In the hot and warm forging of steel, there is a clear trend to replace graphite-based die lubricants with synthetic lubricants. This is driven by the need for cleaner work environments, easier handling and to avoid graphite-induced galvanic corrosion of equipment.

Automotive supplier Chongqing Lianhao Technology of China ordered four mechanical forging lines from Schuler.

The Lightweight Forging Initiative was formed to emphasize the contributions that forging makes to the automotive megatrend of lightweight design.

Servo presses have traditionally been used in the sheet-metal-forming industry and are gaining acceptance in the automotive sector by stampers that take advantage of their high output, programmable slide movements and flexibility.

Since steels are so widely used, two articles will be devoted to this class of materials. This article will discuss the chemistry, typical applications and some operational forging issues.