Cold Forming Alloy Development

There is a wide variety of alloys that work in the cold forming process. Chances are, the alloy you want to use to build your product or prototype can be fabricated using cold forming. Aluminum, most steel and even certain grades of polycarbonate can be cold formed into precise, durable items.

Below you will find a comprehensive list of materials we find most appropriate for cold forming. We have also included some materials below that are better suited for warm forming. Where there is some variation, we have also explained why.

Generally speaking, an alloy is a good candidate for cold forming if its ductility is at least 20%.

Suitable Alloys for Cold Forming

When it comes to our secondary machining services, we pride ourselves on the wide range of metal finishing solutions we have been providing for decades. During that time, we have perfected the electroplating process. Electroplating is an industrial plating process that uses a variety of metals and alloys to improve the quality of a cold formed product.

Whether we’re cold forming your product with precious metal alloys or standard alloys, industrial plating and metal finishing are essential to a complete, high-quality product.

More Information on Our Secondary Machining Services

In addition to our leading industrial plating processes, we also offer the following metal finishing solutions:

  • Brass — While brass is a good alloy for cold forming, there are some grades that can crack or break. Be sure to confirm what type of brass you are using before deciding on the cold forming process.
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Iron — Pure iron is a suitable alloy for cold forming. Cast iron, on the other hand, is not.
  • Nickel — Much like pure iron and pure titanium, pure nickel is also great for cold forming. Make sure the ductility of your nickel is 20% or more. If you are unsure how to calculate that, we’re happy to help.
  • Palladium
  • Polycarbonate — While this can be cold formed, polycarbonate is tricky. Ductility of polycarbonate is about 1% and, in normal environments, it can last a long time. If your polycarbonate product is going to be cold formed and then used in an industrial application, consider putting a protectant coating over top or find a strip with higher ductility.
  • Platinum
  • Silver
  • Steel — Many grades of steel can be used in cold forming, but there are some grades that won’t work in this process. To be sure, please inform us of the steel you are using before we start your project.
  • Tantalum
  • Titanium

Alloys Better Suited for Warm Forming

Many of the alloys listed below are too brittle for cold forming. Brittle alloys can break or chip during the process. Always make sure to calculate the ductility of an alloy before you make plans to use cold forming or warm forming to complete your project.

  • Cast iron
  • Cobalt
  • Rhenium
  • Rhodium
  • Silicon
  • Tungsten