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Producing forged parts by machine forging — Fundamentals

Course field	Information
Module	Fundamentals of Producing forged parts by machine forging
Target learners	Vocational learners in blacksmithing, artistic metalwork and related forge practice
Language	English
Chosen jurisdiction	United Kingdom, with each legal or training statement labelled by its actual territorial scope
Safety-law scope used	Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales, using Health and Safety Executive guidance
Vocational pathway scope used	England only, using the Skills England Blacksmith occupational standard ST0378
Open licence	Original course text is released as CC BY-SA 4.0. Third-party media retain the licences shown on their source pages.
Review status	Ready for expert review. Authority checks updated 1 September 2026.

Safety priority: Machine forging combines hot metal with high-energy or high-force machinery. This module is not a stand-alone operating permit. You must not operate, set, clear, adjust, maintain or tool a power hammer or forging press unless a competent instructor or employer has authorised you for that machine and the task. Official rules, the current manufacturer instructions, the workplace risk assessment, safe system of work and supervisor instructions take precedence over this course.

Scope note: HSE workplace-safety law references in this module apply to Great Britain. Northern Ireland has a separate regulator and is not covered by these legal claims. The Skills England apprenticeship reference applies to England only. No automatic cross-country or cross-jurisdiction equivalence of job titles, qualifications, standards, certificates or training is claimed.

The image above shows an artist blacksmith using a power hammer. Use it to identify the broad relationship between operator, stock and machine, but do not treat a photograph from another country as evidence of UK legal compliance.

Introduction

Machine forging uses powered equipment to deform hot metal. In an artist-blacksmith's workshop this most often means a power hammer or a hydraulic forging press. Both can perform work that is also possible by hand, but they deliver force in different ways and can move larger sections more quickly. The craft skill is not replaced by the machine: the smith still controls heat, stock orientation, reduction, tooling, sequence and quality.

In the current Skills England Blacksmith occupational standard ST0378, the occupation is described as designing, shaping and joining metal components by hot forging and other metalworking processes for small-batch, bespoke and heritage work. The standard explicitly includes hot forging by hand and machine and refers to fixed forge equipment such as power hammers, presses, forges and furnaces. Skills England: Blacksmith ST0378 v1.1

This module concentrates on fundamentals: what the machines do, how hot metal flows, what tools are used, how a supervised machine-forging sequence is planned, what can go wrong, and how quality and safety are controlled.

The Black Bear Forge video gives a practitioner overview of two power hammers. It is useful for observing machine types and controllability. It is not UK safety guidance and does not replace your local instruction.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

Explain machine forging: distinguish impact forging with a power hammer from squeeze forging with a hydraulic press.
Recognise core operations: identify drawing out, upsetting, fullering, edging, tapering and bending in machine-forging work.
Select tools conceptually: describe the roles of flat dies, fullers, swages, tongs, gauges and templates without treating selection as a substitute for machine-specific authorisation.
Manage heat conceptually: explain why material grade, working temperature, section size and heat loss affect forgeability and quality.
Recognise risk controls: explain guarding, exclusion, emergency stopping, isolation, training, ventilation, PPE, noise and handling controls.
Evaluate a forging: inspect profile, dimensions, transitions, surface condition and visible defects against a drawing or sample.
Reduce waste: plan stock, heat and machine time to reduce scrap, energy use and rework.

Completion of this module does not itself prove occupational competence, satisfy an apprenticeship assessment or certify you to operate a particular machine.

Jurisdiction, Authorities and Current Rules

Chosen Jurisdiction and Territorial Labels

Chosen jurisdiction: United Kingdom. Because responsibility is not identical across every part of the UK, this course labels the territorial scope of each claim instead of blending systems.

Topic	Territorial scope used here	Competent authority or source
Workplace machinery and occupational safety	Great Britain	Health and Safety Executive
Blacksmith occupational standard and apprenticeship reference	England	Skills England
British Standards references	United Kingdom	British Standards Institution

No legal, qualification or certification claim in this course should be transferred automatically to another country.

Great Britain: Work Equipment and Safety Duties

For Great Britain, HSE states that the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, known as PUWER, require work equipment to be suitable, safe, maintained and inspected where necessary, used by people who have adequate information, instruction and training, and supported by appropriate safeguards and controls. HSE specifically mentions guarding, emergency stops and means of isolation among the measures normally needed. HSE: PUWER overview

HSE also states that all people using work equipment at work must be adequately trained for health and safety and that competence develops from training, knowledge, experience and skill. HSE: Training and competence

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must identify hazards, assess risk and eliminate or control risk. HSE: Managing risks and risk assessment at work

Other duties can apply to a forge according to the actual work, including the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 as amended in 2022, COSHH and DSEAR. The local risk assessment decides which controls are required; PPE is not a substitute for higher-level controls.

Important distinction: HSE's specialised PUWER guidance on power presses is framed around power presses working cold metal. A hot-forging press still falls under the wider work-equipment and risk-control duties, but you should not assume that a cold-metal press rule can simply be transplanted to every forging press. Use the actual machine's instructions, risk assessment and relevant standards.

England: Vocational Training Reference

The Skills England Blacksmith standard ST0378 version 1.1 is currently approved for delivery. It is a Level 3 apprenticeship standard and lists hot forging, forge management, hazard recognition, risk assessment, PPE, machine tools, fixed forge equipment, power hammers and presses within the occupational knowledge and skills. Skills England: Blacksmith

This course supports selected underpinning knowledge for that occupational area, but it is not an official Skills England assessment instrument and does not create apprenticeship status.

Current providers may also offer college qualifications in blacksmithing and metalwork. Those awards must be checked with the awarding organisation and provider; they should not be assumed equivalent to an apprenticeship or to qualifications outside England.

United Kingdom: Standards Reference

The British Standards Institution publishes standards relevant to forging machinery and forged products. One directly relevant publication is BS EN 14673:2006+A1:2010, titled Safety of machinery. Safety requirements for hydraulically powered open die hot forging presses for the forging of steel and non-ferrous metals. BSI's standards-development catalogue lists this standard under the relevant committee. BSI standards development: BS EN 14673

For steel die forgings, BS EN 10243-1:1999 specifies dimensional tolerances for steel drop and vertical press forgings within its stated scope. BSI Knowledge: BS EN 10243-1

A standard has a defined scope and edition status. Always verify the current BSI catalogue, the purchase specification and the machine manufacturer's documentation before applying a standard. This module does not reproduce standards and does not imply that every artistic forging falls within these documents.

Core Concepts

Hand Forging and Machine Forging

Hand forging uses a hand hammer and anvil, often with a striker for larger work. Machine forging uses powered equipment to deliver repeated impact or sustained force. The same underlying operations appear in both, but the machine changes the rate of deformation, the available force and the time you have to position the work.

A machine can improve productivity and repeatability, but it also increases the consequences of poor positioning, incorrect tooling or loss of control. Skilled operators therefore plan each heat and each series of reductions before the work enters the danger zone.

This hand-forging image is useful for comparison: the smith directly supplies the impact energy. With a power hammer, the machine supplies that energy and the operator controls how the work is presented to the dies.

Impact Versus Squeeze

A power hammer shapes metal through repeated blows. Depending on the machine, the ram may be actuated pneumatically or mechanically. The operator often has fine control over blow intensity and rate, but the exact control system is machine-specific.

A hydraulic forging press shapes metal by applying a slower, sustained squeeze. Presses can be very effective for drawing, upsetting, punching and using shaped dies. Because the dies remain in contact longer than in an impact blow, heat can be drawn from the workpiece quickly.

Practical comparison:

Feature	Power hammer	Hydraulic forging press
Main action	Repeated impact	Controlled squeeze
Typical operator focus	Rhythm, blow control, stock movement between impacts	Stroke control, alignment, die contact time
Heat loss at the tooling	Usually brief contact per blow	Can be greater because contact is sustained
Common craft uses	Drawing, tapering, texturing, fullering, tooling work	Drawing, upsetting, punching, controlled forming in dies
Principal danger	High-energy moving ram and ejected or kicked work	High-force crush zone and trapped work

This manufacturer video shows a modern hot-forging hydraulic press and is useful for observing squeeze forging and tooling. It is commercial content, not an independent UK safety authority.

Open-Die and Impression-Die Work

In open-die forging, the work is not fully enclosed by the tooling. Flat or shaped dies act on part of the work at a time, and the smith moves the stock to create the final form. This is common in artist-blacksmithing machine work.

In impression-die forging, shaped die cavities control more of the geometry. Industrial drop forging can produce repeatable near-net shapes, often with flash that is later trimmed. Artistic smiths may also use simple matched or bolster dies for repeated decorative parts.

The word die in a forging shop means the working surface or shaped tool that contacts the hot metal. Die design, attachment and machine compatibility are safety-critical and must follow the machine and workplace system.

Metal Flow and Volume

Hot forging changes shape mainly by plastic deformation. For practical planning, the metal's volume is treated as approximately conserved: when one dimension becomes longer, the cross-section becomes smaller; when a section is upset shorter, it becomes thicker.

Drawing out increases length and reduces cross-section. Upsetting reduces length and increases cross-section. Fullering concentrates deformation to spread metal away from a local contact area. Edging gathers metal into a region before the next forming stage.

The diagram above schematically shows fullering: a narrow tool concentrates pressure so the material flows away from the contact zone.

The edging diagram shows the opposite planning idea: material is gathered into a selected region before subsequent forging.

Real metal flow is affected by friction, die shape, stock geometry, material grade, temperature, strain rate and the sequence of reductions. Do not assume that a hot bar behaves like modelling clay in every respect.

Heat, Forgeability and Scale

Forgeability depends on the actual alloy and its temperature range. A common low-carbon steel used for training is relatively forgiving, while higher-carbon and alloy steels can require tighter temperature control and different procedures.

Colour is a traditional shop indicator of temperature, but it is affected by lighting, surface condition and human perception. For production work, follow the material specification, pyrometry or the instructor's verified process rather than memorising a colour alone.

Heating in air produces scale, an iron-oxide layer on steel. Excessive scale means material loss and can be driven into the surface. Overheating increases oxidation and can damage the steel. Working too cold raises forging load and can cause cracking or poor flow.

Good practice for learners: use traceable stock selected by the provider. Avoid unidentified scrap for assessed machine-forging work because composition, previous service and coatings may be unknown. Painted, plated or galvanised stock requires a specific process assessment because heating can create hazardous fumes.

Material Structure and Properties

Forging changes more than external shape. Under appropriate hot-working conditions, deformation and recrystallisation can refine microstructure. In large industrial forgings, sufficient deformation can also help consolidate some internal discontinuities. Flow lines associated with prior processing and inclusions can be redirected by forging.

Do not simplify this to the claim that forging always makes metal stronger. Final properties depend on alloy, starting condition, temperature, reduction, strain path, cooling and any later heat treatment. Poor forging practice can introduce cracks, laps, decarburisation or overheating damage.

Machines, Tools and Materials

Power Hammers

Power hammers used by blacksmiths include self-contained pneumatic hammers and mechanical hammers. Historic machines also include helve, spring, steam and air hammers. Contemporary workshops may use restored older machines, but age does not remove the employer's duty to ensure work equipment is safe.

This public-domain historical illustration shows a power helve hammer. It helps explain the development of machine forging, but it is not a modern safeguarding example.

A power hammer normally includes a frame, ram, upper and lower working tools or dies, an anvil or lower support, a drive system and operator controls. The exact design varies widely. Never infer a control sequence from another model.

Forging Presses

A craft hydraulic forging press typically has a rigid frame, hydraulic cylinder and ram, upper and lower die holders, a hydraulic power unit and controls. Industrial open-die presses can be much larger and may be integrated with manipulators.

Press capacity does not tell you everything about suitable work. Safe limits also depend on stroke, daylight, frame geometry, tooling, off-centre loading, hydraulic system design and manufacturer restrictions. Never exceed rated capacity or improvise tooling outside the approved system.

Working Tools and Holding Tools

Tool	Function	Fundamental check
Flat dies	General drawing and planishing	Faces sound, secure and appropriate to the machine
Crowned dies	Encourage directional spread	Correct orientation and matching setup
Fullers	Concentrate force to create a local reduction	Tool secure and compatible with the machine
Swages	Form a defined radius or profile	Profile clean and aligned
Bolster or bottom tool	Supports a shaped operation	Stable and correctly seated
Tongs	Hold and manipulate hot stock	Correct fit, sound reins and no damaging looseness
Gauge or template	Checks size or profile	Kept clear of the moving tool and used only when the machine is in a safe state

Handled top tools can create extra hazards because another object enters the point of operation. Many machine-forging operations are safer and more repeatable with purpose-designed secured tooling. The decision belongs to the competent person responsible for the machine and process.

Materials

For foundation training, a provider may select known low-carbon steel because it is widely used for gates, railings, furniture, fire tools and decorative work. In professional practice you must use the grade specified by the drawing, customer, structural requirement or procedure.

Mild steel is common workshop language, but it is not a complete material specification. Where material properties matter, use a traceable grade and certificate or supplier information.

Other forgeable materials include medium- and high-carbon steels and non-ferrous metals, but their hot-working ranges and hazards differ. This fundamentals module does not authorise transfer of a low-carbon-steel procedure to another alloy.

Authentic Machine-Forging Examples

Forged part	Typical stock	Machine-forging operations	Quality focus
Gate-rail taper	Square low-carbon-steel bar	Drawing and tapering	Length, straightness, smooth transition and repeated appearance
Decorative leaf blank	Flat or square low-carbon-steel stock	Local fullering, spreading and tapering	Balanced mass distribution and clean surface
Fire-tool handle transition	Round or square bar	Drawing, shouldering and controlled texturing	Grip proportion, symmetry and no sharp unintended steps
Tong blank	Rectangular or square stock	Drawing reins and local boss preparation	Matching pair, section control and sound transitions
Tool blank	Specified tool steel	Drawing, upsetting or punching under an approved process	Material identity, geometry and later heat-treatment allowance

These are examples, not universal process sheets. Section size, die geometry, machine setting and heating practice must be selected by a competent person for the actual machine.

Risk Controls for Machine Forging

Control the Risk Before PPE

HSE's approach to risk management is to identify hazards, assess risk, and eliminate or control the risk. PPE is one part of the control system, not the first or only line of defence. HSE: Risk assessment

A safe machine-forging lesson therefore starts with the machine and system of work: suitability, guards, exclusion from danger zones, reliable controls, maintenance, inspection, clear roles, competent supervision, authorised operators, safe material handling and a clean work area.

Principal Hazards and Controls

Hazard	What can happen	Typical control principles
Ram or press crush zone	Crushing, amputation or fatal injury	Guarding where practicable, safe distance, controlled access, correct tooling, no hands in the danger zone, machine-specific safe system
Ejected work, scale or broken tooling	Impact, eye or burn injury	Correct stock grip, sound tooling, screens where appropriate, eye and face protection, exclusion of bystanders
Hot stock and hidden heat	Burns and fire	Marked hot-work zones, tongs, heat-resistant handling methods, safe resting places, housekeeping and fire precautions
Unexpected start or stored energy	Crushing during adjustment or maintenance	Isolation from all relevant energy sources and a verified safe maintenance procedure
Noise	Permanent hearing damage	Reduce noise at source where possible, assess exposure, hearing protection and hearing-protection zones when required
Hand-arm vibration and repetitive load	Vascular, nerve or musculoskeletal harm	Assess exposure, maintain tools, reduce unnecessary exposure and organise work
Manual handling	Strains, crush injuries and dropped hot material	Avoid hazardous handling where practicable, use mechanical aids, improve layout and assess unavoidable lifts
Combustion products, dust or fume	Respiratory harm or toxic exposure	Suitable forge ventilation, source control, material identification and COSHH assessment where applicable
Fuel gas or flammable material	Fire or explosion	DSEAR assessment where applicable, sound storage, leak control, approved lighting and shutdown procedures

HSE's PUWER guidance requires suitable safeguards and controls and adequate training. HSE: PUWER overview

Do not bypass a guard, defeat a control, reach over or between dies, or improvise a machine control or tool setup. A learner who is uncertain stops and gets the competent supervisor.

Machine Isolation and Maintenance

An emergency stop is for stopping an emergency; it is not a substitute for safe isolation. Before die changes, maintenance, cleaning inside a danger zone or fault-finding that exposes people to hazardous movement, the machine must be put into the safe state required by its procedure. This can include isolation from electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravitational or other stored energy.

HSE warns that unsafe maintenance has caused fatal and serious injuries and states that maintenance must be planned and carried out safely by competent people. HSE: Maintenance of work equipment

Learners should never clear a jam, reach between dies, adjust a tool or investigate a fault while relying only on a control pedal, selector switch or emergency-stop button.

Noise and Vibration

Power hammers can be extremely noisy. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, HSE gives lower and upper daily or weekly exposure action values of 80 dB(A) and 85 dB(A), with an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A) after taking hearing protection into account as defined by the regulations. Peak values are also specified. HSE: Noise employers' responsibilities

Hearing protection must be selected for the actual exposure and worn correctly; over-protection can also create communication problems. HSE: Hearing protection

This HSE demonstration shows how poor fit, damaged seals and interference from other PPE can reduce hearing-protector performance.

For hand-arm vibration where the task creates relevant exposure, HSE gives a daily exposure action value of 2.5 m/s² A(8) and an exposure limit value of 5 m/s² A(8). The correct response is exposure assessment and control, not guessing from how a tool feels. HSE: Hand-arm vibration responsibilities

Manual Handling and Ergonomics

Stock, dies and forged parts may be heavy, awkward, hot or difficult to grip. HSE states that employers should avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess unavoidable hazardous handling and reduce the risk of injury. Mechanical aids, better layout and changes to the task should be considered before relying on lifting technique alone. HSE: Manual handling

For long stock, plan clear movement space around the hammer or press. The person at the machine must not be forced into twisting, overreaching or standing in the path of another worker.

PPE and Clothing

PPE must follow the local risk assessment. A forge commonly requires suitable eye protection, safety footwear, hearing protection and clothing that protects against heat, scale and sparks. A face shield may supplement eye protection but normally does not replace safety spectacles or goggles where those are required.

Glove use is task- and machine-specific. Heat-resistant gloves can be appropriate for some hot-work handling, but gloves must not compromise secure grip or introduce an entanglement risk. Follow the local assessment and instructor's direction.

Keep loose clothing, jewellery and unsecured hair away from machinery. HSE's engineering-workshop guidance emphasises correct safeguards, trained and competent users, and control of loose clothing and jewellery around engineering machinery. HSE: Engineering workshop checklist

Fuel, Fire and Air Quality

A gas, solid-fuel or oil-fired forge adds combustion and fire hazards to the machine-forging task. DSEAR requires employers to assess and control risks from dangerous substances that can cause fire or explosion, including flammable gases such as LPG. HSE: DSEAR

Ventilation must be suitable for the forge, fuel and building. Never assume that an open door alone provides adequate control. Coatings, oils and unknown contamination can create additional airborne hazards when heated.

Instructor-Led Demonstration: Drawing a Controlled Taper on a Power Hammer

Purpose: Demonstrate the planning, heat control, stock manipulation, gradual reduction and inspection involved in machine forging.

Training boundary: The following is a supervised demonstration outline, not a self-teaching operating procedure. The competent instructor selects the machine, steel grade, stock size, tooling, heating method, control mode and reduction sequence. Learners only operate when individually authorised and supervised under the local safe system of work.

Demonstration Setup

The sample is a short length of traceable low-carbon-steel square bar, sized by the instructor for the machine. The intended result is a straight, square taper with a specified final length and end section. Flat dies are used unless the local teaching plan specifies another approved tool.

Before heating, the class identifies the drawing, stock orientation, target dimensions, measuring method, hot-work resting point, exclusion zone and who has authority to stop the task.

Step-by-Step Demonstration

Job planning: Read the drawing or sample, identify the taper length, final section, orientation and allowed tolerance, and decide where material must move.
Pre-use machine check: The authorised operator follows the local checklist for guards, controls, emergency stopping, lubrication or other manufacturer checks, die security, work area and known defects.
Holding method: Select tongs that fit the stock securely and allow control without placing the hand in the die area; rehearse the stock movement cold with the machine isolated or otherwise made safe for the exercise.
Heating: Heat the designated zone using the approved forge procedure for the known steel; avoid overheating and do not place coated or unidentified material in the forge.
First contact: Present the stock squarely and stably to the dies. The instructor demonstrates light initial blows to establish control before heavier reduction. Hands remain outside the danger zone.
Draw the taper: Work progressively from the intended shoulder towards the end, moving the stock between blows so reduction is distributed rather than concentrated in one deep bite.
Rotate to maintain section: Rotate the square stock through controlled quarter turns as required to keep the taper square and prevent a diamond section or finning.
Reheat before the work becomes too cold: Stop forging when the instructor's process limit is reached; do not chase the last millimetre at an unsafe temperature.
Gauge safely: Put the machine into the measuring state required by the local procedure. With hazardous movement prevented and the work controlled in the designated position, compare length, end section, straightness and profile against the gauge, rule or template.
Correct progressively: If correction is needed, reheat and make small planned reductions. Avoid over-forging, because excess length or an undersize section may not be recoverable.
Finish and cool by the specified route: Brush scale only by the approved method and allow the part to cool or receive any specified thermal treatment in the marked area.
Shut down and record: Follow the machine and forge shutdown procedure, leave tools in their assigned place, segregate scrap and scale as required, and record defects or maintenance concerns.

This practitioner video shows a forged hammer blank made with a press, power hammer and hand tools. Use it to observe sequencing and changes of tooling, not to copy a machine setup. The video is not UK regulatory guidance.

What to Watch During the Demonstration

Use these observation cues while the instructor works:

Stock stability: Does the work sit flat and controlled on the lower die before force is applied?
Reduction pattern: Is the section reduced gradually along the intended length rather than crushed at one point?
Rotation: Are turns deliberate and consistent with the desired cross-section?
Heat management: Does the operator stop for reheating before the metal becomes too resistant?
Body position: Are hands and body kept outside the ram path and expected kickback line?
Communication: If a second person is involved, are roles and stop signals unambiguous?
Inspection: Are measurements made only when hazardous movement is prevented and the work is controlled?

Common Errors and Corrections

Error	Likely result	Better practice
Working too cold	Cracks, excessive machine load, poor surface flow	Reheat within the approved process window
Overheating	Heavy scale, decarburisation, grain damage or burning	Control the fire or furnace and follow material-specific limits
Taking one very deep reduction	Folds, unstable stock, severe distortion	Use progressive reductions and reposition the work
Failing to rotate square stock consistently	Diamond section, fins or twist	Use deliberate quarter-turns and check section frequently
Tongs do not fit	Loss of control, kickback or dropped hot stock	Use correctly fitted tongs or approved holding equipment
Stock placed partly off the die	Uncontrolled bending or ejection	Establish stable die contact before applying force
Measuring while hazardous movement remains possible	Crush-zone exposure	Use the local measuring state and designated safe position
Ignoring scale on dies	Scale pressed into surface, inconsistent contact	Use the approved scale-control method with the machine in a safe state
Chasing size after the section is already too small	Scrap or weak part	Measure earlier and leave a controlled finishing allowance
Improvised die or tool	Tool failure, misalignment, ejection	Use approved, secure tooling designed for the machine and task

Quality Criteria

A good machine-forged part is judged against the drawing, sample, customer requirement or process specification. There is no single tolerance suitable for every artistic or engineering forging.

Quality feature	What you inspect	Typical evidence
Dimensions	Length, width, thickness, section and hole size where relevant	Rule, calliper, gauge or template
Geometry	Straightness, symmetry, squareness, radius and taper	Surface plate, square, template or visual comparison
Transitions	Smooth changes of section without unintended sharp stress raisers	Visual and tactile inspection when cool
Surface	No excessive scale pits, laps, cold shuts or uncontrolled tool marks	Cleaned visual inspection
Integrity	No visible cracks, splits or burned areas	Visual inspection and further specified testing if required
Repeatability	Matching parts are consistent enough for assembly and appearance	Batch comparison or jig
Allowance	Sufficient material remains for later machining, fitting or finishing where specified	Drawing and measurement

Key defects: A lap is a folded-over surface defect that is not properly bonded. A cold shut is a seam where two surfaces meet without sound bonding. A crack is a fracture and should not be disguised by grinding. If a defect affects function, safety or customer requirements, the part must be rejected or repaired only under an approved procedure.

For production die forgings, a relevant standard or customer specification may define dimensional tolerances. For artistic work, the drawing, template and visual standard may be more appropriate.

Historical and Contemporary Perspective

This 1943 US photograph documents industrial open-die forging under a steam drop hammer. It illustrates the long history of mechanised forging, but it must not be used as a modern UK safeguarding model.

Modern artist-blacksmiths combine hand processes with power hammers, presses, fabrication, welding, machining and digital design. The craft decision is not whether a process is old or new, but whether it is appropriate to the design, material, structural requirement, finish and context of the work.

The British Artist Blacksmiths Association continues to promote contemporary artist blacksmithing and runs skills activities, including power-hammer technique and tooling events. British Artist Blacksmiths Association

This UK festival video is useful for observing the range of contemporary artist-blacksmithing outcomes. It is included for design context, not as machine-operation instruction.

Sustainability and Resource Efficiency

Machine forging can save labour and produce efficient near-net forms, but it also uses energy and can create scale, noise, scrap and consumable waste. Sustainable practice starts with process planning rather than a single fuel choice.

Stock planning: Calculate blanks and forging allowances so you do not heat or cut more metal than needed.
Material traceability: Keep known grades separate so useful offcuts can be reused safely for suitable work.
Heat efficiency: Match the heated length to the operation, avoid unnecessary soaking and shut equipment down when the work plan allows.
Rework reduction: Use gauges, jigs and progressive inspection so errors are found before a part becomes scrap.
Tool life: Maintain dies, tongs and machine alignment so worn tooling does not create defects or waste energy.
Waste segregation: Separate steel scrap and other recyclable metals; manage scale, oils, lubricants and contaminated waste according to workplace procedures.
Durability: Design forged products for long service, repair and maintainability where appropriate.
Noise and neighbour impact: Maintain foundations and equipment, schedule noisy work responsibly and use engineering controls where practicable.
Energy context: Compare gas, electricity, induction, solid fuel and hydraulic power using actual local energy sources, efficiency and process needs rather than assuming one technology is always best.

A well-made gate hinge, railing component or fire tool that lasts for decades can be a strong sustainability outcome, especially when the process minimises rejected parts and unnecessary finishing.

Glossary

Term	Practitioner meaning in this module
Anvil block	The massive lower support or anvil component that carries the lower die on many forging hammers
Billet	A cut piece of stock prepared as the starting blank for forging
Cold shut	A seam formed when metal surfaces meet without sound bonding
Die	The working tool or shaped surface that contacts the workpiece in a hammer or press
Drawing out	Lengthening stock by reducing its cross-section
Edging	Gathering material into a selected region before further forging
Forging allowance	Extra material or dimension intentionally left for later forming, finishing or machining
Fuller	A tool with a rounded or narrow working form that concentrates deformation
Fullering	Using concentrated tool contact to spread metal away from a local zone
Heat	One heating cycle of a workpiece before it is returned to the forge or furnace
Impression die	A shaped die cavity that controls much of the forged geometry
Lap	A folded surface defect that has not bonded soundly
Open-die forging	Forging in which the work is not fully enclosed and is moved between relatively open tools
Power hammer	A powered forging hammer that delivers repeated impacts through a moving ram
Press forging	Forging by slower sustained force, typically with a hydraulic press in a craft shop
Ram	The reciprocating moving member that carries the upper die or tool
Reins	The long handles of blacksmith's tongs
Scale	Oxide formed on hot metal exposed to air
Stock	Raw bar, plate or billet from which the forging is made
Swage	A shaped tool used to form a repeated radius or profile
Tongs	Holding tools designed to control hot stock while keeping hands away from the work
Upsetting	Shortening stock to increase its cross-section locally or overall

Reflection

Use these prompts for a tutor-led discussion or learning journal:

Why can a machine make an experienced smith more productive while making an inexperienced error more serious?
Which part of a machine-forging sequence is controlled mainly by material knowledge, and which part mainly by machine-specific knowledge?
How would you tell whether a defect came from poor heat control, poor stock positioning or poor tooling?
When would a press be preferable to a power hammer for a decorative component, and what trade-off would that create?
Which sustainability improvement in your own workshop would reduce both cost and risk?

Interactive Tasks

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

What is the main forming action of a power hammer? (Repeated impact blows) (!A continuous rolling action) (!A cutting action only) (!An abrasive grinding action)

What is the main forming action of a hydraulic forging press? (A controlled squeeze) (!A rotating cut) (!A grinding pass) (!A spring rebound only)

What does drawing out do to hot stock? (It increases length and reduces section) (!It decreases length and increases section) (!It removes scale by cutting) (!It hardens steel without deformation)

Why should tongs fit the stock correctly? (To maintain secure control of hot work) (!To increase scale formation) (!To replace machine guarding) (!To make reheating unnecessary)

What is the safest response to unexpected machine behaviour? (Stop and follow the local safe shutdown procedure) (!Reach into the dies to inspect it) (!Continue until the heat is finished) (!Increase the machine force)

What is fullering used for? (To concentrate deformation in a local zone) (!To measure noise exposure) (!To remove a machine guard) (!To identify steel by sparks)

Which statement best matches PUWER principles? (Equipment must be suitable safe maintained and used by trained people) (!Any old machine may be used without assessment) (!PPE replaces the need for machine safeguards) (!Training is optional for powered forging equipment)

What is a cold shut in a forging? (A seam where surfaces meet without sound bonding) (!A deliberate polished edge) (!A normal layer of loose scale) (!A measuring mark on a template)

Which action best reduces material waste? (Plan blanks and inspect progressively) (!Overheat every billet) (!Use unknown scrap for all jobs) (!Forge every part oversize without checking)

What does completion of this module certify? (It certifies no machine operating competence by itself) (!It grants a UK wide blacksmith licence) (!It replaces employer training) (!It guarantees international qualification equivalence)

Memory Game

Drawing	Lengthening stock by reducing its cross-section
Upsetting	Shortening stock to increase its cross-section
Fuller	Tool that concentrates force into a local zone
Scale	Oxide layer formed on heated metal
Ram	Moving machine member that carries the upper tool
Tongs	Holding tool used to control hot stock
Die	Working surface that directly forms the hot metal
Isolation	Safe separation from hazardous energy before intervention

Drag and Drop

Match the correct terms.	Topic
Repeated impact	Power hammer action
Sustained squeeze	Hydraulic press action
Longer and thinner	Drawing out result
Shorter and thicker	Upsetting result
Known grade and condition	Preferred training stock

...

Crossword Puzzle

Fullering	Which forging operation concentrates deformation in a local zone?
Upsetting	Which operation shortens stock and increases its section?
Tongs	What holding tool keeps hands away from hot stock?
Scale	What oxide layer forms on hot steel exposed to air?
Isolation	What safety state separates machinery from hazardous energy before intervention?
Forging	What process shapes metal by plastic deformation under compressive force?

LearningApps

Cloze Text

A power hammer shapes hot metal by repeated

. A hydraulic forging press applies a slower controlled

. Drawing out makes a section longer while reducing its

. Upsetting makes a section shorter while increasing its

. Correctly fitted

help the operator control hot stock without placing hands in the die area. Hot steel forms an oxide layer called

when exposed to air. Before maintenance or entry into a danger zone, hazardous energy must be controlled by an approved

procedure. Finished forgings are checked against the drawing for dimensions, geometry, surface condition and visible

.

Open-Ended Tasks

Easy

Machine-forging vocabulary card: Create an illustrated one-page vocabulary sheet for power hammer, press, ram, die, tongs, drawing out and upsetting using your own diagrams rather than copying a machine manual.
Cold metal-flow model: Use modelling clay or plasticine to demonstrate drawing out and upsetting without heat or machinery; photograph the before-and-after shapes and explain where the material moved.
Workshop observation map: During a supervised workshop visit, sketch the safe movement routes around a power hammer or press, marking hot-work resting areas, exclusion zones and emergency controls without operating the machine.
Quality comparison: Compare two cooled sample forgings supplied by your tutor and write a short note identifying differences in taper, straightness, surface and consistency.

Standard

Forging process storyboard: Produce a six-frame storyboard for a machine-forged gate-rail taper, showing planning, heating, progressive reduction, reheating, gauging and final inspection; include a safety control in every frame.
Practitioner interview: Interview a qualified blacksmith, technician or instructor about when they choose a power hammer instead of a press; record the reasons, common errors and one lesson they wish beginners understood.
Supervised demonstration video analysis: With permission, record or use tutor-provided footage of a supervised machine-forging demonstration and annotate stock orientation, reduction sequence, reheating decisions and inspection points; do not operate machinery for the purpose of filming.
Waste audit: Observe one approved forging session and estimate where material, fuel, electricity and time are lost through scale, overlong heats, scrap or rework; propose three realistic improvements.

Advanced

Process plan for a repeated component: Develop a process sheet for a small batch of decorative forged parts, specifying known material, blank preparation, machine choice, tooling concept, heat sequence, inspection stages and hold points for supervisor approval.
Risk-control review: Using your workplace or training provider's real risk assessment under supervision, choose one machine-forging hazard and evaluate whether elimination, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE are used in a sensible hierarchy.
Defect investigation: Analyse a tutor-supplied rejected forging and build a cause tree linking possible heat, tooling, material and stock-manipulation causes to the observed defect; propose checks that would confirm or reject each cause.
Expert-review microproject: Design a small forged architectural component, produce a drawing and cold mock-up, then present your proposed machine-forging route to an experienced blacksmith for critique before any hot work is attempted.

Learning Assessment

Process reasoning assessment: Given a drawing for a tapered rail, explain how material must move, where reheating is likely and why a power hammer or press would be selected.
Safety transfer assessment: Given a scenario in which a billet becomes trapped between dies, explain why normal controls and emergency stopping are not the same as isolation and describe the decision path for obtaining competent help.
Quality diagnosis assessment: Examine a cooled forging with a lap, an uneven taper and excessive scale, then separate likely causes from symptoms and propose preventive process changes.
Production planning assessment: Plan ten matching forged components so that stock cutting, heating sequence, gauges and inspection reduce variation and waste without increasing exposure to the machine danger zone.
Standards and scope assessment: Explain why a British Standard for a defined type of hot-forging press cannot automatically be treated as the operating procedure for every power hammer or every artistic forging.
Sustainability transfer assessment: Compare two plausible workshop process routes for the same part and justify which uses less material and energy while preserving quality and safety.

Evidence of Learning

Evidence type	What strong evidence looks like
Knowledge	You can explain impact versus squeeze forging, material flow, heat loss, scale, core operations and the purpose of common machine-forging tools.
Safety reasoning	You can identify the crush zone, ejection hazards, hot-work hazards, noise, handling and stored energy, then match them to controls without relying on PPE alone.
Process skill	Under authorised supervision, you can follow a planned sequence, maintain stable stock orientation, recognise when to reheat and stop for safe gauging.
Quality judgement	You can compare a cooled part with its drawing or template and identify dimensional, geometric and surface deviations using correct vocabulary.
Products	Your portfolio contains a process plan, annotated observation record, quality inspection, risk-control analysis and sustainability improvement proposal.
Transfer	You can adapt the reasoning to a new forged component while checking material, machine, tooling, local rules and supervisor approval rather than assuming the previous setup is transferable.
Professional behaviour	You stop when uncertain, report defects, respect exclusion zones, keep records accurately and treat official rules and workplace instructions as controlling documents.

Official References and Further Reading

Great Britain occupational safety:

England vocational reference:

Skills England: Blacksmith ST0378 version 1.1

United Kingdom standards references:

Professional context:

British Artist Blacksmiths Association

All legal, standard and qualification information should be rechecked at the point of use because editions, guidance and delivery arrangements can change.

Media and Licensing Notes

The Wikimedia Commons files embedded in this course are used because their description pages identify an open licence or public-domain status. Check each file page for the exact author, licence and attribution requirements before reuse outside Wikimedia.

The YouTube embeds are freely viewable examples from HSE, practitioners or manufacturers. They are not assumed to carry an open-content licence, and the course does not claim ownership of them. Manufacturer and overseas practitioner videos are included only to observe machinery or process behaviour; UK official rules and local workplace instructions remain controlling.

Accessibility: Tutors should provide captions or transcripts for video where needed, describe key visual information aloud, avoid relying on colour alone to teach temperature, and provide equivalent non-visual tasks for learners who cannot safely access a forge environment.

OERs on the Topic

Useful openly accessible background includes the HSE guidance pages linked above and the Wikimedia Commons media embedded throughout the course. Wikipedia is a secondary source and should not override official safety, vocational or standards authorities.

Linked Learning Areas

Producing forged parts by machine forging

This module links practical forging with Materials science, Engineering drawing, Occupational safety, Quality assurance, Manufacturing, Design, Heritage crafts and Sustainability. The central professional habit is transfer with verification: when material, machine, tooling, workplace or jurisdiction changes, recheck the governing information instead of assuming the old method is equivalent.