Forging is a form of metalworking with a lot of history. When first invented, it involved working metal with a hammer and anvil. Today, we have significantly more advanced techniques that are aided by various machines and processes.

At Trenton Forging, some of these techniques include the process of highly precise pre and post forming.

Pre Forming

Closed impression die forging is a popular and effective form of forging. It involves pressing heated metal between two dies. This achieves the strength and toughness of forged steel with consistency and speed that is unmatched by manual techniques.

However, die forging typically applies pressure evenly to the heated metal. If the desired shape is non-symmetrical or intricate, it can be difficult to optimal results through die forging alone. By using forming a near-net shape before forging, we ensure a better working cross-section and superior final shape.

Pre forming can involve edging, blocking, bending and other techniques to prepare the ingot for finish forging. This results in better quality and consistency.

Post Forming

Similarly, the metal can be worked after finish forming in the dies. This also helps to achieve closer tolerances and superior surface quality.

Post forming is especially valuable when working with difficult-to-form materials. Again, this involves working with a hammer or a more precise machine to achieve the desired shape with the metal.

Advantages of Pre and Post Forming

These processes allow us to achieve better forging results. In particular, pre forming the metal ingot to be a near-net shape before beginning the finish forging process, we can help save our customers money and deliver better parts with closer tolerances.

Our goal is to ensure that our customers’ requirements are as precisely satisfied as possible. Thanks to the hard work of our team members during the pre and post forming stages, Trenton Forging is consistently able to achieve that goal.