What is press forging?

Press forging is a variation on the forging process. Rather than the metal workpiece being ‘hit’ with a single or multiple blow, the forming process is more akin to the kneading of bread. A high-power press is used to squeeze the metal into a new shape or section size. Press forging is most commonly used as the first shaping process of large, cast ingots to close-up any internal voids and make a bar more suitable for further forging. After press forging, the metal workpiece will normally be returned to a reheat furnace, to bring it up to temperature ready for hammer or die forging.

What are the advantages of press forging?

The biggest advantage of press forging lies in its ability to deform the workpiece through its section thickness. Hammer forging will only affect the surface of the workpiece whereas press forging will change the shape and interior of the workpiece too. Press forging is also more controlled than hammer forging and provides a more uniform strain rate. As a slower process, there is a greater degree of control possible.

Here are some other advantages of press forging –

• Press forging offers greater accuracy in terms of tolerances within 0.01 to 0.02 inch with higher productivity than drop forging
• Dies used for press forging have less draft, which means more complicated shapes can be forged with increased dimensional accuracy
• In press forging, the speed, pressure and travel of the die are automatically controlled
• Through the mechanism of blank feeding and forging removal, there is the possibility of process automation
• This operation is completed in a single squeezing action which saves time
• Press capacity ranges from 500 to 9000 tonnes with the number of working strokes per minute as high as 40 or 50, which means 40-50 parts can be produced per minute
• Due to the fast delivery time, press forging is also suitable for mass production of nuts, bolts, rivets, screws, brake leavers, bearing races and valves

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