Forgings?

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by Fe26

G.M. That's a very good description of the Drop forging process.

About the width of the flash line, when the two halves of the dies meet they must completely close, so a gutter is machined into the bottom die for the flash to flow into. At this stage the flash may only be 1/16th-1/8th thick. When the forging is placed in the Trimmer die it is still very hot, the trimmer die shears the flash away and mashes what's left of the flash into the forging to make it as smooth as possible, thereby eliminating the need for grinding. This also has the effect of making the flash line seem much thicker than it really is.

Fe26, It sounds like you were involved with the forging process, I was only exposed to it at my Snap On Tool Co visits. All I know it what I saw there 45 years ago. What we didn't discuss yet was the material used to form the part. I assume it is plain low carbon steel or a higher allow depending on the use of the part?? The forcing or squeezing the metal into a confined area with large forceful blows I think would make the grain structure smaller and the finished metal stronger?? It seems the forgings can be bent either cold or by heating with out damaging them, heat would probably be the preferred method except for slight alignment type bends.
At least a forging is not like cast materials that are prone to breaking G.M.