The question what is cold forging is widely asked mainly because the technique is increasingly growing popular. In this article, we are going to look at some of the crucial things you should know about cold forging. We are first going to start with the definition as we look at how the whole process is done and the main steps.
But what is cold forging?
Cold forging is a metal forming and manufacturing process in which a bar of metal or billet is inserted into a die and compressed or squeezed into a second closed die. All this is done at room temperature. So no kind of heating will be needed to forge the parts.
The forging method or forming method is carried out using a special compression machine. In most cases, hydraulic press machines are used for the production of compression force needed to deform the metal.
How Cold Forging Works
The cold forging process is not much different from the hot forging, which is the oldest. The only difference is that you will be skipping some of the steps in the cold forging process, such as heating the billet. Here are the main steps for cold forging:
-
Lubrication
once have the billet or the metal bar that you want cold forge, lubricate it properly. The reason for lubrication is to prevent the pressed material from sticking to the forging die. The lubricant also helps to cool the billet during the pressing process.
-
Insert Metal In the Die
With proper lubrication, place the metal on the forging die for forging. There are two dies, one on the workspace of the machine that is stationary and another one on the punch or the striking hammer. Make sure that the billet is properly placed.
-
Striking/punching
The striking stage is where the compression force is applied to the metal bar. The force is applied using the striking hammer. Make sure that you have applied the right compression force for proper deformation.
-
Flash removal
The excess amount of metal produced after punching is called flash. You need to have them removed to be left with the required shape. This is the process that should be done carefully to avoid getting injured by the shape of metal pieces.
-
Remove and Shaping
After removing flash, you can now remove the formed part from the die. This can be done using special tools. Then you can do after shaping if there will be a need to do so. Cold forging produces near-net shapes; hence finishing work is pretty easy.