Design of Dies - Unit 4

for M.E Tool Design

 Deforming processes
Deforming Processes make use of suitable stresses like,Tension,compressive shear or
combined stresses to cause plastic deformation of the materials to produce required
shapes without changing its mass or material composition.In forming no material is
removed.They are deformed and displaced.Some of the forming processes are

1. Forging
2. Extrusion
3. Rolling
4. Sheet metal working
5. Rotary Swaging
6. Thread Rolling
7. Explosive forming
8. Electromagnetic forming.
9. Drawing etc.
Bulk Deformation
● Metal forming operations which cause significant shape change by
deformation in metal parts ,whose initial form is bulk rather than sheet.
● Starting forms:-Cylindrical bars,and billets,rectangular billets and slabs,and
similar shapes.
● Bulk deformation process also sometimes improve the mechanical properties
of materials.
● These processes work by stressing metal sufficiently to cause plastic flow into
desired shape.
● Performed as cold,warm,and hot working operations.

Various operations performed by bulk deformation are 1.Forging .2 Rolling .

3.Extrusion .4.Drawing.
Steel Rolling
● The work starts out as a cast steel ingot that has just solidified by
casting.While it is still hot ,the ingot is placed in furnace where it remains for
many hours until it has reached a uniform temperature throughout.
● For steel temperature is about 1200℃.
● The heating operation is called soaking and furnace is called soaking pit.
● The ingot is rolled into three intermediate products called blooms,slabs,billets.
● Bloom:-Square cross section of 150 mm or higher.
● Slab:-Rectangular cross section of 250 mm width,and 40 mm thickness.
● Billet :-Square cross section of 40 mm or higher.
● These intermediate shapes are subsequently rolled into products.
 Glossary
Glossary words applicable in forming dies can be found at https://www.forging.org/glossary-of-forging-terms

Example :

Billet — A semi finished, cogged, hot-rolled, or continuous-cast metal product of uniform section, usually rectangular with radiused
corners. Billets are relatively larger than bars. See Bloom.

Blank — Raw material or forging stock (also called a "slug" or "multiple") from which a forging is made.

Bloom — A semi finished product of square, rectangular, or even round cross section, hot rolled, or forged. For steel, the width of a

bloom is not more than twice the thickness, and the cross sectional area is usually not less than about 36 sq. in. No invariable rule

prevails for distinguishing between blooms and billets; the terms are frequently used interchangeably.

Board hammer — A type of gravity drop hammer where wood boards attached to the ram are raised vertically by action of contra

rotating rolls, then released. Energy for forging is obtained by the mass and velocity of the freely falling ram and the attached upper die.

See also Drop Hammer.

Forging
Explanation:-Forging can be defined as the controlled plastic deformation of metals at
elevated temperatures into a predetermined size or shape using compressive forces
exerted through some type of die by a hammer,a press,or an upsetting machine.It
consists essentially of altering the shape and section of a steel specimen by pressing or
hammering it at a temperature of the order of 1000℃ at which the steel is entirely plastic and
will flow under pressure.By definition, forging involves the shaping of metal by the application of
impact or pressure but the primary difference between the various forging methods is the rate
at which the energy is applied to the work piece.The forging hammer has a relatively high rate
of deformation,while the hydraulic press has a relatively slow rate of deformation.

The raw material for forging is usually a bar,billet,or blank.By forging original the crystals are
deformed and many of the constituents are precipitated at high temperature which again
become soluble in the solid iron on freezing,there by increasing the local homogenity of the
material.(contd)
Forging(contd)
Forging is generally employed for those components which require high strength and
resistance to shock or vibration and uniform properties,However,by forging ,the insoluble
segregates and the non metallic inclusions can not be dispersed ,but their undesirable
effects are reduced in relation to the properties parallel to the main direction of flow of the
material during forging.The structure formed by flowing of these segregated phases in the
direction of working is called grain fibre,fibre structure,of flow lines.

With pronounced grain flow the properties like elastic limit,ultimate tensile strength are
steadily improved upto a limit in a direction parallel to the principal grain flow.The properties
in a transverse direction may increase at first due to preliminary working of the metal but the
new directional grains become more and more defined and the properties in transverse
direction fall off rapidly and may be lower than even those exhibited by a cast structure.
Forging
Smithing is the art of working of forging metals such as iron into any desired shape
by the application of heat and pressure .Relatively small jobs are heated in a
hearth or forge to a red hot condition and subsequently pressure is applied by
means of a hammer to get the desired shape and size.It is also known as hand
forging. or

Forging is the process of shaping heated metal by the application of sudden blows
or steady pressure and makes use of characteristic of plasticity of the material.A
metal such as steel can be shaped in a cold state but the application of heat
lowers the yield point and makes permanent deformation easier.This process is
used in the small tools,railroad equipment,automobile and aviation industries.
Temperature required for forging plain carbon steel
Before forging the metal workpiece is heated to a proper temperature so that it
gains required plastic properties before deformation which are essential for
satisfactory forging.

Excessive temperatures may result in the burning of the metal which destroys the
cohesion of the metal.

Insufficient temperatures will not introduce sufficient plasticity in the metal to

shape it properly by hammering etc,.Moreover under these conditions the cold
working defects (hardening,cracking etc,) are liable to into the product.

The finishing temperature of the workpiece should be that at which no grain

growth takes place so that the workpiece processes a fine grained
structure.(contd)
Forging temperatures for different metals and alloys
Grainflow in Forged parts
In a forged part the directions of the fibrous structure are controlled to develop the
maximum mechanical properties for applications where shock and fatigue are
encountered.Special attention is therefore paid when forging Gear blanks,crankshafts and
other highly stressed parts to obtain the metal flow in the most favourable direction in all
portions of the forging.

Fig shows the grain flow in a forged component.The fibre like flow lines of the component
are continuous.Forging produces parts with unbroken grain flow following the contour of the
part.Forging leads to a re-arrangement of the fibres and makes the grain size finer.The
directional working of the characteristic of most forging processes enables parts to be
produced parts with accurate dimensions,a smooth surface and sufficiently high mechanical
properties.Forging provides maximum strength and toughness at points of greatest stress in
the finished components
Advantages,Disadvantages & Limitations of Forging
Advantages:-

1. Forgings have greater strength and offer greater resistance to impact and fatigue loads.
2. Forging improves the grain structure of metal and hence its mechanical properties.
3. Because of intense working flaws are seldom found and workpiece has high reliability.
4. Forging renders the parts uniform in density as well as dimensions.
5. Reduction in weight of the finished part.
6. Saving in the material.
7. Elimination of internal defects such as cracks,porosity,blowholes etc,.
8. Minimum of machine finish to be carried out on the component especially when it is forged in dies

Disadvantages:-

1. High tool cost

2. High tool maintenance
3. No cored holes
4. Limitations in size and shape (contd)
Limitations of forging.
Forging operation is limited to simple shapes and has limitations for parts having
undercuts ,re-entrant surfaces etc.

The rapid oxidation of metal surface at high temperature results in scaling which
wears the dies.

The initial cost of the dies and cost of their maintenance is high
Open die and Closed die forging.
The two broad categories of forging processes are open die forging and closed die forging.

1. Smith Die Forging

a. Hand Forging
b. Power forging
i. Hammer Forging
ii. Press Forging
2. Impression Die Forging
a. Drop Forging
b. Press Forging
c. Machine Forging

Open die or smith die forging:-It is also called flat die forging.It is carried out between flat faced dies and
possibly supplemented stock tooling of very simple shapes.It is also used to perform the work piece for
closed die forging.This process is mostly used for large objects or when the number of parts produced is
small.ex:-The simplest open die forging operation is the upsetting of a cylindrical billet between two flat
dies.The typical dies used in open forging dies and punches are hammers,set
hammers,flatters,fullers,anvil,swages,punches and drifts.
Types of Forgings
Hand forging:-The forging is done by hammering the piece of metal when it is
heated to the proper temperature on an anvil.while hammering the heated metal is
generally held with suitable tongs by a smith ,and the hammering is done by a
helper.It is employed only to shape a small number of light forgings .

Power forging:-Large machine parts can not be forged by hand,since

comparatively light blow of a hand or sledge hammer is unable to produce a great
degree of deformation in the metal being forged.Moreover hand forging is a
lengthy process and requires repeated heating of the metal.This has led to use of
power hammers and presses in forging. Machines which work on forgings by blow
are called hammer forging,while those working by pressure are called press
forging.(contd)
Types of forgings(contd)
● Impression die forging:-More complex shapes of greater accuracy can not be formed by
open die forging techniques.Commonly known as die forging or drop forging ,impression
die forging makes use of cavities in specially prepared dies to produce forged shapes in
large quantities,the finished forging being duplicates of each other.It is classified into two
types.
1. Single Impression die:-This die contains only one cavity or impression which is the
finishing impression .The preliminary forging operations are done by hand or on forge
hammers,forging rolls etc and only final finishing operation is done in the die cavity.
2. Multi impression die:-This die contains finishing operation and one or more auxiliary
impressions for preliminary forging operations.The final shape of part is progressively
developed over a series of steps from one die impression to the next.Generally these
are very expensive to make and are employed only when the quantity to be made is
sufficiently large and for forging of intricate designs.
Types of Forgings(contd.)
● Drop forging:-This is the operation done in closed impression dies by means of drop
hammers.Here the force is applied for shaping the component in series of blows.
● Press forging:-Similar to drop forging the press forging is also done in closed
impression dies with the exception that force is a continuous squeezing type applied by
the hydraulic presses.
● Machine forging:-Unlike the drop or press forging where the material is drawn out in
machine forging the material is only upset to get the desired shape.
Advantages of open die.
1. The compressive force is progressively applied locally on different parts of the
metal stock.
2. The flow of the metal that is the changing of its dimensions and shape is
controlled with the aid of various hand tools.
3. These are less cost as compared to closed dies.
4. The weight range of forging goes upto few tons.
5. These are required for heavy forgings.ex:-steel plants ,power
generation,shipping and defence.
6. The simplicity of tooling is gained at the expense of the complexity of process
control.
Limitations of open die forging.
1. Less control in determining grain flow,mechanical properties,and dimensions.
2. Restricted to short run production.
3. Poor material utilization.
4. Restricted to simple shapes.
5. Difficulty of maintaining moderately close tolerances.
6. Absolute need for skilled labour.
7. Final cost of production may be higher than other forging methods,because
machining is often required.
Cogging(blocking,Drawing)
It is the process of the raw ingot is progressively extended to elongate shape.The
tools used may be flat,swage,V-set form.Flat tools are rectangular block with
rounded edges so that the impressions made by tools have a similar contour to
prevent surface folding.Swage tools are suitable for working round forgings and
give faster forging.There is a limited range of sizes that can be made by one set of
swaze tools .V-set tools consists of flat tool and a v-bottom tool and these are
used for working round forgings with several changes in size along the length.

Upsetting:-It consists to reducing the height of a forging and increase its diameter
.Usually completely overlapping tool is used.
Impression Die Forging
Trimming
 Closed Die Forging
In this process cavities or impressions are cut in the die
block ,the compressive force is applied to the entire
surface and the metal is forced to take its final shape
and dimensions as it flows into and fills the cavities.The
flow of metal is limited by the surface of the recesses or
cavities in the dies.when the pair of dies approach each
other for completing the forging,the excess metal squirts
out of the cavity as a thin ribbon of metal called flash or
fin.Because of flash the term closed die forging is a bit of
a misnomer.Closed die forging means no flash.so a
better description of the process with recesses or
cavities in the die block would be impression die forging
Hand tools and appliances
Anvil:-The Anvil forms a support for blacksmith’s work when hammering.The body
of the anvil is made of mild steel with a tool steel face welded on the body,but the
beak or horn used for bending curves is not steel faced.The round hole in the anvil
called PRITCHEL hole is used for bending rods of small diameter and as a die for
punching operations.The square or hardie hole is used for holding square shanks
of various fittings such as swages,fullers etc.

Anvils are specified by their weight,they vary upto about 100 to 150 kg and should
stand with top face about 0.75m from the floor.This height may be attained by
resting the anvil on a cast iron or wooden base.

Forging operations of all types are carried out on the working face of the anvil.
Swage block
It is a solid rectangular block made up of either cast steel or forged steel.The swage
block has on its face an assorted shaped recesses and various shaped holes or
perforations through its sides.The swage block face is used for
swaging,bending,shaping,and finishing various workpieces.It is used for inserting in its
hollows and holes various allied tools such as swages,fullers etc.

The swage block is commonly used for the finishing off a workpiece.The workpiece is
given a rough shape(say square or circular) on the anvil by hammering.The workpiece
is then reheated and placed in a similar shaped recesses in the side of the swage
block.A similar shaped swage is then placed on the top of the workpiece and
hammered in-order to complete and finish that particular shape on the workpiece. It is
0.25m or more wide and may be used either flat or edgewise in its stand.These are
available in different sizes.
Tongs.

The work to be forged is generally

held with tongs.

The tongs generally used for holding are shown in figs.

1. The gag tong used for general pick-up work,either straight or tapered.
2. The straight lip fluted tong used for square,circular and hexagonal bar stock.
3. Rivet or Ring tong used for bolts, rivets and other work of circular sections.
4. The flat tong is used for holding work of rectangular section
Hammers.
The hammers are used to give a blow (compressive force) by a smith in-order to give the required
to the heated metal piece.Two kinds of hammers are used in hand forging.

1. The hand hammers used by the smith himself and

2. The sledge hammers used by the striker(helper).

Hand Hammers are mainly classified as

1. Ball peen hammer

2. Straight peen hammer
3. Cross peen hammer.

1.Ball peen hammer:-This hammer is best suited to practically all of the hand forging operations.It
has a tough cast steel or forged steel head of 0.1kg to 0.9kg in weight which is fitted to a wooden
handle.One end of the head is flat and is known as the face.The face is hardened and polished
and is used for general striking or hammering work.The end opposite to face is half ball shaped
and is known is as peen.This peen is used for riveting or burring over work.(contd)
Hammers (contd)
2.Straight peen Hammer:-This hammer has a peen straight with the handle or parallel to
the to axis of the handle.This is (peen) used for stretching or peening the metal.The size
varies from 0.11kg to 0.91kg.

3.Cross peen Hammer:-This is similar to ball peen hammer in shape and size except the
peen which is at right angle(across) to the axis of the handle.This is mainly used for
bending,stretching,hammering into shoulders inside curves etc.

Sledge Hammers:-These have weights varying from 3 to 10 kg and are used when heavy
blows are required to be imparted to the job.These hammers of the following types.

1. Straight peen type

2. Cross peen type
3. Double faced type.

The striking face 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.
Chisels
Chisels are used for cutting metals and for nicking prior to breaking.They may be hot or
cold depending on whether the melal to be cut is hot or cold.The main difference
between the two is in the edge.The edge of the cold chisel is hardened and tempered
with an angle of about 60°while the edge of the hot chisel is 30°and the hardening is
not necessary.The edge is made slightly rounded for better cutting action.When cutting
hot metal the cutting edge of the chisel must be frequently cooled otherwise it will
become and consequently will rapidly become soft and useless.

Swages:-These are used in pairs i.e there is a top part and bottom part.These two
parts are either separate or connected by a strip steel handle.These are employed to
reduce and finish the job to size and shape usually either round or hexagonal.For small
jobs swages (in pairs) are used and for large work the swage block is used. During
swaging the hot metal is rotated between the swages which are hammered to produce
a smooth round surface on the workpiece.
Tools
Fullers:-These are used for necking(form grooves) down a piece of work.They spread the
metal and can reduce the thickness of the workpiece.They are made in top and bottom tools
as in the case of swages.Fullers are made in various shapes and sizes according to needs
.The size denoting the width of the fuller edges.

Flatters:-These are used to give smoothness and and accuracy to articles which have
already been shaped by fullers and swages especially when the surface area is large.

Punch:-It is employed for punching holes in the heated workpiece.Holes of

round,oval,square shapes may be with punches of different shapes.

Drift:-It can be employed to enlarge the hole to a particular size and shape.

Set hammers:-It is really a form of flatter.It is used for finish off surfaces to a good smooth
surface in restricted areas corners in shoulders work where the flatter is inconvenient to
work.It is also used for drawing out.
Upsetting,Expanding(becking,saddling),Hollow forging
Upsetting:-It consists to reducing the height of the forging and increasing its
diameter.Usually completely overlapping tool is used.

Expanding(becking,saddling):-It is the process of increasing the diameter of hollow

products.It uses a narrow tool.Forging is supported on an expanding bar which is rotated
between squeezes.Thinning is progressively effected round the circumference and the
diameter of the stock is proportionately increased.

Hollow forging:-In it the forging bedded into a mandrel and reduction in thickness is
effected using top and bottom tools.The mandrel fixes the diameter of the central hole.
Upset forging Operations
Forging Operations and Principles
The raw material that is available for any forging operation is in the form of a bar or billet.The formation of
a shape by forging consists of a combination of two or more number of relatively simple operations
described below.

● Drawing down or Swaging ● Upsetting

● Punching ● Setting Down
● Bending ● Welding
● Cutting ● Flat Die forging
● Impression Die Forging ● Fullering
● Blocking ● Closed Die Forging
● Trimming. ● Coining and Ironing
● Automatic hot forging ● Roll forging..
● Net shape and near net shape forging.
Forging Operations
Drawing down or Swaging:-It is the operation of
spreading or thinning action and is accomplished
by striking the work with flat dies.Due to impact of
die on metal,it’s thickness,or width or both is
reduced and length is increased .Fig’s A,B,C
illustrate this operation.A represents original
stock,B shows the stock after hammering with a
straight peen hammer or with a top fuller and
sledge hammer,and C shows the finished forging
after the flatter has been used.
Forging Operations(Contd.)
Upsetting or Heading:-This is just opposite to drawing.It is the process of increasing the thickness of a
bar at the expense of its length and is brought about by end pressure.The pressure may be obtained by
driving the end of the bar against the anvil,by supporting on the anvil and hitting with the hammer ,by
placing in swage block hole and hitting with the hammer or by clamping in a vice and then hammering.

Fig( a ) shows the effect of heavy hammer blows on a uniformly heated bar,Fig ((b) shows the effect of
comparatively light hammer blows.Local upsets may be obtained as shown at fig(c) and at( d) by heating
only the end or the middle of the bar
Forging Operations(Contd.)
Punching:-It is the process of producing holes,generally
cylindrical,by using a hot punch over the pritchel hole of the
anvil,over a cylindrical die or over a hole of the correct size in
the swage block.Fig’s shows the stages in punching a hole.
Forging Operations(contd.)
Setting down:-It is a localized
drawing down or swaging operation
as shown in fig.In other words it may
be said as the process of local
thinning down affected by the set
hammer or set.Usually the work is
fullered at the place where the
setting down commences.The
process of setting down both edges
of a bar using the top and bottom
fuller and the flatter may be used
close to a shoulder.
Forging Operations(Contd.)
Bending:-It is an important operation in forging and is one very frequently used. This may be
classified as angular or curvilinear.Bending may be done over the edge of the anvil face,over the
anvil horn,in special forms such as the swage block edges or for bar stock, by inserting the end in
the pritchel hole and bending the bar with a wrench or tong.

When metal is bent, the layers of metal on the inside are shortened and those on the outside are
stretched.This cause a bulging of the sides at the inside,and a radius on the outside of the bend.If
a perfect square bend is required, additional metal must be worked to the place where the bend
occurs.When this is bent the additional metal will go to make up the corner.Gradual bends may be
made by using the beak of the anvil as former or the metal may be bent round a bar of the correct
radius held in a vice.The stages in bending a bar over the horn of an anvil using a hammer shown
in fig’s.
Forging Operations(contd.)
Welding:-Metals like wrought iron and steel are welded by pressing together two surfaces ,after
they have been to the correct welding temperature.Normally these metals come in the plastic stage
at 1350℃ when the metal is white-hot.The operation of a such a type of welding is performed in
forge shop and hence is also sometimes called forge welding.The method of preparing pieces of
metal for welding is known as scarfing.This involves the shaping of the ends of the pieces to be
welded so that they will unite at the centre when they are brought together. Various types of welded
joints are shown in fig’s.

Cutting:-Cutting off is a form of chiseling where by a long piece of stock is cut into several
specified lengths, or a forging is separated (cut off) from its stock.For hot chiseling steel must be
heated in a black smiths hearth or furnace to a light cherry red heat i.e from 850 to 950℃.When
cutting with chisels the hammer blows are directed on to the chisel head which must be slightly
rounded.A notch is first made about one half the thickness or diameter of the stock.After the spot
where the stock is to be cut off has been notched,the work must be turned through an angle of
180°and the chisel is placed exactly opposite the notch.The required length of metal can then cut
off by giving the chisel a few blows with a sledge hammer.
Welding Operation
Cutting Operation
Flat Die Forging
It is carried out between flat faced dies and possibly supplemented stock tooling of very
simple shapes.It is also used to perform the work piece for closed die forging.This process is
mostly used for large objects or when the number of parts produced is small.ex:-The
simplest open die forging operation is the upsetting of a cylindrical billet between two flat
dies.The typical dies used in open forging dies and punches are hammers,set
hammers,flatters,fullers,anvil,swages,punches and drifts

It is simplest type of forging in which the stock is laid on a flat anvil and the hammer or press
with its own flat face is hammered upon the work.The work may turned by either by tongs or
by a machine called a manipulator which grasp the work and gradually turns it between the
blow of the hammer.In this operation much depends upon the skill of the hammersmith who
directs the forging stock on the anvil,and speed and intensity of the forging blow.This method
is used if the work is bulky and simple and the quantity to be produced in small.The flat dies
may be supplemented by dies with fullering or edging devices for spreading or trimming the
forging.(contd)
Flat Die Forging (contd)
By this process the stock may be rounded ,reduced and lengthened,or a thick
piece may be flattened.Generally the forgings produced by using open dies
require machining all over to adopt them to use in mechanical assembly,but it is
possible to work with sufficient exactness in some cases to eliminate machining
except where parts fit together.
Impression Die Forging
More complex shapes of greater accuracy can not be formed by open die forging
techniques.Commonly known as die forging or drop forging ,impression die forging makes
use of cavities in specially prepared dies to produce forged shapes in large quantities,the
finished forging being duplicates of each other.

This is used in cases where the piece is small and intricate in shape.A piece of heated metal
is placed on the lower die block.The metal is forced to take the shape of the die(upper and
lower) by blows from a machine hammer.Half the die is mounted on the anvil and half is
mounted on the hammer.Greater accuracy can be achieved and production rate is also
higher with closed dies than with flat dies.During forging the cavities of the are completely
filled,and excess metal (provided purposely)is squeezed out between the dies in the form of
a thin fin or flash.It may be necessary to perform several operations in steps to obtain the
desired deformation,often within a single pair of die blocks.
Fullering
It reduces the thickness of a
heated metal workpiece having a
thicker section. The bottom fuller
is held in the hardie hole of the
anvil and the workpiece is rapidly
reduced in thickness by moving it
between the top and bottom
fullers, whilst striking the top fuller
with the sledge hammer. These
are also used for making
shoulders or grooves across the
metal.
Blocking
It is the process of the raw ingot is progressively extended to elongate shape.The
tools used may be flat,swage,V-set form.Flat tools are rectangular block with
rounded edges so that the impressions made by tools have a similar contour to
prevent surface folding.Swage tools are suitable for working round forgings and
give faster forging.There is a limited range of sizes that can be made by one set of
swaze tools .V-set tools consists of flat tool and a v-bottom tool and these are
used for working round forgings with several changes in size along the length.
 Closed Die Forging
In this process cavities or impressions are cut in the die
block ,the compressive force is applied to the entire surface
and the metal is forced to take its final shape and
dimensions as it flows into and fills the cavities.the flow of
metal is limited by the surface of the recesses or cavities in
the dies.when the pair of dies approach each other for
completing the forging,the excess metal squirts out of the
cavity as a thin ribbon of metal called flash or fin.Because of
flash the term closed die forging is a bit of a
misnomer.Closed die forging means no flash.so a better
description of the process with recesses or cavities in the
die block would be impression die forging
Forging operations(contd.)
Trimming: Trimming is the operation of removing flash from a forging. It is done
by a hammer or a press and consists of pushing the work through a trimming
blade with a punch.

Coining & Ironing : There are sizing operations performed in dies by applying
pressure to all or part of the forging to obtain closer tolerances, smoother
surfaces, or to eliminate draft. Specific coining dies are used for this operation.
Coining is usually done on surfaces parallel to the parting line, while ironing
usually means pushing the workpiece through a ring to size its outside
diameter,very little metal flow accompanies this processes.
Closed Die Forging - Die Design
Before designing the tools to produce a given forging,the shape of the final forging has to be
determined.There are certain underlying principles for achieving a practical and economical
forging design.The tool engineer must have a clear understanding of these principles or
factors which are discussed below.

1. Draft angles.
2. Fillet and corner radii.
3. Parting line.
4. Shrinkage and die wear.
5. Mismatch.
6. Finish allowance .
7. Dimensional tolerances.
8. Webs and Ribs.
Forging Die Design(contd).
1.Draft angle:-It is the angle of taper put on all sides of the forging to facilitate its
quick removal from the die cavity after forging.In the case of drop forging and
press forging the usual values of draft angles are 3 to 7° for external surfaces,5 to
10° for internal surfaces.If automatic ejection devices are employed to free the
forging from the die cavity,the draft angle can be reduced to 1 degree .Draft is
appreciably lowered in case of forging machine since the stock is firmly held by
gripping dies.It is sometimes as small as ½ degree .The application of a draft on a
forging as shown in fig.
Forging die design(contd)
Fillet and Corner radii:-A fillet means the rounding of the apex of an internal angle and
corner radius means the rounding of the apex of the external angle as shown in
fig.Sharp edges on the body of the forging and hence the die cavity increases the
tendency towards forging defects and accelerate die wear.Also sharp edges will hinder
the completing filling of the die cavities.Therefore generous fillet and corner radii are
the most desirable features of a closed die forging because it assists the flow of hot
metal and eliminates the possibility forging laps or shuts.Also the premature die failures
due to stress cracks and abrasions are prevented.Hence larger the fillet and corner
radii,longer will be the die life and better will be the forging quality.The usual values of
fillet and corner radii are given in table.

Fillet radius can also be found as follows. Rf=⅓((a+b)/2) where a and b are thickness of
the two parts that are joined at the fillet.
Forging die design(contd)
Parting line:-The parting line is the line along the forging where the two halves of a
pair of forging dies meet.It divides the die impression into two parts which one is made
in the top die and the other in the lower die.The shape and location of the parting line is
important as these have considerable influence on the flow of metal,die cost,and draft
requirements,etc.Regarding the location of a parting line,the designer should always
remember the fundamental factor that in forging,the metals flows much more easily in
the lateral direction (path of least resistance)than in the direction of the applied
force.Thus in forging process,it is easier to spread metal than to force it into deep die
impression.So in most forgings the parting line is at the largest cross section of the
part.Another fundamental factor is that metal fills the top die first,so the deep and
intricate of the impression is arrived at in one part of the die,this should be the top
die.In such a case the lower die remains without the impression and will have only
locating elements(usually of the conical shape) to secure the proper location of the
forging.(contd)
Parting line(contd)
Regarding its shape the parting line may be perfectly flat(straight) or multiple directions.The
straight die is preferable since no side thrust is present and it is cheaper to be
produced.However,the forging produced may not be economical.Many forgings require a
parting line that is not flat but is multidirectional or irregular shown in figs.Such dies will mesh
or lock in vertical direction when closed and are called locked dies.The irregular parting lines
tend to cause side thrust and add to the cost of the die.The side thrust during forging may
cause mismatch of the dies and or breakage of the forging equipment as the ram guides
may not be fully adequate to ensure complete alignment of the dies,in the presence of the
side thrust.The various types of locked dies are shown in figs.Side thrust is present in simple
lock dies and it may be present in compound locked dies.There are several ways of
eliminating or controlling side thrust.

One way is to provide counter locks or edges by machining mating projections,and recesses
into the parting surfaces.The height of the counter lock is usually equal to or slightly greater
than the depth of the locking portion of the die.(contd)
Parting line(contd)
The thickness of the counter lock should be at least 1.5 times height so that it will have
adequate strength to resist the side thrust.It is very difficult to maintain proper lubrication t
the sliding parts of the counterlock due to high die temperature involved.Due to this the
surface of the counterlock wear rapidly and need frequent reworking.So counterlocks should
be avoided as far as possible by inclining rotating of individual forgings or by changing the
design of forging.If the part is small in size and its production is large forging two parts at a
time,side thrust forces can be balanced in a multiple part die.From the above discussion it is
clear that a flat horizontal parting surface should be selected as far as possible.

Another factor in the selection of parting line is that it should avoid deeper die impressions
to minimize die wear shown in fig.Deeper die impression would require high forging pressure
for complete filling and might lead to die breakage.A proper parting line may eliminate the
chances of grain flow reversal and improve the mechanical properties.A parting line which
may not require any additional draft provided for easy removal of forging from die,will result
in large savings in machining cost and raw material.
Design of forging dies(contd)
Mismatch:-In closed die forging it is very difficult to achieve perfect alignment of
the two die halves and either the upper or lower die may shift during forging.This
shift may occur sideways or endways as shown in fig.The forging produced by
shifted die will be mismatch.The mismatch should be kept minimum.The amount
of mismatch is given in table.

Finish Allowance:-Some forged parts require surface condition or accuracy which

may not be possible to obtain during forging.For this purpose extra material is
provided on the forging which may vary from 0.8 mm to 3.2 mm depending upon
the material and relative size of the forging.
Design of forging dies (contd)
Dimensional tolerance:-These are the variations permitted from the given or normal
dimensions and they may include thickness tolerance and length tolerance.Commercial
tolerance for thickness are as given below.On forging upto 0.45 kg - 0.25 mm to +0.8 mm

On forgings from 2.25kg to 9kg -0.8 mm to +2.40 mm

On forgings from 9kg to 22.5kg -0.8 mm to +2.4 mm

Webs and ribs:-A web is usually the thinnest portion of a forging.It will cool first and when it
goes below the forging temperature,the forging pressure required increases rapidly.so webs
less than about 4.74 mm thick are not usually practical.The ribs should be proportionately
low and wide.Their height should not be more than 8 times the width.The minimum
recommended rib thickness is equal to that for webs.
Design of forging dies(contd)
Shrinkage and die wear allowance:-Before forging the work material is heated to
the forging temperature of 1150 to 1350℃.At this temperature the material gets
expanded and when it is cooled to the atmospheric temperature its dimensions
would be reduced.It is very difficult to control the temperature at which forging
process would be complete,therefore the cavities are made correspondingly larger
by using a shrink scale.To compensate shrinkage a shrinkage allowance is added
on all the linear dimensions as given in table.

Due to continuous use the dimension of the die do not remain the same.Die wear
is the difference in dimensions which occurs due to abrasion of the die
impression.To compensate this the die wear allowance is added to account for the
gradual wear of the die.The suggested values are presented in table.
Closed Die forging Die Design
Die Life:-Die life depends on the shape,size,and detailed design of a forging as
well as on the forging stock.The life is greatly decreased by sharp fillets,and
corner radii,thin flanges,deep narrow pins,and unnecessarily close tolerances.To
facilitate removal of forgings from the die ,draft of 5 to 7O for outside faces and 7 to
10O for inside face must be provided.However where mechanical ejectors are
provided draft angle can be reduced to 2 to 4O.

Fillet and corner radii are necessary to avoid the formation of forming defects, and
to prolong die life.Die wear is common at the entrance radius to the flash land and
this area should not selected for jig location points.

As far as possible parting line should be straight or symmetrically

cranked.Asymmetrically cranked parting line should be avoided.
Characteristics of the forged parts
A section of an upset gear blank after deep etching as shown in fig.These fibres
are non metallic inclusions or segregated phases that are elongated or flowed in
the direction of working.Grain flow,Fibre structure,Flow lines,and Forged fibres are
terms used to describe this effect.The grain flow of forged part resembles in many
ways the grain of wood.Like wood the strength and toughness of this metal is
greatest in the direction of fibre.In the direction at right angles to these fibres,the
strength is normally no greater than that found in dense sound casting.

If on forging the grain flow is in a direction parallel to the principal grain flow it is
said to flow in its correct fibre direction.The effect of these flow lines is to produce
marked directional properties in steel.For static load the directions of these flow
lines are not so important ,but these are important on parts where shock and
fatigue are encountered.(contd)
Characteristics of forged parts(contd)
The ductility and resistance to impact of the metal are less in a direction at right
angles to the flow lines than parallel with them.special care is,therefore,taken in
the making of forgings for gears ,crankshafts or other highly stressed parts to have
the metal flow in the most favourable direction in all portions of the forgings.It is
common practice to specify the desired direction of the fibre flow lines to meet the
stresses expected under actual service conditions.

Fig shows the fibre lines in a forged crankshaft where it can be seen that the
directional qualities of the fibre add toughness to the web and where they join the
round parts of the shaft.
Drop Forging
● Drop forging utilises a closed impression die to obtain the desired shape of the
component.The shaping is done by the repeated hammering given to the material in the
die cavity.The equipment used for delivering the blows are called drop hammers.
● The drop forging die consists of two halves.The lower half of the die is fixed to the anvil
of the machine, while the upper half die is fixed to the ram.The heated stock is kept in
the lower die while the ram delivers four to five blows in the metal,in quick succession
so that the metal spreads and completely fills the die cavity.When the the two die halves
close,the complete cavity is formed.
● The die impressions are machined in the die cavity, because of which more complex
shapes can be obtained in drop forging compared to smith forging.However,too
complex shapes with internal cavities,deep pockets,reentrant shapes,etc cannot be
obtained in drop forging due to the limitations of the withdrawal of the of the finished
forging from the die.The typical products obtained in drop forging are
crank,crankshaft,connecting rod, wrench,crane hook etc.
 Application,Advantage,and limitations of Drop Forging.
Application:-Generally, when large quantities of identical forgings of greater accuracy are
required as is necessary in mass production,impression die forgings are commonly,and
where forgings can be made by either of the several methods, the quality is comparable and
the choice is made for economic reasons.

Advantages:-The following are the advantages of drop forging.

1. The production efficiency is higher.

2. Complex shaped metal parts can be forged.
3. The distribution of metal flow lines is more reasonable.
4. The size of drop forging is accurate.We can also achieve better surface quality and
smaller machining allowances.
5. In the chamber cavity of the mould the deformation of the metal is proceeding .so we
can quickly obtain the required shape.
6. This process will also saves material and reduce machining work. ( Contd)
Application,Advantages,Limitations of Drop Forging(cotd)
7.Under the conditions of enough batch it will reduce the cost of spare parts.

8.Good strength of material is obtained.

9.The production operation is low,so the workforce is low.

Limitations:-.

1. The material must be capable for being forged.

2. The geometrical shape of the component may prevent it from being forged.
3. A conventional drop forging rarely has holes in it and certainly not deep holes of small
diameters,while component with re-entrant forms can not be drop forged.
4. Small radii,sharp corners,and abrupt changes of section must be avoided.
5. There is a limit to the size of a drop forging due to the size of a machine.
6. It is rare for drop forging to have face exceeding 400 mm square.
Various Steps in Drop Forging.
The final shape desired in drop forging can not be obtained directly from the stock to the
desired size.Depending on the shape of the component,and the desired grain flow direction
the material should be manipulated in a number of passes.The various passes used are

● Fullering Impression:-It is usually the first operation performed on the heated bar ,its
primary function is to reduce the cross-sectional area of the stock.The fullering
impression looks like small mountain on each of the die block shown in fig.The stock is
turned 90O between each blow and is slowly progressed to obtain the required fullering
length.The impression machined in die to achieve this called fullering
impression.Sometimes it may be possible to obtain this without a special die
impression in open dies.
● As a rough rule the two impressions should be kept equal to the thickness of forging
less 1.6 mm to 5 mm.The length of the fullering impression depends upon the length of
the fullered stock.Generally it is taken as ¼ th the length of the fullered stock or ½ times
the length of the original stock required for fullering whichever is less.
Fullering Impression
Various steps in Drop Forging(contd)

Edging Impression:-Also called as

“PRE FORM”.This stage is
required to gather the exact
amount of material required at
each cross section of the finished
component.This is the most
important stage in drop
forging.Properly designed pre-form
ensures a defect free flow of
metal,complete die fill and minimum
flash loss.
Various Steps in Drop Forging(contd)
Bending Impression:-This is required for those parts which have a bent
shape.The bent shapes can also be obtained without the bending impression,but
then ,the grain flow directions will not follow the bent shape and thus the point of
bend may become weak.To improve the grain flow ,therefore a bending
impression is incorporated after edging impression.One blow is generally required
for the bending operation.

Drawing out:-It is an operation similar to fullering with a difference that fullering

reduces the stock between the two ends of the stock at a central place,where as
the drawing operation reduces the stock size only at the ends.
Various Steps In Drop Forging(contd)
Flattening:-Sometimes there is a need for flattening the stock before passing it onto to the
final impression.This is done in flattening impression,usually very simple and situated in one
of the front corners of the die block.In designing the flattening impression one should keep in
mind two things.

1. That the space provided must be large enough to accommodate the flattened stock.
2. The opening must be so designed to give the required height of the stock after
flattening.
 Blocking
Blocking Impression or the Blocker:-Also
called as “semi finishing” impression,it is a step
before finishing.In forging,it is very difficult for
the material to flow to deep pockets,sharp
corners,etc.Hence before the actual shape is
obtained,the material is allowed to have one or
more blocking impressions where it acquires the
shape very nearer to the final one.The blocking
impression is characterised by large corner
radii,and fillets,but no flash.For complex shapes
more than one blocking impression may be
used.
Various Steps In Drop Forging(contd)
Finishing Impression:-This is the actual impression Where the actual shape required is
obtained.The shape and size of the impression is checked in the process manufacture of
the die by lead test.In order to ensure that the metal completely fills the die cavity,a little
extra metal is added to the stock.The extra metal will form the flash and surrounds the
forging in the parting line.

The finishing impresion is located in the middle of the die block in such a way to avoid side
thrust and so it avoids the mismatch.

Trimming:-In this stage the extra flash present around the forging is trimmed to get the
forging in the usable form.
Cut Off
Cut off:-When the forgings are
made from the bar stock,they
must be cut off after the
operation is completed.This
done either by a special side
cutter of the trimming press or
by the cut off impression milled
usually in the left back corner
of the die block as shown in fig.
Press Forging
Press forging dies are similar to drop forging dies as also the process.In press forging
the metal is shaped not by means of a series of blows as in drop forging,but by means
of a single continuous squeezing action.This squeezing action is done by means of
hydraulic press and mechanical.

Because of the continuous action of the hydraulic presses, the material gets uniformly
deformed throughout its entire depth.More hammer force is likely transmitted to the
machine frame in drop forging ,where as in press forging it is absorbed fully by
the stock.The impressions obtained in press forging are clean compared to that of the
likely jarred impressions which are likely in the drop forging.The draft angles used in
press forging are less than in drop forging.But the press capacity required for deforming
is higher and as a result somewhat smaller size components only are pressed in closed
impressions dies.But there is no such limitation for press forging in open dies.(contd)
Press forging (contd)
The presses may have capacities ranging from 5 MN to 50 MN for normal applications.For
special heavy duty applications, higher capacity presses of the order of 150MN are
required.To get the equivalent weight of the falling in kg of drop hammer required,the
capacity of the press expressed in tonnes is to be multiplied by a factor ranging from 2 to 2.5

To provide the necessary alignment of of the two die halves, die posts are attached to the
bottom die so that the top die would slide only on the posts and thus register the correct
alignment.This ensures better tolerances for the press forged components.

The tong holds which are normally required for manipulating dies in drop forging are not
required in press forging, because metal is pressed only once in each of the impression and
generally mechanical ejection is used for removing the piece from the die. But for this the
press forging die is similar to drop forging die with the various impressions such as Fuller,
bender, Blocker and Finisher impressions properly arranged.
Press forging (contd)
Industrial Applications
Some of the industrial applications of press forgings are listed below:

1. Making of coins and silver articles

2. Automatic forging.

Limitations of Press Forging

1. The initial capital cost is higher compared with drop forging, because the cost of crank
press is always higher than that of an equivalent hammer.
2. The difficulty of descaling the blank is another shortcoming of this process
3. The process is economically suitable only when the equipment is efficiently utilized.
 Advantages of press forging
1. Deforms the workpiece completely
2. Compression rate of the workpiece can be controlled
3. More economical for high volume productions
4. Any size and shape can be created
5. Requires less draft and produces lesser scrap.Higher productivity than drop forging.
6. Greater accuracy in terms of tolerances within 0.01 to 0.02 inch.
7. Dies used in press forging have less draft, therefore more complicated shapes can be
forged with better dimensional accuracy.

8. The speed, pressure and travel of the die are automatically controlled, in press forging.

9. Possibility of process automation through mechanism of blank feeding and forging removal.
Advantages of Press Forging(contd.)

10. The operation is completed in a single squeezing action, saves the time.

11. The plastic deformation goes deep into the centre of the workpiece, provides uniform and
simultaneous deformation throughout the metal.

12. The capacity of presses ranging from 500 to 9000 tons and the number of working
strokes per minute can be high as 40 or even 50. Means 40 to 50 parts produced per minute.
Various Steps In Press Forging.
The normal steps in press forging are,

1. Flattening of the forging stock placed in an end-up position .

2. Forging in a blocking impression.
3. Forging in the finishing impression.

Edging and fullering operation in press forging are not used to that extent as in drop
forging.Press forgings are especially well adapted to forging pre-shaped blanks to the final
size and shape.Coining and forming are two special operations generally carried out on the
forging press.Power presses are used to obtain close dimensional tolerances by coining and
sizing on sections, such as bosses,or to impart closer alignment and smoother surfaces than
are obtained in the regular forging operations.Scoring and special markings can be imparted
by coining when the forging it either low red hot or cold.Sections of a drop forging may be
formed or bent in alignment that is not possible or practical in normal drop forging
operations. (contd)
Various Steps In Press Forging(contd)
Impression dies used for press forging may be similar in character and shape to
drop forging dies in their construction with all the forging steps incorporated in a
single set of solid die blocks.The progressive solid die blocks are used for
convenience and economy,and with their use the amount of impact vibrations set
up in the forging press is minimised.Individual blocks ,when used may be fastened
to the press in special holding shoes.
Hammer And Press Forging
Hammer Forgings are made from cut pieces or from the end of heated bars and
press forgings are invariably made from cut pieces.Fig shows the cross section of
a typical die impression and the terms used.For complex shapes it is usual to use
perform barstock.Performing may be achieved by fullering and rolling in dies on a
hammer by free hand forging.After performing and forging the component is
surrounded by surplus material (flash)which is removed in trimming press.
Upsetting or Machine Forging
As it involves the upsetting operation,sometimes it is called as upset
forging.Though both drop and press forging are also done by machines,only upset
forging is referred as machine forging.This is very useful operation for parts having
uniform cross section throughout and some head or other bigger shape at the
ends.Ex:-bolts,rear axle,drive shafts with flanged ends etc.In upset forging
operation a bar of uniform section is gripped in the fixed half of the die so that
requisite length projects, and pressure is applied at the heated end thus causing it
to be upset or formed into desired shape.The heated stock is placed between a
fixed and movable die which grips the bar firm when closed.Usually the upsetting
is done in a horizontal machine which is rated by the size of the bar it will accept.

The arrangement is such that a portion of the bar projects beyond the die for the
upsetting operation. (contd)
Upsetting or Machine Forging(contd)
A Ram having the cavity impression is hammered at the projected portion.The operation of
forging is carried out till the metal conforms to the die cavity.For complicated
shapes,generally the work is progressively placed into different positions in the die.The
impressions can be either in the gripping die or punch or in both.The heating operation might
be completed in one position only.Forging can be made in a single forging step or may
require several steps depending on the amount of required movement of metal.This process
utilises to the utmost the physical properties inherent in the steel and develops maximum
uniform strength and durability throughout the structure of the forging.

Fig shows the use of sliding dies in which the bar can be upset at any position (other than
the end of the bar) along its length.

Horizontal forging machines operate at high rate.They have an output of from 400 to 600
forgings per hour and develop force of from 100 to 3000 tonnes.
Electrical Upset Forging.
In this type of forging the bar is clamped between the electrodes which heat the
end.As forging temperature is reached, pressure is applied to cause upsetting
.This process is used for forging component with large diameter flanges.fig shows
various stages in fabrication of valve stem.
Swing Forging.
This is a recent development in the field of automatic and semi-automatic,open die
press forging machines.It employs two pairs of forging tools as shown in fig.whose
movement is controlled by rotary mechanism such that they provide squeezing
action at a fast rate.The work is held in rail mounted manipulators and moved
axially in synchronism with the action of the forging tools,thus reducing the size of
the work.
Cored Forging.
The process of cored forging consists of the hot forming parts in dies which
include movable cores for internal shaping.The operation requires only one stroke
of the press.From the design point of view,this gives a much greater strength to
weight ratio than a cast structure.The process may be applied to copper,brass,and
aluminium.
Rotary Forging(wobble Forging)
In closed die forging, a huge force is required to forge a component because whole of the
product is forged at a time.In wobble forging also known as rotary forging,only a small
proportion of the part is deformed at any particular time.thus forging forces are reduced
considerably and capital cost is also low.In this process,the upper die is rotated about an
inclined axis which itself is rotating and the lower is gradually moved up.This process can be
applied only to circular products.It is possible to forge very thin flanges.Since preheat
temperatures are not as high as for conventional forging process,the scale formation is
avoided.Very close thickness tolerances can be achieved by this process.

Rotary metal working processes are becoming popular because of the advantages of high
material utilisation,low tooling cost,excellent product quality offered by them.Rotary metal
working processes include roll forming,ring rolling,wedge rolling,rotary swaging,rotary
forging.(contd)
Rotary Forging(Wobble Forging)contd.
Rotary forging (also sometimes called rotary swaging or orbital forging)uses to dies to
deform only a small portion of the workpiece at a time and the process continuous till a
whole of the workpiece is deformed one portion after other.The axis of one die is tilted at a
small angle with reference to the other die.The inclined upper die rotates around the
workpiece in such a way that only a small area of the die is in contact with the workpiece at
any one time.The lower die is horizontal and rotates at same speed as upper die .

Due to the tilt angle and shape of the upper die,there is only a small area of contact
between the workpiece and the upper die at any one time.Due to the lesser area of contact
(around 1/5th of workpiece surface area),the force required for forging is considerably less
than the conventional forging.Because of smaller force ,the deformation of die and machine
and friction are also less, and thus the process can be high precision one.It can also be used
for cold forging of the parts.(contd)
Rotary Forging(wobble Forging).(contd)
The dies of rotary forging machines, can have three types of motions viz rotational(die
spinning about its own axis), orbital (axis of one die processing about the axis of the other
,causing the die to appear to rock or wobble),and translational (vertical motion or feed
motion).Depending on combination of these motions , three types of rotary forges are
available.

In case (a),one die may be driver and other as follower ,or both dies may be power driven
and thus rotate independently .In the former type, there is no slippage at any point along the
die-workpiece contact line and thus each point on the upper die has the same tangential
velocity at its corresponding contact point on the workpiece.However a positional
discrepancy is created after each revolution due to the difference in radius between the die
and the workpiece.In the later type , the position discrepancy can be eliminated if the
rotational velocity of the upper die is equal to that of the workpiece.(contd)
Rotary Forging(wobble Forging) contd
However the difference in radii causes a difference in the linear velocities on the
corresponding contact points and thus slipping occurs.It is found that first arrangement in
case (a) discussed above yields greater precision with fewer repetitive errors.The press
frame design is simple in this case because forging always acts in one direction.Bearing
design is also simpler because the power drive for axial feed is decoupled from that for the
rotating of the lower die. It may be noted that the upper bearing design in cases (b) and (c) is
quite complex due to rocking motion.

Since the upper die does not have a rotary drive,the mechanism for varying the tilt angle is
simpler.Higher accuracy is achievable because an error in the part is uniformly distributed
along the circumference of the part.
Forging Hammers
These are commonly used for impression die forging and can be used for a variety of forging
operations.Machines which work on the principle of repeated blows are known as forging hammers
and those which apply gradual pressure are called presses.Various forging hammers discussed
below are

1. Spring Hammers
2. Drop Hammers
3. Air or Steam Hammers
4. Pneumatic Hammers

Drop Hammers:-In Forging hammers a heavy ram containing the upper die is lifted by steam
pressure or air pressure,then driven or allowed to fall on the workpiece which is placed on the
bottom die,which in turn is supported on the anvil.Repeated blows are struck until the desired
metal movement is accomplished.The hammer rests on an anvil which acts as a large inertia block
and extends underground a considerable distance.The weight of the anvil is about 20 times the
weight of the ram.(contd)
Forging Operations(contd)
The various types of hammers commonly used are

1. The Board hammer(gravity drop)

2. The Steam hammer(steam lift and steam drop)
3. The Air lift hammer(the ram lifted by air gravity drop)
4. Impactor.

Board drop hammer:-The principle of a board or gravity hammer is shown in fig.The ram is fastened to
the lower end of a vertical hardwood board.The upper part of this board is placed between two counter
revolving rolls. When both rolls are pressed against the board between them,they drive upward lifting the
ram.When the rolls are released the ram falls down,producing a working stroke.As long as the operator
continues to hold down the treadle,the will continue to strike,but when the treadle is depressed, the ram
will return to and will remain in its top position.The board hammer is generally driven by electric motor .

Ratings are given by the weight of the falling parts and range from 250 to 2700 kg ram weight with heights
of 1 m for smaller sizes,and 2 m for the larger one.The force of the blow can be varied by changing the
distance of the fall by unclaiming and moving the dogs on the front rod.(contd)
Board drop hammer (contd)
The anvil which must absorb the blow is usually 20 times as heavy as the hammer.Wooden beams or
special pads under the anvil help to absorb the force.A board hammer which works rapidly gives over 300
blows a minute.These can do a variety of work and they are less expensive of all types to operate.

Belt lift hammer:-In belt lift hammers the ram is lifted by a belt driven by a rotating drum.

Air lift hammer:-These are modern drop hammers.which also derive their force from a free falling
ram.The hammer uses a compressed air to lift the ram.Then lets it fall by gravity similar to the board drop
hammer.The ram is lifted by a piston rod(steel rod) connecting it to the piston.A separate air circuit
operates a clamp which holds the ram in a raised position between strokes.A series of short and long
stroke blows can be obtained and the operator does not have to regulate the stroke lengths.Programme
control is present to control the force and the number of blows at each die station.This automation can
materially increase the production rate.

These hammers can make upto 50 to 75 strokes per minute depending upon their size.Due to lower
maintenance cost and easier operation airlift hammers are replacing board hammers.
Forging Hammers (contd).
Steam Hammers:-In the steam hammers the ram is raised by steam and driven towards the
the workpiece by steam or air pressure.Since the striking force is due to the weight of the
falling body plus the force of the steam or air pressure,it can be varied over a wide
range.Rated sizes of steam forging hammers range from about 400 to 8000 kg.Steam
pressure at the hammer is usually 590 to 790 KN/M² and air pressure is bit smaller than that
required for steam.Both single acting and double acting steam or air hammer are
constructed for forging.Single acting is made for comparatively for light work while double
acting made for heavy work.

Impactor(horizontal,counter blow):-An impactor is a special forging equipment in which

the mutually opposed rams (impellers) move( by pneumatic pressure ) in from the sides
simultaneously to strike successive blow on the workpiece,which is positioned in the impact
plane where the two dies collide.In counter blow hammers top and bottom dies are inter
connected and move towards each other during forging as shown in fig.This hammer needs
less bulky foundation but other needs bulky foundation.
Pneumatic Hammer.
It is employed for forgings of small parts.It has two cylinders.

1. Compressor cylinder.
2. Ram cylinder.

Piston of the compressor cylinder compresses the air,and delivers it to the ram cylinder
through a controlled valve where it actuates the piston which is integral with ram delivering
the blows to the work. The reciprocation of the compression piston is obtained from a crank
drive which is powered from a motor through a reducing gear.The air distribution device
between the two cylinders consists of a rotary valves with ports through which air passes into
the ram cylinder,below and above the piston alternately.This drives the ram up and down
respectively.

The size of a pneumatic hammer may vary in a range from 50 to 1000 kg Hammers operate
at 70 to 190 blows per minute.Air pressure employed to actuate ram generally range from 7
to 75 bar.
Spring Hammer.
The parts of a spring hammer as shown iv fig.It has a
rigid frame to which a laminated spring is attached at the
top.The rear end of the spring is connected to a
connected rod which is attached to eccentric sheave and
the front end to a vertical ram.THe eccentric sheave
rotates when the treadle is pressed downwards.This
cause the spring to oscillate about the pivot.As the spring
oscillates the ram moves up and down in the guides to
strike the workpiece on anvil.The stroke of the
connecting rod which affect the ram movement,is
adjusted by a hand lever to control the intensity of blows
to suite various jobs.

The hammer is available in different sizes.The weight of

the ram varies from 0.3 KN with 40 to 300 blows per
minute.
A hydraulic press for closed die
forging has the same principle as that
of a press for smith or flat die forging
except construction of the dies. In
smith forging, the press dies have flat
surface while in a closed die forging,
the press dies have shaped
impressions cut on dies. Moreover,
they form an integral part of the frame
to maintain the accurate alignment of
the dies.
This type have found wide applications in forging practice. The
gearing diagram of a crank press is shown in figure. The operative
units of the press are powered from motor mounted on the press
frame. By means of the V belt drive, power is transmitted from the
pulley to flywheel mounted on the auxiliary shaft. The flywheel is
equipped with a friction safety device to prevent the overloading of
the shaft.the flywheel is stopped by the auxiliary brake which is
automatically engaged when motor is switched off.on the other end
of the shaft, a gear is mounted. It meshes with the gear which drives
crankshaft. The crank mechanism is engaged by pneumatic clutch
is controlled by a pedal. A band brake stops the crankshaft and
slides when the pneumatic clutch is disengaged. The top half of the
die is secured to the slide and the bottom half to the bed which is
provided with a double wedge device for adjusting the die
space.They are used for the production of rivets, screws and nuts
where a high operating speed is desired.In capacity, the range from
50000 to 8000000 Kg and speeds from 35-90 strokes per min.
Layout of forgeshop
Layout of forgeshop