Cold Heading
Cold heading is the process by which the heads of small, simple parts are produced. The cold heading process is used to make the heads, or fasteners, on cylindrical parts. These parts, which include screws and bolts, are called fasteners because they secure two components together. Cold forming is not practical for the manufacture of complex parts, but it is an economical solution for producing simple parts like metal fasteners.
Unlike traditional metalworking processes, cold heading does not use heat to shape metal. Instead, high pressure is applied to the metal blank in order to form a head; this force must exceed the material's elastic limit in order to make the metal flexible. Because the cold heading process does not cut away material in order to form the metal part, cold forming is an efficient process that results in a minimum amount of waste product.
Cold headed parts are used as fasteners for products and machines in just about every residential, commercial, and industrial setting. Due to their versatility, fasteners are used in almost every industry, including construction, hardware, agriculture, furniture, and manufacturing.