Cold forging is a process used in many industries today, and is used in the manufacture of such items as wires, bolts, nails, and other metal products.
When using the cold forging process to manufacture, say, steel wire, there is always a risk of welding the wire rod sample to the tool itself when making contact in the drawing die, block, or roll stand. This issue is addressed by applying a coating such as calcium phosphate as a separating and lubricating layer. The thickness of this layer should be between 5 and 15 μm, and it perhaps goes without saying, as well, that this layer should be evenly and properly applied along the length of the wire sample as it’s being drawn.
Using an XRF instrument to regularly check this calcium phosphate layer provides the manufacturer with a quick, precise, and non-destructive method for quality control. And it’s not just about the item being produced, either: the lubricant layer also prevents damage to the manufacturing tools themselves.
Something to consider if cold forging is your chosen method of manufacture.