Steps to the Forging Process

Die or tool making, surface treatment, machining, shot blasting, billet cutting, billet heating, forging, trimming, heat treatment, inspection, and packaging are generally the primary steps in closed die steel forging processes. Read on to learn more about the method of forgings.  

What Are the Steps to the Forging Process?    

Step 1: Designing & Creating Dies  

Making dies is a procedure that is not necessary for closed-die steel forging parts. Once a new product is placed, our engineer will create dies using the customer's steel forging layout. Additionally, forging dies are substantially more expensive than casting molds since they include trimming dies and flattening dies.  

Step 2: Cutting and Heating the Billet  

For continuous manufacturing, experts maintain regular steel material specifications with the forging company. Following the completion of the dies, steel billets will be removed from the material warehouse, chopped to the desired length, and heated in a medium-frequency furnace before forging.  

Step 3: The Actual Forging Process  

This process is done through the so-called “flash.” Heat-treated steel bars that have been placed under lower and upper dies and then pressed into the desired shape after being heated from billets.  

Step 4: Trimming  

Now that forging blanks with flash have been acquired, the flash will be removed by pressing the steel blanks once more while being placed under trimming dies. A complete forging blank is finished in this step.  

Step 5: Heat Treatment  

After forging, heat treatment will be carried out to enhance the strength and mechanical qualities. Common heat treatment techniques for steel forgings include normalizing, quenching, annealing, tempering & hardening, solution treatment, etc., just like they are for investment castings. Naturally, heat treatment is only used when necessary.  

Step 6: Shot Blasting and Machining  

Steel forgings will be shot blasted to eliminate the scale and get a superior surface finish. After shot blasting, products will appear considerably smoother and more transparent.  

Although forging blanks have tighter tolerances than casting ones, occasionally, this is still insufficient for application. To solve this concern, machining is required. The NC lathe and CNC are the primary machining tools used. While CNC is used for precise, expensive machining, NC lathes are utilized for simple machining.  

Final Step of the Forgings Process  

The final step of the process is surface preparation, delivery, packaging, and inspection. Want to learn more about this process? Give us a call!

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