Metal Forming Operations

Rolling:
makes sheet metal
(hot or cold)

Forging:
makes strong solid parts
(hot or cold)
Extrusion:
makes complex cross-sections
from soft metals and plastics
(hot)

Wire drawing:
Makes strong small dia. wire
(hot or cold)
Bending: (2D)
Bend sheet metal about single axis
(hot or cold)

Deep drawing (3D)

Makes “cups” from sheet metal,
for mass production.
(cold)
 Spinning:
Makes “cups” from sheet metal,
for lower production.
(cold)

Roll forming (Hot): Roll forming (Cold):

Moves bulk metal, makes I-beams Bends sheetmetal into complex cross-sections
Shearing:
Cut or punch sheetmetal
(hot or cold)
Forming
Oriented flowlines decrease
fracture risk from grain boundaries,
improve strength along flow
direction.
(Directional properties).
Especially seen in:
-Forging
-Rolling ASM Metals Handbook Vol.9

-Drawing

Cracks tend to start where grain boundaries intersect surface. Forging minimizes these.
Thread-rolling for bolts:
Rolled threads stronger than machined (and less expensive)
Directional Properties in Rolling
Oriented flowlines:
-Less ductility when bent in one direction
-More ductility when bent in the other
Slab Production: Hot Rolling Color & Temp

www.labware.com

www.falckacciai.it
Progressive Hot Rolling:
smaller, uniform grains

Kalpakjian
Hot Working:
Forging

Open Die Forging

 Forging Presses

Hydraulic press Mechanical press with an eccentric drive: faster

Slow but high force
and low cost
Forging Presses

Knuckle-joint press Screw press Gravity drop hammer:

Simplest
Forging: Closed Die Forging
Forging: Heat Loss
Metal near die surfaces are coolest, flow less
Upset Forging (hot or cold)
Bolt manufacture
Roll Forming (hot):
I-beams

www.civil.ubc.ca
Lunchtime on a Crossbeam, Unknown, www.buffalogames.com
Extrusion (hot or cold):
Typ.: Alum., soft metals
With special lubes: steels
~Any cross-section
Inexpensive dies
Good finish
Extrusion:
Hollow cross-sections: Use Mandrels
Piercing
(Hot)
Seamless pipe, tube
Cold-Working (vs. Hot):
Products:
• Better tolerances
• Much better surface finish
• Elongated (and smaller) grains
• Turns inexpensive alloys into stronger but less ductile products
• Sheetmetal lends itself to cold working, not hot working

Processes:
• Higher processing forces
• Larger and stronger machinery
• Less ductility available
• Lower energy use
Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

finance.pipex.com
Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

Cluster rolls support smaller contacting rolls

Cold Rolling: Sheetmetal production

Residual Stresses may lead to warping after bar is machined

Large reduction Small reduction

Roll Forming of Sheetmetal (cold)

www.cometroll.com
www.safeair-dowco.com
Roll Forming of sheetmetal

www.mortonbuildings.com
Punching & Blanking of Sheetmetal

Punch
Stripper plate

Die

Punching Blanking
(Scrap) (Saved: a
“blank”)
Punching of
Sheetmetal
Blanking of Sheetmetal: Efficient Nesting of Blanks
Sheetmetal: Bending

Springback:
 Sheetmetal: Minimum Bend Radius

Tight radius bends (folds) require metal with ~40% ductility

Bending of Sheetmetal
Use notches to avoid tearing and wrinkling in right-angle bends
 Bending of Sheetmetal
Press Brakes:
For lower production
volumes
10-30 foot long
50-3000 tons
Bending:
Press-Brake Operations
 Relative Unit Costs of a Small Connecting Rod

For large quantities, forging and

die casting are more economical.
Sand casting is the more
economical process for fewer
than about 20,000 pieces.
Deep Drawing (cold, for sheetmetal)
- Punch draws blank into die
- Metal is supported on both sides to avoid wrinkling
- Hold-down pressure (blankholder force)
is primary process variable
if too high: tearing
if too low: wrinkling
www.endo-mfg.co.jp
Deep Drawing
“Draw beads” may be used to control metal flow