Forging Process

Madan Lal Chandravanshi

Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical
Engineering
I S M Dhanbad
 Forging
 The plastic deformation of metals, typically at
elevated temperatures, using compressive forces
exerted through a die to conform the metal to a
desired shape.

 Process advantages:
 Closing of voids in the metal
 Reduced machining time
 Improve the physical properties of the starting
metal
Forging Methods
 Open-Die Drop Hammer - heated metal is placed
between dies—a force is delivered with a steam
hammer.
 Accuracy is not good
 Complicated shapes are difficult to produce
Open Die Forging Machine
Deformation Process
 Permanent (plastic) deformation of a material
under tension, compression, shear or a
combination of loads.

 Types of Deformation
 Bulk flow in (3) dimensions
 Simple shearing of material
 Compound to simple bending
 Combination of above
Deformation Process
 Stresses used to produce change
 Tension
 Compression
 Shear
 Combination in multiple axis
 Classifications
 Bulk = Significant change in surface area,
thickness and cross section reduced, and
overall geometry changed.
 Sheet = Some deforming of material, but initial
material thickness remains the same
Definition of Hot Work vs. Cold Work
 HW is performed above the re-crystallization
temp of the material and CW is done below
the re-crystallization temperature of the
material.
 Re-crystallization Temperature-
“The approximate minimum temperature at which
complete grain growth and rearrangement of
molecules of a worked metal occurs within a
specified time.”
 Approximate temperature ranges
 HW- .6 melt temp.

 CW - less than .3 melt temp.

Hot Working
 When HW a metal is in a plastic state and is
easily formed. The forces required to deform
the metal are less than CW. Some mechanical
properties of the metal are improved due to
process characteristics.

 At elevated temperatures, metal

microstructures are continually rebuilding
through the re-crystallization process which
allows for much higher deformation.
Advantages of HW
 Porosity in metal is largely eliminated
 Impurities (inclusions) are broken up and
distributed through the metal
 Course grains are refined
 Due to grain refinement, the physical
properties are generally improved
 Ductility and resistance to impact are
improved
 Strength is increased
 Amount of energy necessary to change the
shape of the raw material in a plastic state is far
less than if the material was “cold.”
 Economical compared to CW
Open Hearth
Students working in a smithy shop

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Black smith operation on a hot metallic work-piece
 Tools of the Smithy Shop
 Most of the blacksmiths' work is done
with hand tools.

 The most commonly used tools are

1. Anvil
2. Hammer.
3. Tong
Steel anvils

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 Anvil
 To a inexperienced persons, all anvils look alike.
 Just a big lump of iron with pointed ends.
 In fact they are a deceivingly sophisticated tool that are
made in many styles, materials and sizes.

* The best anvils are made of selectively hardened tool

steel with a well balanced attractive shape and various
useful working surfaces.
 It has taken centuries to develop the shapes of anvils
and similar to the violin some anvil styles were
perfected long ago and will probably never change.

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Different parts of the Anvil

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 Types of Anvils
 There are five basic types of anvil,
- Forging,
- Shoeing (farrier's),
- Sheet metal,
- Bench
- Jewelers.

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 Types of Anvils
 These types are different in both size and style.
 As with most tools there is a lot of overlap in
application.
 A forging anvil or general shop anvil can also
be used for making horse shoes and light
forging can be done on a farrier's anvil.
 A heavy sheet metal stake can be used for light
forging and bench work.

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 Types of Anvils
 Small bench work anvils can be used for
jewelry but are clumsy for fragile work.

 However it is impossible to forge anything

smaller than fine wire on a little (150 g)
Jewelers anvil and difficult to use a large
200 pound (90kg) Forging anvil for jewelry
work.
 Each task is best performed using the
proper size tool.
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 Types of Anvils
 The size of the anvil should be proportional to
the work and the hammer used to perform that
work.

 For forging an average hand hammer to anvil

ratio of about 50:1 is normal.

 Example, a heavy 4 pound (1800 gm) hammer

and a 200 pound (90kg) anvil are a good
match.
…………………………………………………………….. 22
Forging anvil

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 Forging anvils
 These are also known as blacksmiths or general
shop anvils.
 These range in weight from about 75 pound
(one pound=450g) pounds to 500 pounds.

 They differ from farrier's anvils in that there is

more mass in the body directly under the face
and less distributed in the horn and heel.

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 Forging anvils
 Due to the prevalence of horse drawn
transportation in the early part of the 20th
century most popular anvils were a
combination of farrier's and forging anvil.

 Today the Peddinghaus, Vaughans, Euro and

Nimba are typical forging anvils.

 These are designed for heavy forging and

have all the standard dimensions
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Shoeing or Farriers anvils

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 Farriers anvils
 Farriers anvils may look like any other anvil
to the neophyte but they are a highly
specialized type of anvil.
 Modern farriers anvils put a high proportion
of the mass in the horn and often have just
enough in the heel to balance the anvil.
 The base has negligible mass.
 Most farrier's anvils are made in the portability
range of 100 to 150 pounds (45 to 70kg).
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 Farriers anvils
 Modern farrier's anvils also have special features such as
"clip horns" for forming toe clips and turning cams for
ease of adjusting a shoe.

 Due to their very narrow waist most farrier's anvils are

too bouncy for general forging work and should be
avoided by non-farriers.

 All the currently available farriers anvils are cast steel or

hardened ductile iron.

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 Classification of anvils

Type by Weight Range - Min. - Max.

Pounds Type Kilos
75 - 500 Forging 35 - 230
50 - 150 Farrier 23 - 70
5 - 100 Stake 2.3 - 45
5 - 50 Bench 2.3 - 23
0.3 - 5 Jewelers 0.14 - 2.3
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Jeweler's Anvil

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 Jeweler's Anvil
 These anvils are made in an old style that has not changed for
300 years or more.
 They have a square body and long slender bicks/horns.
 Some have stakes to embed in a bench and others a large
base.
 Jewelers anvils are made of forged or cast tool steel and finely
finished all over.
 Weights range from a few ounces to a few pounds.
 Jewelers anvils were also sold as silversmiths, watch and
clockmakers anvils.

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Bench Anvil

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 Bench Anvil
 These anvils are small anvils that range in size from 5 to
50 pounds.
 Generally the only definition of a bench anvil is that it is
used on a bench for supporting work to be hammered.
 Styles vary from the familiar London pattern, European
double horned or the classic double horned jewelers anvil
with long slender bicks (horns).
 They can also simply be a convenient block of steel.
English locksmith's bench anvils have a working end of 8
or 10" (200-250 mm) long and leg that goes to the floor.
 Many bench anvils have been made of structural steel and
rail road rail.
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 Quality Ranking of Anvils by Construction
Ranks Material
1 Forged Tool Steel
2 Steel Plate on Wrought Body
3 Cast Tool Steel
4 Steel Plate on Cast Iron*
5 Hardened Ductile Iron
6 Chilled Cast Iron
7 Cast Iron (ASO**)

* Historical manufacturing method no longer used.

** ASO, Anvil Shaped Object 34
 Tongs
 Tongs are used when a piece of metal is too
hot or short to go from the forge to the anvil.

 Tongs come in every shape and size

imaginable.

 The smith selects the pair most suited for

the job he's doing.
Flat Jaw Tongs
 Different Types of Tongs

Rivet Tongs
Open Mouth Tongs

Square Mouth Tongs Universal Tongs

 Different Types of Tongs

Pick up or dandy tongs Single bow tongs

Bolt tongs
Crucible Lift out tongs
 Hammers
 Hammers are used by a smith in order to give the
required shape to the heated metal piece.

 Hand operated hammers are generally employed for

shaping small and light components.
 Different classes of Hammers
1. Ball peen hammer
2. Cross peen hammer
3. Straight peen hammer
4. Sledge hammer
Ball Peen Hammer
 Ball Peen Hammer
 A ball-peen hammer is a type of peening hammer used
in metal working.

 Though the process of peening has become rarer in

metal fabrication, the ball-peen hammer remains useful
for many tasks such as tapping punches and chisels.

 The original function of the hammer was to "peen"

riveted or welded material so that it will exhibit the same
elastic behavior as the surrounding material.
 Ball Peen Hammer
 The ball-peen hammer is also used to expand and
light rivets and similar, "setting" the rivet in place to
complete the joint.
 Peening is also the method by which steel drums
are formed and tuned.
 A ball-peen hammer is also known as an
engineer's hammer or a machinist hammer and
may be graded by the weight of the head.
 It is the mechanics hammer of choice when
making gaskets or driving drift pins.
Cross peen hammer
 Cross peen hammer
 The peen is across i.e. at right angle to the axis
of the handle of the hammer.

 Weight of the hammer is 0.22 to 0.91 kg.

 The cross peen hammer is used for bending,

stretching and hammering into the inside
positions of the component.
 Straight peen hammer
 The peen is straight i.e. parallel to the axis
of the handle of the hammers.

 Weight of the hammers is 0.11 0.91 kg.

 The straight peen hammer is used for

stretching the metal.
Sledge Hammer
 Sledge Hammer
 A sledge hammer is heavier than a Smith’s hand
hammer described earlier.

 The weights vary from 3 to 10 kg are used when heavy

blows are required to be imparted to the jobs.

 The striking surface of the sledge hammer is made

slightly convex and smooth.

 The aim is that the work-piece metal is not spoiled by

the edges of the hammer if they are sharp.
Different tools used in smithy shop
oS32 Bottom Swage,
oS34 Bottom Fuller
oS37A Hardie
oS37A Shoecropper
 Hardie
 A hardie is chisel.
 It has a square shank and is mounted in the hardie
hole of the anvil.
 To cut a bar the hardie and cold set are used together.
 Hot set
 A hot set is a chisel used for cutting hot metal pieces
during the forging process.

 A hot set is made up of hard steel but is of larger

diameter and of a shorter length than the cold chisel.
 Swage Blocks

 Swaging is done to reduce and finish work to desired size

and shape usually either round or hexagonal.
 For small jobs top and bottom swage pair is employed
where as for large work, the swage block can be used.
More Tools
 Flatter
 Fuller
 Punch
 Rivet header
 Drift
 Set-hammer
 Brass scale
 Brass
 Black smith’s gauge
 Heading tool
 Operations of Smithy Shop
 Smith forging is done on anvil.
 The operations of smith forging are
- upsetting or jumping (decrease length )
- drawing down (increase length )
- bending
- cutting
- punching and drifting
- Fullering (increasing length with faster rate)
- setting down or flatting
- swaging and forge welding
 Upsetting or Jumping
 It is an operation to carry out
to increase the thickness (or
diameter ) of a bar and to
reduce its length.
 Generally the increase in
thickness is local as in the
case of forming a bolt head.
 Only that portion of the bar
which is to be upset is heated
locally.
 Drawing down
 Drawing down is to reduce the thickness of a bar and
to increase its length.
 It is may be carried out by working the metal over the
horn of the anvil then by hammering it on the anvil
face.
 The rounded horn of the anvil acts as a blunt edge
which forces the hot metal to flow lengthwise when
struck by the hammer.
 For drawing down very heavy work fuller may be used.
 Bending
 Bending is a very common forging operation.
 The simplest method of bending a piece of metal in
hand forging to support it on the anvil and to strike its
free end with a hammer.
 When bent the metal of the work-piece tins out round
bend causing weakness.
 This can be overcome by upsetting prior to bending.
 Sheet Metalworking
 (a) Bending and (b) deep drawing
 Hot Cutting
 A hot set (chisel) is used for cutting heated
metal bars in a smithy shop.
 The hot set does not required to be
hardened or tempered.
 Hot sets are manufactured from the tough
variety of steel in order that they may cut
through relatively soft red hot metals with
ease.
 Punching
 For punching a hole
the metal workpiece
must be at near
welding heat.

 The punch is driven

part way through
the workpiece with
the hammer blows .
 Fullering
 Fullering reduces the thickness of a heated metal
work-piece having a thicker section.

 The bottom fuller is held in the hardie hole of the anvil

and the work-piece is rapidly reduced in thickness in
moving it between the top and the bottom fullers
while striking the top fuller with the sledge hammer.

 Fullers are also used for making shoulders or grooves

across the metal.
Setting down or Flatting
 Fullering leaves a grooved surface on the job.

 Even after a job has been forged into shape with a

hammer, the marks of the hammer remain on the
upper surface of the job.

 To remove the hammer marks or corrugations and in

order to obtain a smooth surface on the job a flatter or
a set hammer may be used.
 Forge Welding
 Wrought iron and low carbon steel can
be satisfactorily forge welded.

 Forge welding can be carried out with

metal thickness up-to above 30 mm.
Temperature of Different colors in Smithy
Sl.
No.
Colors Temperature

1
Dark red 7000 C

2
Cherry red 7600 C

3
Orange red 9800 C

4
Yellow red 10900 C

5
White red 13000 C
 Safety Rules for Smithy shop
 One should not touch the job with bare
hands unless it is at room temperature.

 One has to wear tight cloth and shoes.

 One has to hold the job tightly and keep it

flat on the face of the anvil.
 Safety Rules for Smithy shop
 One has to examine the hammer to make sure that
it is in working order.

 Job should be tightly held in vice before starting

work.

 wear safety shoves, hand gloves, gloves, goggles

for eye protection.
 First aid for burn injury should be available.