| "Forging" is the term for shaping metal by use of heat and hammer. Forging is done with a power-driven hammer; Dies are usually used. These are Steel Blocks (varies product wise, i.e. Pedal Axle/Hub Axle/Crank Shaft) hollowed out or carved in relief in the shape of the desired part. One die is stationary, the other is attached to the underside of a hammer or press ram. A piece of metal is then hammered or squeezed until it takes on the shape of the die cavity. Sometimes there are several sets of dies that form the metal in stages into the final shape. Smaller parts may be forged cold; larger parts, hot. Maximum pressure exerted is about 100 tons or more (varies product wise, i.e. Pedal Axle/Hub Axle/Crank Shaft) per square inch. Variations of the forging process are called sizing, heading, and coining. Some industrial machines for forging are the drop hammer, steam hammer, and hydraulic press. Forging toughens iron and steel, while casting makes them brittle.
A basic smithy contains a forge, sometimes called a hearth for heating the metals (commonly iron or steel) to a temperature where the metal becomes malleable (typically red hot), or to a temperature where work hardening ceases to accumulate. Tools include tongs to hold the hot metal, and hammers to strike the hot metal.
In forging is commonly done either with machine presses or with hammers powered by steam or compressed air. These hammers are very large, having reciprocating weights in the thousands of pounds.
There are Two Types of Dies for forging, Open & Closed Die forging. In open-die work the metal is free to move except where contacted by the hammer. In closed-die work the material is placed in a die resembling a mold, which it is forced to fill by the application of pressure. We are producing by closed-die forging, which is well suited to mass production. |
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