Forgings are a type of metalworking process in which metal is heated and various hydraulic or mechanical tools are used to shape it into the desired shape. This process has been used for centuries in nearly all forms of metalworking and is still widely used today in industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to aerospace engineering. The advances in forging technology over the past few decades have led to many more specialized forms of forgings, allowing for more precise and high-performance parts to be produced.
The most common type of forgings are open-die forgings, where a single piece of metal is pressed or hammered into a shape without cutting or grinding. Often, the stock metal is placed in a die and then pressure is applied through either a hammer or a press. Open-die forgings are typically used for larger components with fewer features, such as shafts and bushings.
Close-die forging is an extension of open-die forging in which the shape of the final product is determined by the shape of the die. This process is used to create components with complex shapes and features. The metal is placed between two dies and the pressure is then applied to forge the metal into the desired shape. This process has great strength and offers higher tolerances and closer feature detail than open-die forgings.
A more specialized type of forging is drop forging, where a shaped upper die is forced onto a piece of heated metal with a hammer. This process has a wide range of applications as it can form complex shapes with intricate details. Drop forging is also very cost effective, as it can be used to completely shape a part from a single motion. It is used primarily for making tools, machine parts, and automotive components.
Impression-die forging is another specialized form of forging, where two dies come together to form a unique shape. The metal is placed between the two dies and then pressure is applied to create the desired form. This process can be used to form complex shapes with intricate details and is often used for parts with sidewall characteristics. Impression-die forgings require a high level of precision and skill, and as such are typically used in high-performance industries such as automotive and aerospace.
Cold forging is a process in which the metal is not heated, and instead only pressure is applied to shape the metal. This process is often used to form parts with simple features, as it is a less costly and less time-consuming process than hot forging. It is widely used in the automotive and engineering industries for forming fasteners, bushings, and other components.
Hot forging is a specialized process in which the metal is heated and then formed using pressure from a hammer or press. This process is typically used for producing tougher and stronger components, as the metal can be heated to higher temperatures and higher pressures applied than in cold forging. Hot forging can also be used to form intricate parts with complex shapes. While hot forging is a more complex process than cold forging, it is often more cost effective for more complex parts.
Forging is a versatile metalworking process that has been used for centuries in all forms of metalworking. With the advances in technology over the past few decades, there are now a wide range of different types of forging processes available, allowing for the production of high-performance components with precision detail. The various types of forgings differ in terms of the types of metal they can be used on, the complexity of shapes they can form, the level of precision and features they provide, and the cost effectiveness of the process.
