Forging design
When designing a complex metal forging process, great
consideration should be taken with each step and how it relates
to the final product.
Also, design the chosen path for the redistribution of the work
material from the start of the process to the end of the last step,
concentrating on smooth metal flow.
Forging design, in general, should first accomplish a rough
redistribution of the material, then the more detailed impression
die forging operations, and finally finishing operations.
In addition to providing a smooth transition of material the
forging processes, as a whole, should be designed to produce a
controlled grain structure in the final product.
Grain Structure
When choosing a path for material redistribution, a metal forging
design should consider how this particular method of metal
deformation will effect and change the grain structure of the part.
It is desirable that the final product contain a favourable grain
orientation throughout the structure of its material. Such a grain
structure should strengthen the part, particularly with respect to
that part's application
PREFORMING
A series of preforming operations are required
to gradually bring the stock material closer to
the finished shape before the last forming
operation.
Forging allowances
Machining allowance
Oxidation allowance
Draft – Angle allowance to facilitate release of the
part from the die after forging.
Inside draft allowances are greater than that for
outside.
All edges shall have radius added in the corners –
ensures good material flow and die filling .
Draft In forgings
Draft Angle
Draft angle is the taper around the internal and external
sides of a part.
Draft angle is necessary to include in the forging die
design in order to allow the removal of the work from the
die after the part has been forged.
The larger the draft angle, the better it will facilitate the
metal forging's removal.
Some precision forging operations produce a forged part
with no draft angle.
Common draft angles used in manufacturing industry are
3, 5, 7, and 10 degrees.
Draft
Draft angle of 1 ½º to 7º is normally added to all
surfaces perpendicular to the forging plate, allowing
for easy removal of the forged part from the die.
But sometimes the part can be tilted in the die to
produce "natural draft" without angling its surfaces.
Draft angles
Material Draft Angle (º)
Aluminum 0-2
Copper Alloys (Brass) 0-3
Steel 5-7
Stainless Steel 5-8
Fillet Radii and Corner Radii
When necessary, forging can produce radii as small as
any other metal forming process.
But smaller radii are more costly to machine in the
die, and can cause checking of the die surface and
reduced wear life.
Fillet radii should be as large as practical to ease metal
flow and avoid laps and cold shuts.
Like fillet radii, corner radii should be as large as
possible to ease metal flow during forging and reduce
die wear.
But absolute minimums for corner radii are usually
about half the minimums for fillet radii.
Height of Min. Corner Min. Fillet
Protrusion Radius Radius
mm mm mm
(in) (in) (in)
12.5 1.5 5
(0.5) (0.06) (0.2)
25 3 6.25
(1.0) (0.12) (0.25)
50 5 10
(2.0) (0.2) (0.4)
100 6.25 10
(4.0) (0.25) (0.4)
400 22 50
(16) (0.875) (2.0)
Tolerances
Dimension tolerances are usually positive and are
approximately 0.3 % of the dimension, rounded off to the
next higher 0.5 mm (0.020 in).
Die wear tolerances are lateral tolerances (parallel to the
parting plane) and are roughly +0.2 % for Copper alloys
to +0.5 % for Aluminum and Steel.
Die closure tolerances are in the direction of opening and
closing, and range from 1 mm (0.040 inch) for small
forgings, die projection area < 150 cm2 (23 in2), to 6.25
mm (0.25 inch) for large forgings, die projection area >
6500 cm2 (100 in2).
Die match tolerances are to allow for shift in the upper
die with respect to the lower die. This is weight based.
DIE MATCH TOLERANCE IN mm
Material Finished forging weight in kg
<10 < 50 >500
Aluminium, copper 0.75 1.75 5
alloy and steel
Stainless steel and 1.25 2.5 6.5
Titanium
Flash Tolerance for finished forgings after
trimming in mm
Material Finished casting weight in KG
<10 <50 >500
Aluminium, 0.8 3.25 10
copper alloy
and steel
Stainless steel 1.6 5 12.5
and Titanium
PARTING LINE
Location of the parting line is of primary importance in metal
forging die design.
The parting line, which defines the forging plane of the operation,
is a large determinant in how metal flows through the die during
the forging's compression.
The parting line dictates where flash will be formed, and
effects the grain structure of the manufactured part.
It is easier to fill sections closer to the parting line than further
away.
In determining a parting line the maximum periphery of the
metal forging should be considered.
PARTING LINE
The location of the parting line of C will better facilitate the flow
of metal through the die cavity, since unlike A or B, location C
makes use of the maximum periphery of the forging.
PARTING LINE
It is easier to fill material near the forging plane than in
the further recesses of the die cavity. In addition to being a
major factor in the flow of metal during the forging
process, the location of the parting line is also critical in
the formation of the grain structure of the forged work.
The parting line acts to disrupt the metal's grain
Structure.
PARTING LINE
The placement of the parting line in A and B acts to disrupt
the grain structure of the metal at the plane through which it
passes.
Locating the parting line at the top of the forging as in C
eliminates the rupture of the forging‘s grain structure.
Also this particular location of the parting line will allow
for the entire impression to be formed in one die, while
the other die can be flat. Design of the die as in C is both
more economical and provides superior grain structure of
the metal forging.
FORGING PROCESS DESIGN
HOT FORGING TEMPERATURES OF VARIOUS
MATERIALS
VARIABLE S IN FORGING PROCESS