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Cutting the cost of quality components
2nd Nov 2009
Mark Jennings at Dawson Shanahan explains how, in many applications, cold forming can have important benefits over more conventional methods of manufacturing metal components.

In the current economic climate, manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to reduce the cost of components made from copper, aluminium and ferrous materials. However, all too often quality is compromised as a result. The accuracy with which these seemingly ubiquitous metal parts are made can actually have a considerable impact on the performance and productivity of machinery and equipment. Therefore, it is vital that a method of producing the components is chosen that is cost effective but also capable of delivering high quality results.

Conventional techniques

Most metal components continue to be made using traditional machining techniques such as turning and milling. These processes have been used for many years but they can be limited in terms of the demands of twenty first century industry. For instance, they can be energy inefficient. With companies of all sizes and sectors looking to reduce their energy consumption for both economic and environmental reasons, this can be a major downside.

Machining centres offer a multiple processes solution, although cycle times can be increased and the total package price expensive, making it difficult for manufacturers to offer a competitive package and meet deadlines to maintain a constant supply of components. Conventional production methods can also be overly wasteful, generating a great deal of scrap material that again requires additional energy to re-use. As a result of these issues, a growing number of manufacturers are looking for a more efficient and cost effective.

Cold forming

One such alternative is cold forming. This process is becoming increasingly popular as it can be used to produce precision-made components, while avoiding many of the problems associated with other production methods. For instance, cold formed parts can be made quickly, using less energy and producing less scrap. As a result, both costs and lead times can be reduced considerably. The process also has a number of additional benefits, such as making it possible to producing stronger, more consistent components with a superior finish.

Despite the rise in popularity of cold forming, the process remains relatively unknown by many engineers, who automatically turn to traditional component manufacturing methods when parts are needed. So what exactly does the cold forming process involve and what specific benefits can it offer to companies across industry?

The process

Cold forming is the process of producing metal components at low, usually ambient, temperatures without removing material. A simple blank, which has been sawn or cropped from a round bar or wire, or a cold headed pre-form is placed within a die and a punch is pressed into the blank. The blank then takes on the form of the punch and the die.

There are a number of types of cold forming, including forward extrusion, backward extrusion and freeflow. The method of cold forming that is most suitable for an application depends on the type of component that is required. Through extrusion, drawing or coining, a blank can be made into a wide range of components, segments and assemblies.

The benefits

This method of manufacturing metal components brings with it many advantages. Firstly, significant cost savings can be achieved by reducing waste. As cold forming eliminates the need for machining or removing any metal from the blank thus reducing cycle time, with virtually no material is wasted. With the price of raw materials such as copper higher than ever, and large amounts of metal often required to produce high volumes of components, any reduction in waste can have a considerable effect on operating costs.

Furthermore, as cold forming is carried out at ambient temperatures, the process can be carried out much faster than more conventional options, saving a great deal of production time. As a result, components can be made to order extremely quickly, cutting lead times and the need to store high volumes of spare parts onsite. Production cycle times can be reduced still further on multi-station machinery, which can be particularly beneficial for large production runs.

Another advantage of being able to produce components at ambient temperatures are considerable reductions in energy consumption. Using cold forming can therefore help a business reduce its energy costs and its carbon footprint in the process. Together, these benefits can help lower the cost of components by up to 70% in many cases.

Perhaps as importantly, cold formed components can also be produced to a higher quality than many conventionally manufactured parts. Metal, like wood, can be considered to have a “grain”. Unlike in forging and machining, in cold forming the grain structure of the material being elongated is forced to follow the contours of the component. Therefore, the strength of the part is maximised along its length, in much the same way that a piece of wood is stronger “with the grain”.

Additionally, during cold forming the part undergoes work hardening, therefore improving its machinability and durability. Work hardening dislocates the structure of the metal in a way that prevents further dislocations, strengthening the component as a result. As this increase in strength is comparable to that of heat treating, it can be more cost effective to cold work a less costly and weaker metal than to hot work a more expensive metal, particularly where a precision finish is required.

As well as increasing the strength of components, the cold forming process also makes it possible to achieve a superior finish, both internally and on the surface of the part. Accurate internal profiles and complex external profiles are possible, enabling precision parts to be manufactured that can have a significant impact on the performance of the assemblies and machinery in which they are used.

Typical applications

By combining efficiency with precision, cold forming is capable of producing high quality components for a wide range of applications and industries. There is virtually no limit to shape, size and complexity of the metal components that can be produced using cold forming. Simple cold headed parts or highly complex cold formed and finished machined components can be produced for diverse applications in sectors including Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics, Laser, Medical, Packaging, Plasma, Power Distribution, Telecoms and Welding.

The cold forming process is generally specified for higher volumes of components as the set up costs can be relatively high. However, these costs can be minimised by outsourcing the production process to a specialist component manufacturer that has the facilities already in place to cold form bespoke components.

Cold forming is ideal for manufacturing components where quality and surface finish consistency are essential. This is because cold forming machines have better reproducibility and interchangeability of parts than hot forming machines, allowing components to be precision manufactured to exact specifications time and time again. This consistency once again reduces waste and the need to recall components or entire batches due to quality issues.

With so many advantages to today’s manufacturers, it is perhaps surprising that cold forming remains a relatively little known method of producing metal components. The time, energy and cost savings that are achievable using cold forming alone are considerable enough to make it a preferred method of production in many cases. However, with its added ability to increase the strength of mental components and improve internal and external surface quality, the benefits are even greater. By making it possible to produce parts featuring the complex profiles and precise dimensions now demanded by any different customers across industry, cold forming can ultimately have a significant impact on the performance and reliability of modern machinery and equipment.

For further information, photographs or media interview requests, please contact 4CM on 01296 660080 or via email at info.dawsonshanahan@4cm.co.uk

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This press information was written and distributed by 4CM. For further copies, colour separation requests, images or other details on Dawson Shanahan,
please contact us on 01296 660080 or email info.dawsonshanahan@4cm.co.uk.

EDITORS NOTES

Dawson-Shanahan Limited was established in 1945 and has over 60 years experience in the cold forming and machining of customised copper, aluminium, ferrous and assembled components, supplying customers both in the UK and overseas. The company is based in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire and currently employs 55 people in its 2800 m² purpose built factory.

Further information can be found at www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk and www.floform.co.uk.
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