Electroslag Casting of Preforms for Forging Dies

Abstract

In the manufacturing industry, semifinished products for various components are generally produced by closed-die forging. In the manufacture of forging dies, increasing die wear resistance and decreasing machining allowances are the main ways of increasing the overall process efficiency, since they lead to reductions in manufacturing time and to savings on material costs. In the production of dies from open-hearth steel forgings, an excessive amount of the stock (40%) is removed by machining, due to large machining allowances. In addition, machining of the die cavity, the shank, and the lock expose the end-grain and reduce die strength in these areas.