Forging Steel

1. Heating: The process of pre-forging metal begins with metal blocks known as “ingots,” which come in various shapes and sizes based on the part or component to be produced. These ingots are heated to a near-molten state, allowing the metal to retain its shape while being easily altered with force.

2. Preforming: In preparation for pressing between closed dies, the heated ingot is edged and blocked using a press or hammer. Edging increases the working cross-section, while blocking refines the shape for finish forging.

3. Finish Forging: The preformed metal is forced into an impression between two dies to achieve the general shape of the end product. While simple items may require only one press, more complex items may necessitate multiple strokes at varying pressures or different dies to achieve the final product design.

4. Cooling: By controlling the cooling of the metal, forgers can enhance the strength of the final product by deforming and optimizing the grain flow within the metal. An important aspect of impression die forging is the “flash,” which refers to the excess metal that flows outside of the dies. The flash cools and hardens rapidly, making it stronger than the metal in the dies, ensuring complete filling of any cavities.

5. Finishing: Following the forging process, trimming and other surface treatment operations are conducted to improve the dimensional accuracy of the forged product. Surface treatment may also be applied to enhance corrosion resistance and enhance the appearance of the finished forged product.