Process flow

           Forging Services

The forging metal forming process has been practiced since the Bronze Age. Hammering metal by hand can be dated back over 4000 years ago. The purpose, as it still is today, was to change the shape and/or properties of metal into useful tools.

Forging changes the size and shape, but not the volume, of a part. Our Open Die process is still the preferred method for individual forgings. This process results in: metallurgical soundness and improved mechanical properties. Strength, toughness, and general durability depend upon the way the grain is placed. Hammer forging can produce a wide variety of shapes and sizes and, if sufficiently reduced, can create a high degree of grain refinement at the same time.

Heat Treating Services

We heat treat metals in an attempt to optimise the mechanical and physical properties for a given application. Most people think of heat treatment as a process for hardening metal. This is not necessarily so, as many heat treatments are applied to soften metal in order to allow metal working operations such as deep drawing, cold forging and machining.

Where increased strength and wear resistance is required, hardening and tempering treatments are given. Extremely hard steels find applications in cutting tools where highly defined edges must be maintained and heat treatment of these steels is a critical operation. Hard surfaces with ductile base material may be developed by heat treatment.

There are also the solution heat treatments and ageing processes designed to increase the strength of some non-ferrous metals and precipitation hardening steels.

Heat treatment is a significant part of the forging process. By keeping heat-treating in house, Lead Machinery can control the variables of delivery and documentation. Electronically controlled furnaces insure the temperatures and accuracy of heat treatment.

Machining Services

One way to control costs, speed up production schedules, and improve accountability is to take advantage of Lead Machinery's machining capabilities. Turning, boring and milling is performed by experienced professionals using the finest equipment.

Rough machining rings, bars, blocks, hubs, and step-down shafts to near net shapes, your machining time is significantly reduced. Plus, rough machined parts weigh less and cost less to ship, so you pay only for the part you ordered, not for the portion that is machined away.

Lead Machinery's machining capabilities save you purchasing, transit and expediting time, as well as additional shipping and vendor mark-up costs. Keeping your job under one roof allows you to find out the up- to- the- minute status of your order with one call or email. Finish machining services are also available, send us your drawing for a quick and accurate quote.

Finishing Services

Lead Machinery offer finish machining per your requirement. With no tooling charge, flexible delivery and material availability, one purchase order and one vendor makes Lead Machinery a wise choice. We can take your Cad drawing or physical drawing to finished part allowing you to make one call for trace-abilty. Proto-type parts are our specialty. Forged parts also offer refined grain structures, and offer endless possibilities in configurations.

Machining down from solid bar causes loss of excess material, and cost of material turned into chips. Machining in this manner causes the grain flow to be exposed, making the material susceptible to metal fatigue. Forging produces a contoured grain flow on most parts, yielding greater impact and directional strength. Machining time will be greatly reduced freeing up production time and maintaining workflow.

Destructive Testing Services

Destructive testing is the process of testing, and inspecting a part for the purpose of determining conformance with applicable design and process requirements.

The process of sample testing is used to ensure that a high reliability part or device is produced to the required standards. Destructive Physical Analysis is also used effectively to discover process defects for troublesome production lot problems.

Lead Machinery, an ISO 2001 certified company also works to ASTM, ASME, DIN, BS,JIS and EURONORM, and Military specifications, as well as customer specifications..

• Charpy Impact Testing

• Tensile Testing

• Chemical Analysis

• Metallurgical Evaluation

• Failure Analysis

• Hardness Testing

• Macrostructure Testing

• Stress Rupture Testing

Non Destructive Testing Services

What Is Not Nondestructive Testing?

Nondestructive testing asks "Is there something wrong with this material?" By using one or more of the following: X-ray, Ultrasonic, Magenetic Particle, or Liquid Penetrant Testing, we can "look into" a part to better determine its structural integrity, without affecting a change in the part.