Boilermaking, forming and welding
Forming
Forming is shaping the metal without removing material. At Dustre this includes hot forging, bending and rolling of plates.
What we do
- Open-die hot forging
- Plate bending on a press brake
- Rolling of plates and sections
Materials
Capacity, maximum dimensions and lead time on request: send the drawing. See alloys in stock.
What metal forming is
Forming is the set of processes that change the shape of the metal by plastic deformation, without removing material. At Dustre this includes open-die hot forging, plate bending on a press brake and rolling of plates and sections. Other forming processes, such as rolling, drawing and extrusion, are performed at the mills that produce the bars and plates in our stock.
Hot or cold
In hot forming, above the recrystallization temperature, the metal deforms with little force and does not work-harden; this is the case of forging. In cold forming, such as bending and rolling, the material work-hardens and becomes stronger and less ductile. Austenitic stainless and nickel alloys work-harden a lot: tight bends and severe rolling may require solution annealing afterwards, to restore ductility and corrosion resistance.
Choosing the process
Solid, thick-section parts are forged; plate parts are bent or rolled and then welded. We recommend the lowest-cost route for the geometry and alloy of the part.
What to send with a quote request
Send the drawing, the alloy, the thickness or section of the material, the quantity and the required final condition (formed, heat treated, machined).
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Frequently asked questions
Does cold forming make stainless magnetic?
It can, slightly. Austenitic stainless such as 304 and 316 forms a little martensite when heavily cold worked, and the part starts to attract a magnet in the bent regions. This does not indicate the wrong material, and solution annealing removes the effect.
Does Dustre perform this service on customer-supplied material?
Yes, as long as the alloy and the specification are defined. We can also supply the material from our stock, with EN 10204 3.1 certificate.
