Forging steel is a process that involves heating steel to a forging temperatures; this process enables the steel to become ductile and malleable and can be moulded to your preferred shape by applying pressure. Ensuring appropriate treating techniques, a steel billets or ingots can be forged to a permanent shape without any wear and tear, due to its malleability. Forging of steel is conducted using various methods some of them are using induction heating system, forge furnace, or forge oven and heating the steel to an appropriate temperature. Recrystallization enhances the grain and consequentially strengthens the forged steel produced.
Check it out: How Malleability in Metals and it alloys defines its Application
Forging can be classified into three basic types hot forging of steel, warm forging of steel, cold forging of steel.
Hot Forging of Steel:
The temperature range for hot forging of steel extends from about 950 and 1250 °C depending upon the alloy, the recrystallization occurs simultaneously with deformation, thus avoiding strain hardening.
Warm Forging:
The temperature range for warm forging of steel extends from above room temperature to below the recrystallization temperature, which is about 50 and 950 °C. Compared to Hot Forging warm forging require more forming force and is has a restricted form.
Cold Forging:
The temperature range for cold forging of steel extends from normal room temperature self-heating to 150 °C due to the forming energy. While cold forging usually improves mechanical properties, the improvement is not useful in many common forging applications and economic advantages remain the primary interest
Advantage of Forging:
- The produce is commonly tougher than substitutes
- It can handle impact better than castings
- The tight grain structure of forgings making it mechanically strong. There is less need for expensive alloys to attain high strength components.
- Forged steel parts are stronger and more reliable than machined or cast parts
- Steel forgings are used enhance quality
- Steel forging saves cost in sides of less material and machining
Applications of Forging:
The following are the industries where forgings are significantly used.
- Automotive & Truck
- General Industrial Equipment
- Off-Highway Equipment/Railroad
- General Industrial Equipment Ordnance/Shipbuilding
- Ordnance/Shipbuilding
- Aerospace
- Valves, Fittings, Oil Field Applications
- Hand Tools & Hardware
- Agricultural Machinery & Equipment
