What is Warming Forming

What is Warm Forming? By Dave Sader, April 29th, 2015

Warm Forming

Warm Forming is the process of forming metal that has been heated to a temperature that allows
for greater malleability without causing adverse effects to the metal structure that is caused at
greater temperatures. Examples of these undesirable effects include re-crystallization, grain growth, and metallurgical fracture. The process allows the part to be successfully formed to final
tolerance, which eliminates the need for secondary machining operations. Material, geometry and
final specifications and tolerances are all factors that manufacturers look at to decide
temperatures used in warm forming operations. Temperatures for warm forging can range from
200-850 degrees C.

Oh, and if you're wondering why a cold forming website is talking about warm forming, don't worry about it... you think to much! They are closely related.

Warm forming along in conjunction with  carbide dies has been used for decades, primarily in the aerospace industry due to the use of metals such as titanium.  Originally induction heaters were added to machines for use in warm forging.  Today, specialized machines like FORMAX use advanced technology designed specifically for warm-formed applications.

Possible applications for warm forming include:

• Commercial Stainless Steels
• FA 286 SS
• High Carbon & Alloy Steels
• Inconel
• Titanium (6-2, 6-4)

Cold forming machines can be adapted or specially designed to be warm formers, where the following features may be added:

• High-Frequency Converter
• External Circuit / Transformer
• Buss Bar
• Induction Coil
• Cooling System
• Converter & Induction Coil
• Machine: Die Block, Induction Coil Bracket, & Die Lube
• Heater for Die Lube
• Wire Temperature Sensor (Pyrometer)
• Automated Blank Drop
• Blank or Feed Indicator
• Fire Suppression System
  

Cold Forming and Cold Heading Basics

Cold forming is a commonly used technique for rapidly forming metal parts such as screws, bolts and

The Cold Forming Process and a Cold Forming Machine

many other fasteners. Cold forming, also called cold heading, uses force to strike a cold metal slug into a Cold Forming Die to shape parts. The force of the strike causes the metal to form into the desired shape inside the carbide die.

Cold forming begins with cutting the slug, also called a blank. The slugs are cut from a  coil of round wire to the exact size needed. It is important for the volume of the slug to match the volume of the finished product, as the cold forming process doesn't add or remove any material. After the slug has been cut it is then placed into the carbide die (Cold Forming Dies) by “fingers” on a cold forming machine (or header). The slug is pushed into the die with one or more strikes. The final formed product is shaped by a combination of the carbide die and carbide punch. This strike action creates enough force to temporarily cause the metal become a liquid. This process creates a stronger part than if the metal was cut along the grain into the desired shape. A series of dies is often needed to form parts into the desired shape.

Most cold forming machines use one or two strikes to reach final form. After the part is formed an ejector pin is used to remove the product from the die. All of the operations completed by a cold heading machine are done at a rapid pace. Cold heading machines manufacture parts at such a high rate of speed that the process is invisible to the naked eye. Additional tasks can be completed by cold heading machines, such as trimming, piercing and sharpening.

What Materials Can Be Cold Formed?
Carbon steels
Brass
Lead
Stainless steel
Copper
Aerospace Alloys
Alloy steels
Bronze
Precious metals
Aluminum
Nickel Alloys

Obviously, this is a very brief description of cold heading and cold forming. We will continue with more in depth articles in the future.

Cold Forming Industry New

Cold Forming Industry

Welcome to the cold forming industries online news source. Your resource for news about companies, trends and what is happening in the cold forming industry. We will be posting general information concerning the cold forming and cold heading industries as well as any news regarding moves, press releases and even deaths in the industry. From fasteners to tubing, we will be covering the nuts and bolts of the industry. Please feel free to submit any information regarding your company, nothing is to big or to small! Please submit your company news today.