Forging Process and Production Cycle: From Die Making to Surface Treatment

Forging is one of the manufacturing processes covered in Matech’s production process training materials. The complete forging workflow covers die making, material preparation, forming, cleaning, appearance inspection, machining, dimensional inspection, and surface treatment.

For customers working on customized forged components, understanding the production sequence and estimated processing time can provide a clearer view of how a forging project progresses from die preparation to the finished component.

1. Die Making

The first stage of the forging process is die making.

According to the production process, die making takes approximately 15–20 days.

The process starts with the preparation of steel, followed by die design, CNC machining, and die assembly.

The main process can be summarized as:

Raw Material Preparation → Die Design → CNC Machining → Die Assembly

Once the die is completed, it is ready for the subsequent material preparation and forming stages.

2. Material Preparation

After die making, the next stage is material preparation, also referred to as blanking.

This stage takes approximately 2–3 days.

The material is prepared according to the forging requirements, including material type, dimensions, and weight, before it enters the forming stage.

3. Forging and Forming

The forming stage takes approximately 2–3 days.

According to the training material, the forming process may or may not involve heating, depending on the process design.

The material is then loaded into the die. The process includes heating, release agent application, and forging forming.

The main workflow can be summarized as:

Material Preparation → Die Loading → Heating (if required) → Release Agent Application → Forging Forming

After forming, the forged component proceeds to the cleaning stage.

4. Cleaning

After forging, the component enters the cleaning stage, which takes approximately 3–5 days.

The listed operations include:

• Trimming
• Grinding
• Sand cleaning
• Heat treatment

Trimming removes excess material from the forged component, followed by grinding and sand cleaning. Heat treatment is also included in this stage of the production process.

5. Appearance Inspection

After cleaning, the forged component goes through appearance inspection.

The estimated processing time for this stage is 2–3 days.

The inspection includes checking for surface defects and carrying out deformation correction when required.

This stage ensures that the appearance and condition of the forged component are acceptable before machining.

6. CNC Machining

After appearance inspection, the component moves to the machining stage.

The machining process takes approximately 10–15 days.

It includes:

Machining Fixture Preparation → Machine Setup → CNC Machining → Polishing / Grinding (if required)

CNC machining is performed after forging and initial inspection are completed.

The machining stage is followed by dimensional inspection.

7. Dimensional Inspection

After machining, dimensional inspection takes approximately 2–3 days.

The dimensions of the forged component are checked before it proceeds to surface treatment.

This stage is an important step between machining and final surface treatment.

8. Surface Treatment

The final stage listed in the forging process is surface treatment.

This stage takes approximately 2–3 days.

The surface treatment options included in the presentation are:

• Powder coating
• Electrophoresis
• Painting

Once the required surface treatment is completed, the forging process is complete.

Forging Production Cycle

According to the production material, the complete forging process includes:

Die Making → Blanking → Forming → Cleaning → Appearance Inspection → CNC Machining → Dimensional Inspection → Surface Treatment

These estimated processing times should be considered when planning the overall production schedule.

Note: The production cycle described in this presentation is based on orders of fewer than 1,000 pieces and does not include order queue time.

The actual project schedule should therefore be determined based on the complete manufacturing process and the specific production arrangement.

Final Thoughts

Forging production involves multiple stages, from die making and material preparation to forming, cleaning, inspection, machining, and surface treatment.

For customized forging projects, understanding these stages helps customers prepare drawings, material requirements, machining requirements, and surface treatment specifications more effectively before production begins.

A clear understanding of the production process can also make communication between the customer and manufacturer more efficient, especially for projects involving customized components and limited production quantities.