![]() ![]() Next in line is broaching, a specific machining process which is the most common way of sizing the open and boxed ends of the wrenches. Annealing is a form of heat treatment which alters the physical properties of the metal to soften it in preparation for the finishing steps. The forgings cool quickly on their own but are then moved on to the next step of annealing. The forging process is often only one step, but it sometimes requires more than one depending on the configuration of the wrench, and some manufacturers utilize a nitrogen atmosphere during parts of it to protect the purity of the steel from the surrounding oxygen, which could cause burns and slag. When making wrenches, more than one size may be made from the same forging. The rough forging gives you the shape you want, but not necessarily all the dimensions you need. Then it is drop forged, a process that takes the hot billet and shapes it into a rough forging. ![]() The billet, at that point just a piece of metal, is then heated close to its melting temperature. Since wrench manufacturers receive materials in large quantity, for example long steel rods, as a pre-production process these rods are cut to specific sizes, then often sand-blasted to remove any impurities that could affect the production process. Chrome Vanadium is a common material, but we all use it because of the common properties in it.”ĭean also pointed out that 6140 Chrome Vanadium has good abrasion, oxidation and corrosion resistance, and it’s conducive to future hardening, so it’s often used as a base material for products that will go through a hardening step during the manufacturing process. When you think of a wrench, it must be strong so it doesn’t distort, and it must be durable, so it doesn’t wear. “You pick a material that is going to impart the properties that the end use tool requires. The type of material you are going to make a hammer out of is different than that you are going to make a wrench out of,” said Paul Dean, VP of Operations, Gray Tools. “When you select an alloy to make a tool out of, you need to think of the end use. Strength is a characteristic that means a material can withstand a considerable force, and durability is a characteristic that means it can withstand that force over and over again. ![]() ![]() While those two aspects initially might seem to be one in the same, they are two different things. The reason is that 6140 Chrome Vanadium is a proven material for products that require both strength and durability. Most wrenches are made from an alloy steel, and more specifically, 6140 Chrome Vanadium steel. Individual companies have their own specific formulas and procedures, but the major steps of the process are generally the same. Wrenches are one of our most used tools, and they can take some serious abuse, so I thought it a perfect time to take a first-hand look at how they are made. A far cry from the hammer and anvil, today’s world of manufacturing is a fascinating subject, twisting together the evolution of science and technology into a dynamic process. Today’s tools are built to withstand levels of stress well above that of years ago, and as auto technicians, we rely on it. And that’s not the only thing that changed. In the old days, a blacksmith was known for making tools, horseshoes, wagon parts, farm implements and anything out of metal.īut by the time the automobile arrived and created the need for auto mechanics and specific automotive tools, the industrial revolution had already changed the world with the development of machines and processes to minimize manual labor and increase the output of products. There’s just something intriguing about it, from the smell of the fire to the red-hot metal to the rhythmic clanking of the hammer. It’s an artform, and a fascinating process to watch them pull red-hot metal from the forge, then a few minutes later with some skillful hammering and shaping, see an everyday object take shape. I’ve always enjoyed watching a blacksmith work. ![]()
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