Forging:
• Forging is a deformation processing of materials
through compressive stress.
• It is carried out either hot or cold.
• Hot forging is done at temperatures above
recrystallization temperatures, typically 0.6 Tm,
or above, where Tm is melting temperature.
• Warm forging is done in the temperature range:
0.3 Tm to 0.5 Tm
• Cold forging has advantages such as good
surface finish, high strength and greater
accuracy. Hot forging requires lower loads,
because flow stress gets reduced at higher
temperatures
• Typical applications of forging include bolts,
disks, gears, turbine disk, crank shaft,
connecting rod, valve bodies, small
components for hydraulic circuits etc
• Advantages. Closer dimensional accuracies
achieved require very little machining after
forging. Material saving is the result. Higher
strength, greater productivity, favorable grain
orientation, high degree of surface finish are
other merits.
• However, complex die making is costly.
Types of forging:
• Based on the type of loading,
– Drop/hammer forging
– Press forging.
– Hammer forging involves impact load, while press
forging involves gradual loads.
• Based on the nature of material flow and
constraint on flow by the die/punch,
– open die forging,
– impression die forging
– flashless forging
Types of forging:
• Based on the temperature of raw material
– Hot forging
– Cold forging
Different Forging Operations
• 1. Upsetting
• The thickness of the work reduces and length
increases
• 2. Edging
• The ends of the bar are shaped to
requirement using edging dies.
• 3. Fullering
• The cross sectional area of the work reduces
as metal flows outward, away from
• 4. Drawing
• The cross sectional area of the work is
reduced with corresponding increase in
lengthusing convex convex
• 5. Swaging: The cross sectional area of the bar
is reduced using concave dies.
• 6. Piercing: It is a process in which a punch
makes deep indentations to produce cavity on
workpiece. Work piece may be kept inside a
die or may be free. Higher forming loads are
required.
• 6. Bending: The metal is bent around a
die/anvil.
• 7. Coining is a special type of closed die
forging. Complex impressions are imparted to
both surfaces of the blank from the die.
Forging loads involved are very high – as high
as 6 times the normal loads. Minting of coins
is an example of this process.
• 8. Sizing - Coining, when used for improving
surface finish of products is called sizing.
• 9. Heading: Heads of bolts, nails are made by
heading, which is an upsetting process. Special
types of machines are used for heading.
Forging a connecting rod
Die Design Parameters
• 1. Parting Line
- is at the largest c/s of the part
- is a st. line at centre for simple shapes
- may not be in a single plane for complex shape
• 2. Flash and Gutter
- Flash material is allowred to flow into a gutter
- Prevents unnecessary increase of forging load
(because of excess/ extra flash)
• Guidelines for flash and clearance between
dies:
- 3% of max. thickness of the forgings
- The length of the land = 2 to 5 times the flash
thickness
• 3. Draft Angles
- For easy removal of forgings from the die
- Similar to draft in casting design
- Internal draft angles are larger – 7o- 10o
- External draft angles are smaller – 3o- 5o
• 4. Fillet : It is a small radius provided at
corners.
- To ensure smooth flow of metal into die cavity
- To improve die life
- As a general rule, should be as large as possible
• Small fillet radii lead to;
- Improper metal flow
- Rapid wear of die
- Fatigue cracking of dies
• 5. Die material : requirements are
- Strength and toughness at elevated
temperature
- Hardenability and ability to harden uniformly
- Resistance to mechanical and thermal shocks
- Wear resistance – to resist abrasion wear due
to scales present on work piece
• Selection of proper die material depends on :
• Die size
• Composition and properties of work piece
• Complexity of shape- no of performing steps
• Forging temperature
• Type of forging operation
• Cost of die material
• No. of forgings required
• Heat transfer from work piece to dies
• Die materials used:
• Tool and die steels with Cr, Ni, Mo, Va
• Forging defects
[Link] forging penetration:
• - Dendritic ingot structure at the interior of
forging is not broken. Actual forging takes
place only at the surface.
• - Cause: Use of light rapid hammer blows
• - Remedy: To use forging press for full
penetration.
2. Surface Cracking
• - Cause: Excessive working on the surface and
too low temperature. High sulfur in furnace
leading to hot shortness
• - Remedy: To increase the work temp.
[Link] at the flash:
• - This crack penetrates into the interior after
flash is trimmed off.
• - Cause: Very thin flash
• - Remedy:-Increasing flash thickness,
relocating the flash to a less critical region of
the forging, hot trimming and stress relieving
4. Cold shut (Fold)
• • Two surfaces of metal fold against each
other without welding completely
• • Cause: Sharp corner (less fillet), excessive
chilling, high friction
• • Remedy: increase fillet radius on the die
[Link] pockets and Underfills:
• • They are loose scale/ lubricant residue
which accumulate in deep recesses of the die.
• • Cause: Incomplete descaling of the work
• • Remedy: Proper decaling of work prior to
forging
6. Internal cracks
• Cause: Secondary tensile stresses developed
during forging
• Remedy: Proper die design
7. Residual stresses in Forging:
• Causes: Inhomogeneous deformation and
improper cooling (quenching) of forging.
• Remedy: Slow cooling of the forging in a
furnace or under ash cover over a period of
time