Two technologies. Two different approaches to manufacturing.
When designing a metal component, its geometry, material and required tolerances are not the only factors that matter.
An equally important question is:
How will the component be manufactured?
For many precision metal components, engineers and manufacturers face a choice between machining and cold forming.
Both technologies have their place. However, each offers different possibilities in terms of design, material efficiency, mechanical properties, manufacturing costs and production volumes.
The right choice therefore does not start with the technology itself.
It starts with understanding the specific application.
Machining: flexibility and precision
Machining creates the required geometry by progressively removing material from the initial workpiece.
One of its major advantages is flexibility.
It enables highly complex geometries, high levels of precision and rapid responses to design changes. It is therefore often a suitable choice for prototypes, small production runs or components with geometries that cannot be efficiently produced by forming.
As production volumes increase, however, other factors become increasingly important.
Every machining operation takes time. Removed material becomes waste. And when hundreds of thousands or millions of components are produced, even small differences in cycle time and material consumption multiply.
This is where cold forming can begin to make sense.
Cold forming: shaping material instead of removing it
The principle of cold forming is fundamentally different.
Instead of removing material, the material is plastically formed into the required geometry under high pressure – typically at room temperature.
As a result, most of the material remains part of the finished component.
- high material efficiency
- very short production cycles
- high process repeatability
- cost-effective high-volume production
- very good mechanical properties of the finished component
Cold forming has therefore long been a cornerstone of efficient fastener manufacturing.
But its potential extends far beyond conventional screws.
More than screw manufacturing
Modern cold forming technologies make it possible to manufacture a wide range of geometrically demanding components.
In addition to standard and special fasteners, the technology can be used to produce components such as pins, bushings, hollow parts, shafts and other functional components.
This is where an interesting opportunity emerges.
A component that was historically designed as a machined part does not necessarily need to remain machined throughout its entire lifecycle.
As production volumes increase, it may be worthwhile to reassess both the component design and the manufacturing process to determine whether part or most of its geometry can be produced more efficiently through cold forming.
Where does the economic advantage come from?
Comparing only machine costs or individual manufacturing operations is not enough.
What matters is the economics of the entire manufacturing process.
Cold forming requires an initial investment in process development and tooling. For this reason, it may not be the most economical solution for very small production runs.
As volumes increase, however, the initial investment is spread across a growing number of components.
At the same time, material consumption can be reduced, production cycles shortened and the number of secondary operations decreased.
The result can be a significantly lower cost per component.
The question is therefore not simply:
“How much does it cost to manufacture this component?”
The better question is:
“Which manufacturing process is optimal for this component at the expected volume, required quality and throughout its entire lifecycle?”
Mechanical properties as an additional advantage
Economics is not the only reason to consider cold forming.
During machining, the material grain flow is interrupted as material is removed. In a properly designed forming process, by contrast, the material flows into the required shape.
Cold forming also causes work hardening as a result of plastic deformation.
Depending on the component design, material used and subsequent processing, this can provide very good mechanical properties and high component strength.
The manufacturing technology thus becomes part of the component’s engineering solution – not merely the method used to produce it.
Not every machined component can simply be converted to cold forming
Cold forming is not a universal solution.
Certain geometries, tolerances or production volumes will continue to be better suited to machining.
In other cases, the optimum solution may be a combination of both technologies: the basic geometry is produced highly efficiently by cold forming, while selected functional surfaces or details are subsequently finished by machining.
The question therefore should not be:
Cold forming or machining?
A more important question is:
Which combination of design, material and manufacturing technology will create the best final product?
Engineering First – technology must follow the application
At FixTech Innova, we see manufacturing technology as part of the overall engineering solution.
Our knowledge of cold forming, tooling design, materials, secondary operations and serial production allows us to assess a component not only by its drawing, but also by how it can be manufactured efficiently.
Sometimes machining will be the right solution.
Sometimes cold forming.
And in some cases, a combination of both.
The technology itself is not the deciding factor.
The deciding factor is finding the technically and economically best solution for the specific application.
About FixTech Innova
FixTech Innova is a specialized partner in the field of fastening solutions, functional components, and industrial services for high-value-added processes. With more than 30 years of experience, we help customers find technically and economically optimal solutions for their products and manufacturing processes.