A review of the degradation mechanisms of the hot forging tools

The mechanisms of the degradation of hot forging tools and several mathematical models for the theoretical evaluation of them are described. Examples of abrasive wear, oxidization, thermomechanical fatigue and plastic deformation and the interdependences between them, based on the authors’ research, are provided. According to the presented research the commonly accepted view that abrasive wear is the dominant mechanism in the degradation of the dies in hot forging is highly dubious. The effect of each of the above phenomena on the life of forging dies is generally considered separately and there is no holistic description of the physical wear process, which would cover all the phenomena simultaneously. In reality, the degradation phenomena occur simultaneously and interact with each other.