Forging Presses | Hot And Cold Forging - Beckwood Press

Forging presses are some of the world’s earliest metalworking machines. Historically performed by blacksmiths using a hammer and anvil, forging has developed into a process that now uses modern forming equipment resulting in superior part quality and higher production rates. Due to the application’s versatility, forging is often a great choice for operations requiring superior part strength, custom shapes and sizes, or unique performance specifications.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website S-T Intelligence.

Custom Hydraulic Forging Presses

Beckwood’s custom hydraulic forging presses use engineering that withstands the toughest manufacturing environments like foundries and forging facilities, job shops, and everything in between. Our forging presses feature a myriad of options to accommodate all types of forging including:

• Heated and/or cooled platens
• Precise heat control
• Automated die loading and unloading
• Scrap removal systems
• Safety guarding, light curtains, and area scanners
• And more

Types of Forging Presses

Beckwood designs custom hydraulic forging presses for open and closed die forging as well as hot and cold forging. Each process has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your production needs.

Open Die Forging

Open die forging uses multiple dies which do not fully enclose the part. This process is ideal for simple shapes at lower volumes, and secondary machining is typically required.

Closed Die Forging

In closed die forging, the tooling completely surrounds the part. This allows the press to form more complex shapes at higher volumes, with little to no secondary machining required. Costs for closed dies typically run much higher than open dies, but this process results in better accuracy of the finished part.

In both of these forging processes, “flash” or excess material is a byproduct. Although, in closed-die forging the flash is less apparent because of the closed-dies, which use the flash to its advantage during the forming process.

Hot Forging

Hot forging allows for the best material deformation during the forging process because of the addition of heat. Typically, hot forging presses utilize an electric heating system which has the highest temperature capacity of all press heating methods. These higher temperatures allow for the creation of more complex geometries without straining the material. While hot forged parts can be more customized, their costs are typically higher than cold forging due to the added press features and required fixture quenching.

Cold Forging

Cold forging is best for simple shapes, high part volumes, and limited budgets. Because additional force is required to manipulate cold or ambient-temperature materials, cold forging presses typically require much higher tonnages. Cold forged materials need to have high ductility and less sensitivity to strain hardening to withstand the cold forging process without cracks and breaks.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of cold forging press machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

I hope this article has answered some of your questions. I find the key to this machine, as many others, is tooling. I have a lot of texturing dies and forming dies, but it always seems like I need more. I still want to make some punches, but will need a particular job to determine what sizes are required. Once they're made I find it incredible in what you can do with the press.

I've been using a press for the last year that uses the same configuration, the 16gpm blue pump from Northern Tool with a 5hp compressor duty motor, that is great. It moves itself and metal fast, and isn't overly loud. A lot of the presses I've seen though seem to be using one of the black pumps, I assume the 11 or 13gpm models, and they seem to be obnoxiously slow and loud.

I feel the properly built forging press is the most useful tool in a shop period, as much as hammers are more fun, the press seems much more versatile, but as you mention, having the correct dies are essential.

Agreed- When I sold the 3B I never thought a 400$ press would do as much work for 1% of the price. I can run the on-board 3HP setup (rpm using the 16gpm pump @ 8gpm) or do a quick coupling hose change for the stand alone 10HP power pack (227 gpm pump) when I really want to lay waste to some metal.
I get almost 5 or 6" per second of ram speed out of that combination (double rod 7" cylinder)

It depends. What type of work do you want to do?

First off though, I'd get a 5 h.p. motor. 3 is a bit weak. For the work I do, pretty much what I have. Minimum of 50 ton, H-frame. More travel than I have now to accept more tooling and bigger work. A larger opening, too, but not by much. I see where limit switches can be handy to set where the press stops every time. They're better than using blocks. Maybe stack my tank, motor and pump to take less floor space, but still on a separate cart. Not mounted to the press. The floor pedals are a great feature. I'd never use a hand lever. One thing I want to add to my press is quick disconnect couplings on the hoses. That way if I need to load the press and cart for a demo or class somewhere the hoses just come off. A must on all presses is to take in safety! Definitely get hose protector sleeves for your high pressure hoses! Then it's a matter of making all the tooling for whatever you want to make.

I am thinking of going big. I want versatility. I don't make knives I do forge tools though. I Have a press I have been playing with. It is a H frame shop press with no guides. It has a 4" cylinder and a pump that came out of an old iron worker. It only develops psi so I am only getting about 7 tons but it has a lot of flow. I have only used it to bend things so far. The ram moves very fast. I have a few rams laying around 2-4" and an monster 8". I was thinking it would be useful to have a wide frame with room for several dies in a row for forging complex shapes. I am thinking at least as powerful as Randy's press if not more. But I don't mind starting from scratch. I was thinking 80 ton with a 10 hp motor and a 22gpm pump. At this point I am just gathering information.

I saw your videos a while back and have been in the process of building my press. I have a 100 ton h frame that I have used for forging but it is slow and not designed to forge with. I have the frame built out of 10 inch 1/2 inch wall square tube and I have the cylinders they are 18 inch stroke 5 inch diameter 2 inch rod cylinders and for the pump I have a 10ph 3ph motor with a 16 gpm pump. I should have it up and running in a couple of months. I have been thinking of using the frame for the oil sump I could probably get at least 30 gallons in it. I dont want to overheat the oil. Does your press get hot.

Kevin, sounds like a good deal. I'd ike to see it. Pictures?

No problems with it getting hot. If anything just the opposite. Especially when first starting. If the oil is cold the machine is sluggish and can even stall out. Some times when I'm getting ready to use the press I'll just turn it on and let it idle to get the oil circulating so it starts warming up.

For more Servo Press Solutionsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.