Forge Welding:

Forge welding is the oldest known welding process which has been practiced for centuries. The procedure is still used even though its application is limited because of the certain complexity connected with it.

Metals which can be Forge Welded:
Wrought iron and low carbon steels (with C content less than 0.2%) can be acceptable forge welded. Forge welding can be accepted out with metal thicknesses up to about 30 mm.

Surface Preparation:
Surfaces of the metal parts to be forge welded are prepared by upsetting the pieces at the ends. A variety of edge preparations necessary to be carried out previous to forge welding.

Procedure for Forge welding:
The parts to be forge welded are given an edge (or joint) preparation as clarified above. Then, the parts are heated to over l000°C until they are plastic. In this state, the parts are positioned on the anvil end to end and are hammered jointly, either using a power hammer or physically, until they form a solid structure of metal.

In forge welding process, a very significant requirement is that during heating the absorption of sulphur from the coke of the fire and scaling of the pieces (to be welded) ought to be prevented or that if scale is created, the hammering should be completed in such a way as to squeeze this out of the joint and allow metal to metal contact. Besides being combined by blows from a hammer, the work¬ pieces may also be welded by being rolled, drawn or squeezed together.