Types Of Forging

In general, during forging, a metal parts producer applies force to compress metal into a desired dimensional configuration.

Manufacturers may conduct one (or more) types of forging: cold forging, warm forging, and hot forging. Temperatures vary based on the metals involved:

Cold Forging (Room Temperature): Manufacturers compress metal at room temperatures in order to perform cold forging. Generally accomplished by machines today, this type of forging requires the use of very strong metal dies in order to deform and compress metal into desired shapes. Soft metals respond especially well to cold forging.

Warm Forging (typically 300 to 1570 degrees Fahrenheit): Forging occurs above room temperature, but not at a point so high that the metallic raw materials become molten. Warm forging offers advantages for manufacturers who prefer to manipulate and compress metal without the application of extremely high temperatures.

Hot Forging (typically 2010 degrees Fahrenheit and above): This type of forging occurs at extremely high temperatures. It will change the internal structure of metals through compression, resulting in the generation of stronger work pieces characterized by homogeneous grain structures.