Heading (metalworking)

Heading is a metalworking process which incorporates the forging, extruding and upsetting process.^[1] It is often performed in the cold state, resulting in cold working. This process produces a near net shape workpiece, which means the final product is almost finished.

An important consideration in heading is the tendency for the bar to buckle if its unsupported length to diameter ratio is too high. This ratio usually is limited to less than 3:1 but with appropriate dies, it can be higher.

Older machines are known as single-stroke headers, while newer machines are known as double-stroke headers, because they have two strokes; one stroke moves the workpiece into the machine and the second heads the workpiece.

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