Forging (Smithy) Shop

The process of giving a desired shape to metal piece by heating and hammering is known as forging. The metal piece is heated up to a desired temperature known as forging temperature. 



The processes involved in forging are hammering, pressing, swaging, bending and flattening. When the forging is done by hand tools manually then is called hand forging. When the same forging is done by the stamps then it is drop forging. The metal pieces are heated up to plastic stage either in smith forge or in a furnace. Forging is widely done in auto and bicycle industries. 

It has following advantages over the other machining processes:
1. It refines the structure of the metal.
2. It increases the strength.
3. It saves time, material and labor.

FUELS USED IN FORGING SHOP

1. Solid (coal, coke, charcoal)
2. Liquid (oils)
3. Gaseous (natural gas, producer gas)

The common use are steam coal, coke and charcoal. A good fuel should have the following essential properties:
a. It should be able to maintain the required forging temperature.
b. It should be cheap and easily available.
c. It should be easy to fire.
d. It should not produce excess smoke and flying ash.

Method of lightening the fire:

The space inside the hearth is filled with soft wood. While burning this wood, fresh coke is placed on one side of the hearth. It is slowly brought to the centre of the hearth regulating the air supply from the blower. When coke catches fire, the whole space in the hearth is filled with coke. The fire should be as deep as possible inside the centre of the hearth. Then only work is started on the furnace.