This chapter presents a relatively simple method for estimating forging loads and flow stresses. The method uses the slab analysis technique and accounts for material properties, friction and heat transfer, press ram speed, forging geometry, and billet and die temperatures. The chapter demonstrates the use of the method and compares the results with measured values.

This chapter discusses the process of cold forging and its effect on various materials. It describes billet preparation and lubrication procedures, cold upsetting techniques, and the use of slab analysis for estimating cold forging loads. It likewise describes extrusion processes, explaining how to estimate friction and flow stress and predict extrusion loads and energy requirements. The chapter also discusses the tooling used in cold forging, the parameters affecting tool life, and the relative advantages of warm forging.

This chapter discusses the factors involved in the design of impression-die forging systems. It begins by presenting a flow chart illustrating the basic steps in the forging design process and a block diagram that shows how key forging variables are related. It then describes the requirements of various forging alloys, the influence of machine operating parameters, and production challenges related to lot tolerances and shape complexity. The chapter also covers the design of finisher dies, the prediction of forging stresses and loads, and the design of preform dies for steel, aluminum, and titanium alloys.

Forging machines vary based on factors such as the rate at which energy is applied to the workpiece and the means by which it is controlled. Each type has distinct advantages and disadvantages, depending on lot size, workpiece complexity, dimensional tolerances, and the alloy being forged. This chapter covers the most common types of forging machines, explaining how they align with basic forging processes and corresponding force, energy, throughput, and accuracy requirements.

This chapter discusses the use of finite-element modeling in forging design. It describes key modeling parameters and inputs, mesh generation and computation time, and process modeling outputs such as metal flow, strain rate, loading profiles, and microstructure. It also includes a variety of application examples.

This chapter discusses the factors that influence temperature in forging operations and presents equations that can be used to predict and control it. The discussion covers heat generation and transfer, the effect of metal flow, temperature measurement, testing methods, and the influence of equipment-related parameters such as press speed, contact time, and tooling geometries.

This chapter defines near-net shape forging as the process of forging parts close to their final dimensions such that little machining or only grinding is required as a final step. It then describes the causes of dimensional variations in forging, including die deflection, press deflection, and process inconsistencies, and discusses related innovations.

Structural members in a radar antenna system are held together by cadmium-plated high-strength steel bolts, several of which had fractured along the fillet near the head. Investigators determined that the bolts did not seat properly, making contact only at the periphery, which subjected them to high stress concentrations in the fillet region. They also concluded that the intergranular nature of the fracture, as revealed by scanning electron fractography, pointed to hydrogen embrittlement as a contributing factor. This chapter provides a summary of the investigation along with a recommendation to consider adding spring washers to the assembly.