The process of the production of a metal part and supply face various possible alternatives. Many metal working processes offer unique sets, costs and advantages. Forging is suited to many applications and forging is the optimum process in cost efficiency and quality for applications requiring maximum strength, sizes or performances. There are many forging processes including closed die or impression, cold forging and extrusion. Open die is a metal given a shape as per requirement so that the products are produced in that typical shape.
Open die forging implies shaping of metal parts on heating between a top and bottom die attached to a ram and a hammer anvil. Metal parts are in steel and they get shaped into the configuration by pressing the work piece or through skilful hammering.
These open die forgings are usually produced on flat dies. However, V-dies, round swaging dies, pins, mandrels and loose tools are used as per the required part configuration and size.The process of open die forging is associated with simpler and larger shaped parts such as bars, hollows, rings and is regarded to be the ultimate option in metal components. These are long life parts and are appropriate for structural integrity and mechanical properties producing in sizes ranging from few pounds to tons in weight. These advanced forge shops come in various shapes.
Ring Forgings imply the production of forged rings and are often performed on rolling mills in a process known as ring rolling. These mills come in various sizes to produce rings in outside diameters and weights. The process starts with a circular metal by piercing using the process of open die forging to form a ‘donut’. This is heated and placed over the mandrel roll and then moved towards a drive roll under pressure so that it rotates continuously and reduces wall thickness of the resulting ring by increasing the diameters.
Seamless rings range from flat to tall, washer like to cylindrical shapes and varying heights. The simplest and common shaped is the rectangular cross ring that is shaped using seamless rolled rings. The advantages of forging are directional strength producing uniform grain size and its qualities translate superior mechanical and metallurgical qualities increasing directional strength. Structural strength offers integrity and forging eliminates internal gas pockets and voids weakening metal parts and offers superior chemical uniformity. Forging helps in meeting any stress or impact and effective orientation assures maximum impact strength, besides fatigue resistance. The process of forging is used to decrease overall weight and sectional thickness without compromising the integrity of the final part.
An Introduction to Open Die Forging and Ring Forgings