Cold Working Process

Cold working, (or cold forming), is a metal forming process that is carried out at room temperature or a little above it. In cold working, plastic deformation of the work causes strain hardening as discussed earlier. The yield point of a metal is also higher at the lower temperature range of cold forming. Hence, the force required to shape a part is greater in cold working than for warm working or hot working. At cold working temperatures, the ductility of a metal is limited, and only a certain amount of shape change may be produced. Surface preparation is important in cold forming. Fracture of the material can be a problem, limiting the amount of deformation possible. In fact, some metals will fracture from a small amount of cold forming and must be hot formed.

Advantages

1. The part will be stronger and harder due to strain hardening.
2. Cold forming causes directional grain orientation, which can be controlled to produce desired directional strength properties. 
3. Work manufactured by cold forming can be created with more accurate geometric tolerances and a better surface finish.
4. Since low temperature metal forming processes do not require the heating of the material, a large amount of energy can be saved and faster production is possible.
5. Despite the higher force requirements, the total amount of energy expended is much lower in cold working than in hot working.

 

Disadvantage

1. One main disadvantage of this type of process is a decrease in the ductility of the part's material

Hot Working
Selection of Temperature Range for Forming
Friction and Lubrication in Metal Forming
Return back to Forming
Classification of Metal Forming Processes