Cold forging is a manufacturing process that is performed at room temperature and is suited to softer metals such as the aluminum and copper that Cooliance uses for its heatsinks and precision metal products. The main advantages of the cold forging process are:
- products can be produced to tight tolerances
- an aesthetic surface finish removing the need for secondary finishing operations
An operator will put a piece of aluminum bar stock into the die of a cold forging press. When the press is activated, the bar stock will be 'squeezed' into the die set; taking on the shape of the die set.
Although the material started the process at room temperature, the temperature will rise to above 200°C degrees due to the friction strain rate of the blank material's deformation.
Cooliance cold forges their heatsinks out of a single piece of bar-stock to achieve maximum thermal conductivity at a low price point.