The international transition to gasoline-powered vehicles is one of the most disruptive periods in the history of the automobile industry. As countries set ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions, automakers are rushing to electrify their fleets.
The Closed Die Forging technology is a pole star in this direction. It has precision, strength, efficiency, and is well-suited to manufacturing parts for electric cars. In this article, we examine how Closed Die Forging is driving the electric revolution and enabling us to achieve a cleaner, greener future.
What Is Closed Die Forging? An Overview of the Process
Closed Die Forging (also called impression-die forging) is a manufacturing forging process where the metal is positioned and formed in dies contained in a cavity that is shaped in the form of the part. The heated metal slug is placed in the die and struck with a hammer or press until the slug fits into the cavity.
Benefits of Closed Die Forging For Electric Vehicles
Some of the main benefits of Closed Die Forging for electric vehicle parts are as follows:
Here are the primary advantages of closed die forging for electric vehicle components:
- Reduced costs as compared to the alternative methods for EV components
- Improved properties poised to meet specific application needs
- As-forged precision and less need for additional work (machining) and materials lead to reduced wastage
- Limitation of raw material (billet) wastage
- Increased quality and fewer chances of wastage
- Less material wastage
Benefits of Closed Die Forging For Automotive Components.
The main benefits of sterile die-based forging include the following:
- Reduced costs relative to other met.
- Holds improved as-forged properties poised to meet application requirements.
- As-forged precision and less need for materials and work (machining) lead to reduced wastage.
- Less waste on raw materials increased quality, and fewer chances for waste.
- Zero material waste.
Conventional manufacturing methods frequently do not meet the necessary mechanical properties and weight aspects.
Closed Die Forging As a Perfect Choice:
- Higher Mechanical Strength: Because the grain flow of forged pieces is more oriented to the shape of the piece, it can make the piece stronger and less susceptible to fatigue.
- Tolerance: The tolerance and accuracy of final parts are very high, to the point of allowing for little to no post-processing.
- Lightweight Design Compatible: Closed die forging allows for the manufacturing of thin-walled and structurally optimized geometries, reducing the weight of the part, a key performance parameter in increasing the range of EVs.
These benefits include better vehicle handling, safety, and fuel efficiency.
Critical EV Components Produced By Closed Die Forging
Some key EV components that will benefit from closed die forging technology include:
- Gearbox and Transmission Components: You can find our gears, shafts, and synchronizers for high strength and wear resistance.
- Electric Motor Parts: Shafts, castings, and couplings must be correctly fitting, precise, and durable.
- Control arms, knuckles, and tie rods: For suspension and steering, which are produced by closed-die forging, are more impact-resistant by far.
- Battery housing mounts and connectors: Battery mounting parts and connectors, which are subject to a lot of thermal and vibrational strain.
- Braking System Components: Callipers and mounts machined from forged alloy allow them to provide positive and secure stopping in any condition.
Advantages of Closed Die Forging in the Manufacture of Electric Vehicles
Closed Die Forging Technology for EV manufacturing for the following reasons:
- Increased Part Strength: Forging, which naturally aligns the metal grain flow with the part shape, results in superior part strength.
- Enhanced Production Rate: Once dies are formed, high volume production can quickly be achieved with little variability over time.
- Long-Term Cost Effectiveness: Dies have an upfront cost, but eliminate scrap and rework, which leads to decreased overall production costs.
- Material Variety: You can forge all sorts of materials—aluminium, steel, titanium—and these form the basis of EVs themselves.
This is technology that allows EV manufacturers to deliver the scale of high-quality component production they need at competitive prices.
How does it improve EV Durability and Safety?
Durability and safety are paramount in any car, and doubly so for EVs, where battery systems and innovative new drivetrain arrangements present a new set of design and structural considerations.
Closed Die Forging adds by:
- Forged components are able to cope with increased levels of shock load and avoid failure.
- Improved Fatigue Life: Orientated grains from forging tolerances offer extended product life, alternating load, and at the end of product life.
- Resists Thermal Expansion and Contraction: Perfect for electric motors and battery boxes where operating temperatures can vary.
- These attributes contribute to added safety for the end-user and increased durability throughout the vehicle’s life.
The sustainability of the closed die forging process:
- For green mobility
EVs are typically promoted for their zero emissions, but at the same time, their manufacturing footprint must be environmentally sustainable. Sustainability of closed die forging is established in multiple aspects:
- Material Utilization: Lower material waste than casting or machining.
- Energy Efficiency: Less energy per part is used in high-volume production with forging.
- Recyclable: Forged metal parts are fully recyclable, promoting the principles of the circular economy.
- Longer Lasting Products: Durable components, increased field serviceability, and longer product life mean less waste as compared to other products in the same category.
- As a match to the sustainability objectives of the EV industry, closed die forging technology is not just a manufacturing process – it is a green facilitator.
Upcoming Trends: Closed Die Forging In Next-Gen Electric Vehicles
The development of the EV is pushing the way we think about materials and production processes.
This is how Closed Die Forging is set to define the future:
- Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0) Inclusion: Real-time process and part monitoring, predictive maintenance, and the digital twin will make forging smarter and more reactive.
- Lighter EVs with Next-GenAlloys: With the need for lighter vehicles, next-gen aluminium and magnesium alloys will be forged with minimal defects.
- Custom Forging Solutions for Start-ups: As EV start-ups go mainstream, there will be a growing need for scalable and customizable forging solutions.
Conclusion
As the global push toward cleaner and more efficient mobility accelerates, automotive manufacturing technologies must evolve to meet the rising demands of performance, safety, and sustainability. Closed die forging plays a crucial role in this transformation by enabling the production of high-strength, lightweight, and precision-engineered components essential for electric vehicles (EVs).
For automakers and tier-one suppliers, adopting closed die forging is more than a strategic move—it’s a commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.
Industry leaders like Millennium Ring are at the forefront of this shift, offering advanced forging solutions that help power the future of e-mobility. By choosing the right forging partner, manufacturers can ensure they are building not just vehicles, but a sustainable tomorrow.
