As a major manufacturing nation, China widely utilizes cold forging machines in industrial production. These machines, a type of mechanical stamping equipment, can form raw materials into required shapes at room temperature without pre-heating or heat treatment, a process colloquially termed "cold heading."
The operating principle of cold forging machines is based on the theory of metal plastic deformation. Power is transmitted through pulley and gear systems, converting rotational motion into the linear motion of a slide via a crank-connecting rod mechanism. This action uses paired dies to plastically deform or separate the workpiece. Given the stringent standards of the process, requirements for material surface quality and dimensional accuracy are high, necessitating superior metal materials-particularly regarding the chemical composition and mechanical properties of steels used for fasteners. During upsetting, the material undergoes cold work hardening, which enhances its strength while minimizing excessive deformation, thereby reducing the risk of cracking or part failure.
Cold forging machines thicken or form the ends of wire or bar stock at ambient temperature. They process materials such as copper, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, and titanium alloy to produce a wide range of components including screws, bolts, nuts, rivets, and steel balls. The process is highly efficient, integrating multiple operations-cutting, upsetting, gathering, forming, chamfering, thread rolling, reducing, and trimming-into a continuous, automated, multi-station workflow. Production rates can exceed 300 parts per minute with material utilization rates reaching 80–90%. This makes cold forging particularly suitable for high-volume or specialized manufacturers and medium-to-large enterprises with significant output demands.
