Cold Forming
Cold forming shapes metal at room temperature by bending, rolling, heading, extruding or stamping, without heating. It gives accurate parts with good surface finish and work-hardened strength, from roll-formed profiles to cold-headed fasteners.
What it is
Cold forming covers several processes: roll forming continuous profiles from strip, cold heading fasteners, cold extrusion of shafts and cups, and press forming sheet parts. All avoid heating, scale and the energy cost of hot working.
Materials must have enough ductility; work hardening raises strength but may require intermediate annealing for severe forming.
Typical applications
- Roll-formed profiles and channels
- Fasteners and rivets
- Cold-extruded shafts and sleeves
- Brackets and clips
- Tube and wire forms
Suitable materials
- Low-carbon and cold-heading steels
- Stainless steel (selected)
- Aluminium
- Copper and brass
Points to consider
- Requires ductile, forming-grade material.
- Springback must be compensated in tooling.
- Severe forming may need annealing stages.
- Tooling cost suits volume production.
Frequently asked questions
What is cold forming?
Shaping metal at room temperature by rolling, bending, heading or extrusion, without heating.
Is cold forming stronger than machining?
Cold-formed parts gain strength from work hardening and uninterrupted grain flow, often exceeding machined parts.
What is roll forming?
A cold-forming process that passes strip through successive roller stands to form long profiles like channels and sections.