The ball cage, also known as the constant velocity joint, is a crucial component in the transmission system of passenger cars, responsible for transmitting engine power to the drive wheels. It consists of components such as a bell housing, steel balls, a cage, a dust cover, and lubricating grease, ensuring equal angular velocity at any angle between the two shafts. 

What is Drop Forging?

Drop forging is a kind of forging process different from press forging, upset forging or other forging processes. In drop forging, the billet is deformed into desired shapes with the help of forging dies. Types of drop forging are open-die drop forging and closed-die drop forging. The shape of the die is the main differences between open die drop forging and closed die drop forging like the names. Closed die drop forging does fully encloses the workpiece, while open die forging does not.

Closed Die Drop Forging

Closed die drop forging, or closed die forging, is a forging way that presses heated round metal bar into the shape we need under the pressure of the dies. It will ensure the accuracy of dimensions and little machining allowance, no structure limit, high production efficiency. General steps of closed die drop forging are: mould developing-raw material cutting-heating material-forging-trimming cutting-heat treatment-shot blasting-machining-surface treatment-package. Materials that applied in drop forging process can be stainless steel, alloy steel, carbon steel, copper and other forged materials.

Design of closed die drop forgings and tooling

The tooling or dies in closed die drop forging are usually made of tool steel. Tool steel will feature closed die forging dies with good impact resistance, high wear resistance, maintain strength at high temperatures, and can even withstand cycles of rapid heating and cooling. In order to produce a better, more economical die, we need to follow below:  

1. The dies part along a single, flat plane whenever possible. If not, the parting plane follows the contour of the part.
2. The parting surface is a plane through the center of the forging and not near an upper or lower edge.
3. Adequate draft is provided; usually at least 3° for aluminium and 5° to 7° for steel.
4. Generous fillets and radii are used.
5. Ribs are low and wide.
6. The various sections are balanced to avoid extreme difference in metal flow.
7. Full advantage is taken of fiber flow lines.
8. Dimensional tolerances are not closer than necessary.

Typical characteristics of closed die drop forgings:

• Under the press of up and lower dies, we could forge the steel bar in fast time,so the production capacity is very high.
• With the help of accurate mould after machining, we could achieve higher accuracy dimensions,which will avoid further machining and save lots of cost.
• Comparing with casting, the mechanical propertity of drop forging will be better, defects can be effectively avoided.

Hot forging, also called drop forging, is a process to produce a wide variety of most metal parts. Hot forging process is developed since the last century, but with the development of equipment, lubricants, and forging ability, modern hot forging process is able to make more complex shapes with more materials since that time. The basic procedure for hot forging is relatively simple. Metal bar or billet is first heated into the hot working temperature range to improve ductility. Then the material is squeezed or hammered in a series of tool steel dies to deform the billet into the finished shape. Flash casused by excess material after forging is exsited, so the final step is to remove the flash to yield the finished forged part. Hot forging is a near net shape process, but some forgings may require some subsequent machining, in particular for surfaces that may affect the final assembly of a product.

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