Forging of Metals

Introduction
A metal is shaped by compressive forces
Oldest metal working process 4000BC
Can be performed with a hammer and anvil
Typical forged products:
Bolts
Rivets
Connecting rods
Gears

Lading-gear components for
the C5A and C5B transport
aircraft, made by forging.
Steps involved in forging a bevel
gear with a shaft.
Outline of Forging and Related Operations
Grain Structure
Parts have good strength
High toughness
Forgings require additional heat treating
Fig : A part made by three different procedures, showing grain flow (a) casting (b) machining (c) forging
Open-Die Forging
Is the simplest forging process
Sizes can very from very small parts to very large parts
Open-Die Forging
Upsetting or flat-die forging a solid workpiece is
placed between flat dies and is compressed

Barreling
caused by frictional forces at the die-workpiece
interfaces
Can be minimized if a lubricant is used
Thermal effects caused by barreling can be minimized by
using heated dies
Open-Die Forging
Forging force
Impression-Die & Closed-Die Forging
The workpiece acquires the shape of the die cavities while
being forged between the two shaped dies
Impression-Die & Closed-Die Forging
The blank to be forged is prepared by:
Cutting from a bar stock
Preformed blank
Casting
Preformed blank from prior forging

Impression-Die & Closed-Die Forging
Fullering & edging are used to distribute the
material
Fullering material is distributed away from an area
Edging material is gathered into an area

Blocking rough shaping of the part

Impression dies give the part its final shape
Precision Forging
Used for economic reasons
The part formed is close to the final dimensions
Less machining is needed
Higher capacity equipment is needed
Aluminum and Magnesium alloys work well in the process
Coining
Closed-die forging process











Used for minting coins, medallions, & jewelry
Lubricants can not be used in coining
Can be used to improve surface finish
Upset Forging
Increasing the diameter of a length through
compression
Typically used for fasteners
Forging motion is usually horizontal and the
workpiece is moved from station to station rapidly
Generally employs multiple-cavity dies
Rules for Upset Forging
1. The length of unsupported metal that can be
gathered or upset in one blow without injurious
buckling should be limited to three times the
diameter of the bar
2. Length of stock greater than three times the
diameter can be successfully upset provided
that the upset dia is not more than one times
the diameter of the bar
3. In the conditions of rule 2, the length of
unsupported metal beyond the face of the die
must not exceed the dia of the bar

Roll Forging
Round or flat bar stock is reduced in thickness
(cross section) and increased in length
Typical products include axles, tapered levers
and leaf springs
Swaging (Radial Forging)
Uses external hammering to reduce the diameter
or produce tapers on round bars or tubes