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Die Forging in Action

Open die forging is the process of shaping metal with the use of heavy pressure dies. The “open” term comes from the fact that the metal is not completely contained while it is pressed into shape. A combination of heavy die presses and shaped bases help form the metal into the desired shape. Open die forging companies make many different pieces of metal using this process, including metal rings, metal hooks, steel rods, and more.

I had the chance to see open die forging in action, and the process was quite enlightening.

The metal is first heated to several thousand degrees. The metal is not hot enough to melt completely, but just hot enough to become pliable. The metal is red hot as it is pressed by the dies. Sometimes a crust of cooled metal forms over the hotter metal piece. The crust of metal falls off during the pressing process.

Open die forging companies can use the process of open die forging to shape billets, ingots, preformed metal, and even metal

The hot metal is placed on the die forging platform. Heavy dies press and shape the metal using a series of presses and shapers. The die forming process is slow, because it takes a huge amount of pressure to compress solid metal, even when it is so hot.

After pressing into the desired shape, the metal is passed on to another machine for cooling and additional polishing, coating, or shaping. Essentially, the whole process of open die forging reminds me of an incredibly sped up version of how ancient blacksmiths used to pound and shape metal into the desired shape.