Custom Open Die Forging
Open die forging is a metalworking process of forming and shaping metals by hammering, pressing, or rolling. Open-die forging offers a wide range of benefits compared to other forging methods, from exceptional versatility in the shapes it can produce to the high-quality and rugged quality of its forgings, including bars, shafts, cylinders, discs, rings, and more. The open-die forging process also improves the properties of the metals it works with, resulting in superior strength and other beneficial characteristics.
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What is Open Die Forging?
The open die forging process begins with a cast ingot or a cogged billet, which is heated to its deformation temperature. The heated metal is then formed between open dies, allowing it to be "kneaded" into the desired shape and size. This allows for a high level of versatility and customization for the forged part.
The open die forge process refines the metal's grain structure, replacing the coarse grains of the cast workpiece with finer, more uniform grains. It also consolidates low-density areas, micro shrinkage, and gas porosity inherent in the cast metal by reducing the ingot, achieving sound centers and structural integrity. Mechanical properties are therefore improved by eliminating the cast structure, enhancing density, and improving homogeneity. Open die forging also allows the grain flow to obtain desired directional strengths. There are many different open-die forging techniques that can be utilized to manufacture parts for a wide range of industrial applications.
Advantages of Open Die Forging
Open-die forging offers several advantages for the custom pieces we manufacture at Great Lakes Forge. For example, open-die forging is often associated with larger, simpler-shaped parts such as bars, blanks, rings, hollows, or spindles. Open-forging can also be considered the primary option for "custom-designed" metal components. Open-die forging can produce high-strength parts in sizes ranging from a few pounds to hundreds of tons. Additional benefits of open-die forging include:
- Flexibility in shaping
- No need for complex tooling resulting in lower production costs
- Better microstructure and continuous grain flow
- Enhanced fatigue resistance
- Improved strength, toughness, and ductility of the finished piece
- Reduced material waste
Open Die Forging vs. Closed Die Forging
While both open-die forging and closed-die forging are standard methods for producing forged metal components, there are important differences in these forging processes. A closed die forging confines the metal in dies. In contrast, an open die forging metal is never entirely confined or restrained in the die. Most open-die forgings are produced on flat dies. However, round swaging dies, V-dies, mandrels, pins, and loose tools are also used depending on the desired part configuration and size.
Advantages of Open Forging Over Casting
When it comes to forging metal components, there are several advantages to open forging vs. casting. Open-die forging allows for much more customization and flexibility in the production of a part. In contrast, closed-die casting requires the development and creation of a cast, and the parts it creates are restricted to the dimensions of the cast. Another advantage of open-die forging is its ability to enhance the metal's grain structure, resulting in stronger and more durable components than casted parts. Open forging also produces less waste than casting, allowing excess material to be trimmed and reused.
Open die forging is ideal for manufacturing large parts in more limited runs. Casting excels in producing small to medium-sized components requiring high precision, complexity, and large-volume runs. Choosing between these two methods ultimately depends on the application's specific requirements.
Open-Die Forging Capabilities at Great Lakes Forge
As a premier custom open die forging manufacturer, we use strict quality-controlled heat treatments and in-house machining to ensure your finished product is of the highest quality. Our facility can produce individual forgings at weights up to 4,000 lbs. Our services are ideal for prototypes and short production runs. Using our 750-ton Bliss press, we can fabricate products from 3.5" to 18" in diameter and thickness, and up to 120" in length. Our custom open die forging services can create:
- Custom forged crankshafts
- Stainless steel forgings
- Forged steel shafts
- Forged blocks
- Forged rectangles and flats
- Forged rounds, discs, and sleeves
Open Die Industrial Forging Video
View the video below to see a forged rectangle and forged round being worked on through open-die forging at our facility.
Start Your QuoteCustom Open Forging Metal Options
At Great Lakes Forge, we craft open-die forgings from an extensive range of top-quality metals, including high-performance 13-8 Stainless Steel, 316 Stainless Steel, Nitralloy 135, and other stainless steel, carbon steel, and various alloy metals. Our open die forgings can also be produced to specifications for metal alloys, including AISI, ASTM, AMS, API, SAE, ASME, AWS, JIS, and GB.
For each project, we work closely with our customers to make sure the materials we use for your forged components meet the application's requirements. We custom-manufacture forged shapes and heat-treated conditions to achieve critical physical properties. We make sure the tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, area reduction, and other physical properties meet the desired end-use as specified by the purchaser.
Additional Services for Further Refined Parts
In addition to our open die forging services, we offer secondary processing services that further refine your components. These services include heat treating, CNC machining, CNC milling, CNC turning, and more. Utilizing our secondary services allows you to get parts and components that meet tight tolerances and dimensional requirements, saving you time and money on additional machining from a third party.
Your Source for Custom Open Die Forged Parts
At Great Lakes Forge, we have the experience, the resources, and the capabilities to meet or exceed all your custom open-die forging needs. Located in Traverse City, Michigan, we serve customers nationwide by producing open-die forged custom parts designed and manufactured to meet our customers' requirements. We serve customers in the most demanding industrial sectors, providing open-die forged components for rugged applications, including:
Contact Us to Get Custom Die Forgings for Your Application
Contact Great Lakes Forge today for more information or to request a quote. To learn more about GL Forge's manufacturing standards, view our quality control page. For high-quality open die forgings crafted to your custom specifications and material requirements, choose Great Lakes Forge.
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