Forge Technology: Comparisons between Die Forge and Free Forge, Hammer Forge
Forge technology refers to a process of forming metal into shapes using a hammer and anvil, with a hammer striking the metal, while being held in place by the anvil. This technique has been around since ancient times, and is still used in many circumstances today. In industrial settings, the forge is essential to the forming of many commodities, such as metals, plastics, and ceramics. Forge technology is often divided into two categories, die forge and free forge.
Die forge is a tool-driven process where metal is heated, then placed between two precision-machined dies and hammered or pressed in a progressive series of localized hammer blows to form the desired shape. The two dies must be made of a material that is harder than the piece being formed, which is known as the workpiece. This technique is commonly used for blades, tools and dies, and complex components such as crankshafts, pumps, and sprockets. Die forging offers a number of advantages, including high accuracy of parts, good surface finish, and certain fatigue strength benefits.
Free forging is a hammer-driven process, where the workpieces are heated and placed on an anvil or a die before being reshaped. The hammer is normally used to impart energy to the workpiece in order to deform it in a desired way. Depending on the amount of energy imparted, the workpiece may need to be reheated and worked multiple times. Heat treatment may also be used to increase the strength of the finished product. Free forging allows for greater freedom of form by taking advantages of the characteristics of the material and making use of details of the hammer. The end result of a freely-formed workpiece will be less predictable than the results of die forging, since it is harder to control the energy imparted to the workpiece by the hammering process.
Forging hammers are mechanical tools used in free forging, which can be divided into two main types: drop hammer and power hammer. Drop hammers are heavier versions of manual hammers and are used to impart large amounts of energy in short amounts of time to the workpiece when hammering. Power hammers, such as trip hammers and steam hammers, are powerful enough to drive a train. These machines are used to form parts at a faster rate than manual hammering, while still preserving the element of accuracy that is not lost with mass production techniques.
In conclusion, die forge and free forge offer different benefits depending on the application. Die forging offers enhanced accuracy, excellent surface finish, and fatigue strength benefits, while free forging allows for a greater degree of freedom in terms of design. Power or drop forging hammers are used for free forging to impart the necessary amount of energy to the workpiece to deform it in the desired way.
