Chipless Forming Processes – Efficient and Sustainable Metal Processing Without Material Waste

Chipless forming reshapes metals without material removal, significantly enhancing resource efficiency. The process requires less energy than machining because no high temperatures are necessary. By reducing processing steps, production times are shortened, and tool wear is reduced. The result: an especially sustainable and economical manufacturing process for demanding series components.

The Processes at a Glance

Here you get an overview of proven methods:

Cold Forging

Cold forging is a highly productive process for producing rotationally symmetric parts with complex geometries. It allows manufacturing without material loss and with excellent strength properties – ideal for components where stability, repeatability, and dimensional accuracy are demanded.

Deep Drawing

In deep drawing, a sheet metal blank is pressed into a die using a punch, transforming it into a deeper, usually cup-like shape without tearing the material. The process is particularly suitable for rotationally symmetric or box-shaped geometries.

Tooth Forming by Forming

Complex gears can be cost-effectively produced through chipless processes. This forming method is often combined with others to produce complete components in one operation – for example, gear parts or drive components.

Progressive Die / Multi-Stage Press Forming

With this method, several forming operations can be combined in a single process step. This results in complex components with high functional integration and excellent series quality.

Chipless Forming Processes @Walter Schneider: Advantages, Disadvantages & Applications

Procedure	Advantages	Disadvantages	Applications
Cold forging	No material loss High strength and dimensional accuracy Very high repeatability Ideal for complex rotationally symmetric components High productivity in series production	Only suitable for certain geometries Relatively high tool costs Complex process design required	Connection elements Gear parts Fastening elements Housings made of stainless steel, copper, and special alloys
Forming Gears via Chipless Methods	Cost-effective production of gears High dimensional accuracy Combinable with other methods	Limited geometries Special tools required	Gear parts Drive components Gears
Progressive die / multi-stage presses	Combination of several forming steps High functional integration Excellent series quality High output	Complex tool design Higher start-up costs Only economical for high volumes	Structural parts Engine components Connection elements

Cold Forging in Detail

Cold forging is one of the most powerful chipless metal forming methods and impresses with its exceptional efficiency, precision, and material utilization. A metal blank is pressed into a tool at room temperature under very high pressure, plastically deforming the material without raising the material temperature significantly.

Why Cold Forging Is Particularly Powerful:

Material Efficiency The method usually involves no material loss. The entire volume of the starting material is transformed into the finished component – a clear advantage over machining methods such as turning or milling.
High Strength Through plastic deformation, strain hardening occurs, significantly increasing the strength and fatigue resistance of the component – without additional heat treatment.
Dimensional Accuracy and Repeatability The method allows for tight tolerances and high reproducibility over millions of cycles.
Mass Production Cold forging is ideal for cost-effective manufacturing of large quantities while maintaining consistently high quality.
Post-Processing-Free The parts are often ready for installation, saving additional processing and control steps.

Our Portfolio in the Field of Chipless Forming

Specialization in Cold Forging

Walter Schneider GmbH is an expert in chipless solid forming at room temperature. Our focus is on cold forging, with which we produce rotationally symmetric, complex precision parts in series – material-efficient, precise, and economical.

Materials and Manufacturing Expertise

We process high-demand metals such as:

Steel
Copper and lead-free copper alloys
Special alloys

Our own tool development, combined with powerful manufacturing, ensures the highest process stability and repeatability.

Typical Application Areas

Cold extrusion is particularly suitable for rotationally or axially symmetrical components with complex geometry – for example:

Connecting elements (e.g., bolts, screws, axles)
Drive components (e.g., gears, transmission parts)
Parts in electrical engineering (e.g., contacts, sockets)
Components for the automotive industry, medical technology, hydraulics, and mechanical engineering

Why Us? – Your Advantages With Walter Schneider

You receive permanently stable components – without predetermined breaking points

Thanks to cold extrusion, components with a continuous grain structure and high material density are created. Unlike machining processes such as CNC milling or turning, there are no weaknesses due to fiber interruption – this increases lifespan and minimizes subsequent material failure. Walter Schneider manufactures these parts with specially developed tools on company-owned presses, ensuring quality and repeatability.

You save development costs through our design know-how

Many customers come with an idea or drawing but don’t know how to implement the component economically. Walter Schneider takes the initiative early: The company supports you in feasibility analysis, develops its own tools in-house, and optimally coordinates component geometry and manufacturing steps. This results in precise components that can be manufactured cost-effectively – including subsequent processes such as vibratory finishing or heat treatments (e.g., solution annealing for aluminum).

You benefit from cost-secure manufacturing despite expensive raw materials

Especially with increased material and energy costs, it is crucial to use every gram of material optimally. Walter Schneider relies on chipless processes where practically no waste is produced. By eliminating wire remnants and punch scraps, raw materials are processed as efficiently as possible – even with demanding materials such as stainless steel or lead-free copper.

You get complex components from a single source – accurate and reproducible

Our company combines backward, forward, and lateral cold extrusion to economically produce complex, partially asymmetrical parts in series. With digitally supported quality assurance (CAQ) including first and last piece inspection, dimensional accuracy is ensured even over large quantities. The integration of forming and subsequent processes ensures stable quality with reduced throughput time.

You avoid unnecessary assemblies with function-integrated single parts

Instead of several joined or screwed individual parts, Walter Schneider can produce highly integrated components – such as toothed, rotationally symmetrical, or functionally complex parts that would otherwise only be produced with great effort by milling or turning. This significantly reduces assembly effort and sources of error in the final application.

Contact

Whether initial idea, finished drawing or complex component – we support you from development to series production. Benefit from our experience in cold extrusion and speak with a dedicated contact person about your project.