Metal Forming Operations

Rolling:
makes sheet metal
(hot or cold)

Kalpakjian

Forging:
makes strong solid parts
(hot or cold) Kalpakjian
Extrusion:
makes complex cross-sections
from soft metals and plastics
Kalpakjian
(hot)

www.capalex.com

Wire drawing:
Makes strong small dia. wire
(hot or cold)
Kalpakjian
Bending: (2D)
Bend sheet metal about single axis
(hot or cold)
Kalpakjian

Deep drawing (3D)

Makes “cups” from sheet metal,
for mass production.
(cold)

Kalpakjian
 Spinning:
Makes “cups” from sheet metal,
for lower production.
(cold)

Kalpakjian

Roll forming (Hot): Roll forming (Cold):

Moves bulk metal, makes I-beams Bends sheetmetal into complex cross-sections

Kalpakjian
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Shearing:
Cut or punch sheetmetal
(hot or cold)

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Forming
Oriented flowlines decrease fracture
risk from grain boundaries, improve
strength along flow direction.
(Directional properties).
Especially seen in:
-Forging
-Rolling
ASM Metals Handbook Vol.9
-Drawing

Cracks tend to start where grain boundaries intersect surface. Forging minimizes these.

Bralla
Thread-rolling for bolts:
Rolled threads stronger than machined (and less expensive)

Kalpakjian
Directional Properties in Rolling
Oriented flowlines:
-Less ductility when bent in one direction
-More ductility when bent in the other

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Slab Production: Hot Rolling Color & Temp

www.labware.com

www.falckacciai.it www.beautifuliron.com
Progressive Hot Rolling:
smaller, uniform grains

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Hot Working:
Forging

www.smeedwerkunica.nl

Open Die Forging

T.Green, WIT
Paul Berenson, www.paulb.com
Forging Presses

Kalpakjian Erie Press

Hydraulic press Mechanical press with an eccentric drive: faster

Slow but high force
and low cost
Forging Presses

Knuckle-joint press Screw press Gravity drop hammer:

Simplest

Kalpakjian
Forging: Closed Die Forging

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Forging: Heat Loss
Metal near die surfaces are coolest, flow less

www.lft.uni-
erlangen.de
www.freedomalloysusa.com
Upset Forging (hot or cold)
Bolt manufacture

Kalpakjian
Roll Forming
(hot):
I-beams

Kalpakjian

www.civil.ubc.ca
Lunchtime on a Crossbeam, Unknown, www.buffalogames.com
Extrusion (hot or cold):
Typ.: Alum., soft metals
With special lubes: steels
~Any cross-section
Inexpensive dies
Good finish

en.wikipedia.org T.Green, WIT

 Extrusion:
Hollow cross-sections: Use Mandrels

Kalpakjian
www.abra.net.au
Mannesmann Process: Piercing
(Hot)
Seamless pipe, tube

Kalpakjian
Cold-Working (vs. Hot):
Products:
• Better tolerances
• Much better surface finish
• Elongated (and smaller) grains
• Turns inexpensive alloys into stronger but less ductile products
• Sheetmetal lends itself to cold working, not hot working

Processes:
• Higher processing forces
• Larger and stronger machinery
• Less ductility available
• Lower energy use
Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

finance.pipex.com
www.nzsteel.co.nz

Kalpakjian
Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

Cluster rolls support smaller contacting rolls

www.sendzimir.com

www.elgiloy.com
Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

Residual Stresses may lead to warping after bar is machined

Kalpakjian

Large reduction Small reduction

Roll Forming of Sheetmetal (cold)

www.cometroll.com
www.safeair-dowco.com

Kalpakjian
Roll Forming of sheetmetal

www.mortonbuildings.com
Punching & Blanking of Sheetmetal

Punch
Stripper plate

Die

T.Green, WIT

Punching Blanking
(Scrap) (Saved:
a “blank”)
Punching of
Sheetmetal

Kalpakjian
Blanking of Sheetmetal: Efficient Nesting of Blanks

Kalpakjian
Sheetmetal: Bending

Springback:

Kalpakjian
 Sheetmetal: Minimum Bend Radius

Tight radius bends (folds) require metal with ~40% ductility

Kalpakjian
Bending of Sheetmetal
Use notches to avoid tearing and wrinkling in right-angle bends

Kalpakjian
 Bending of Sheetmetal

Press Brakes:
For lower production
volumes
10-30 foot long
50-3000 tons

www.loomismetals.com
Bending:
Press-Brake Operations

Kalpakjian
 Relative Unit Costs of a Small Connecting Rod

For large quantities, forging and

die casting are more economical.
Sand casting is the more
economical process for fewer than
about 20,000 pieces.

Kalpakjian
Deep Drawing (cold, for sheetmetal)
- Punch draws blank into die
- Metal is supported on both sides to avoid wrinkling
- Hold-down pressure (blankholder force)
is primary process variable
if too high: tearing
if too low: wrinkling www.endo-mfg.co.jp

Kalpakjian
Deep Drawing
“Draw beads” may be used to control metal flow

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Spinning
Ideal for
• Lower production volumes
• Large parts
• Inexpensive tooling

www.dissco.co.nz

www.ashfordmetalspinning.co.uk
www.traditional-building.com
Spinning videos
Cost comparison: manufacturing a round sheet-metal
container by spinning and deep drawing.
For small quantities, spinning is more economical.

Kalpakjian
Finite Element Simulations
Predict and minimize tearing and wrinkling locations

www.esi-group.com

nsmwww.eng.ohio-state.edu

tmku209.ctw.utwente.nl
Progressive Stamping Dies
Common method to handle complex parts

www.nissin-precision.com
Tube-drawing
DOM: Drawn Over Mandrel Tubing
Seamless
Thin wall, tight tolerance, strong

Malicky

www.twmetals.com

“Floating plug” Kalpakjian

Bicycles: Butted DOM tubing
Increased wall thickness at ends
Reinforces high stress points

www.torelli.com

materials.npl.co.uk
Diego Rivera, Detroit Industry, Detroit Institute of Art
References

Kalpakjian: http://www.nd.edu/~manufact/index3.htm

Bralla: James G. Bralla, Design for Manufacturing Handbook, McGraw-

Hill, 2nd Edition. In: www.rose-hulman.edu/~stienstr