-die Cold Forming - National Machinery Co.(1976)

Cold Forming 101 - Fastener Technology International (June 2005)

Thank you for your interest in cold forming of wire. More information about Carpenter is available on this website including technical datasheets and articles, Products and Markets. Visit Product Literature to request a free copy of Heading Hints: A Guide to Cold Forming Specialty Alloys. To contact Carpenter, call 1-800-654-6543 in the U.S. or refer to the Contact Us page for the location nearest you.

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