With this new article, we conclude our conversation with Miguel Queirós, an engineer that works as a sales technician at ETMA, regarding the cold forging process at the company. After covering topics such as the cold forging production process and its advantages and disadvantages are compared to other processes, technological aspects of the cold forging process, and tool design and manufacture, in previous articles, we conclude the series with different applications and examples of parts obtained by cold forging.
Can we consider the cold forging process as being versatile, namely, can it be used to produce parts for many different applications?
Clearly, cold forging can be used to produce parts for many different industry sectors, so yes, it is a versatile process in terms of its range of applications. This is due to its advantages, such as dimensional accuracy, high mechanical resistance and material savings. It is important to emphasise that cold forging makes it possible to produce parts with greater precision and improved mechanical properties, ideal for applications where safety, resistance and material savings are essential.
Can you tell us the main sectors covered and their main parts produced through cold forging?
Of course! The market sectors vary; the most important clients are the automotive sector and the fastening devices (screws) sector, but we also produce components for the electrical and electronics sectors.
In this context, each sector of activity uses cold forging to meet specific needs, maximising the performance and efficiency of metal parts and/or components in their environment of use.
Examples in the automotive sector include:
- Fastening parts – bolts, nuts, rivets and pins that require high precision and resistance;
- Structural components – transmission shafts, gears, bearing rings and ball joints;
- Engine components – connecting rods and pulleys that need to withstand high pressure and wear;
- Brake and suspension systems – components such as bushes and supports that require durability and resistance to fatigue;
- Weight savings – parts that require precision in smaller measurements to reduce the total weight of the vehicle without compromising strength.
In the tools and equipment industry we can highlight:
- Hand and industrial tools – hammer heads, pliers, spanners, among other tools that require high resistance;
- Machine parts – gears, bearings and other components that need to withstand continuous wear;
- Heavy equipment – parts that require great robustness for use in severe conditions, such as high-strength nuts and bolts.
As for the electronics and home appliances areas, we find:
- Electrical connectors and terminals – precision components such as electrical connectors and battery terminals that require an excellent surface finish;
- Compressor and electric motor parts – components that require resistance and precision for the equipment to work properly;
- Other small components – smaller-scale parts used in electronic devices, where precision and finish are critical.
Other industries, such as aerospace, energy and oil, construction, and the medical and dental sectors, also have their specific needs met through this production process.
CONCLUSION
Through this series of articles that we are concluding today, we believe it has become clear that ETMA’s mission is to meet the demands in terms of projects and challenges of its clients. Subsequently, ETMA has devised an exclusive system of 10 Integrated Production Processes, which includes Cold Forging.
This is a winning strategy that also ensures the quality of development, from the project to the final product, with the following advantages:
- ETMA’s vast know-how in the metallurgy and metalworking sectors (84 years);
- The solid experience in the most diverse sectors of activity: automotive, moped, electrical, home appliances, plastic injection/overmoulding, fastening, among others);
- A qualified technical team, with the concern for continuous improvement;
- Certifications in the ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 standards.
If you would like to know more about the Cold Forging Process at ETMA, click here to receive our brochure and see the case of real application of this process on our clients’ projects.
If you would like to talk to us about a current project, please do not hesitate to contact us.
