Tooling, Metalworking and Wear Parts
Components and Hydraulics from One Supplier
Hydroforce makes hydraulic cylinders, motors and pumps, machined tooling components and gears, die-cast housings, sintered and MIM parts, and carbide wear parts for cutting tool production, wire drawing, stamping and forming presses, moulds and die-casting dies, powder compaction presses, and abrasive blasting and waterjet cutting.
Why Tooling Wears Parts Differently
Wear here means abrasion in a wire-drawing die bore, erosion in a blasting nozzle or a waterjet focusing tube, galling on a guide bushing or a mould slide, and edge chipping on a cutting tool insert under an interrupted cut. These parts seldom break. Material wears off the bore or the edge a little at a time, the loss cannot be seen, and the part stays in service while its size changes.
A die, a nozzle or a bushing is therefore replaced when a measured dimension reaches its limit. Blasting nozzles show the effect in figures. A new standard No. 4 nozzle has a 1/4 in (6.35 mm) bore and uses about 81 CFM at 100 psi. After the bore has grown to 5/16 in (7.9 mm), 1.6 mm larger while the nozzle still looks normal, it takes close to 137 CFM at the same pressure. The compressor was sized for the new nozzle and now has to supply close to 70% more air. Published replacement limits lie between 0.8 and 1.6 mm of bore growth, and only a bore gauge shows when a nozzle has reached them.
In a waterjet focusing tube the bore grows by roughly 2.5 µm per hour of cutting. In one survey of discarded tubes, about 85% had been taken out of service because the bore had worn. A carbide part costs more than a hardened steel one, and the difference is usually smaller than the cost of one unplanned stop to change a worn part together with the scrap made before the wear was measured. How long a part stays within size depends on the grade. In the ISO 513 range K01 is fine-grained and hard, and K40 has more cobalt and more toughness for interrupted cuts and impact wear, so the grade for each duty is a compromise between hardness and toughness.
Hydroforce has its own tool room for die casting, powder metallurgy and MIM, and sinters and grinds carbide in-house. The shop that presses and sinters a wear part also grinds the die it is pressed in, and one drawing sets the grade, finish and fit for both.
By Type of Equipment
Built for Every Toolroom and Every Production Line
Cutting tool production
carbide blanks and inserts across the K, P and M grade range, diamond ground to ±0.01 mm and Ra 0.1–0.4 µm, with PVD/CVD coating (TiN, TiAlN, Al₂O₃) where the cutting duty calls for it.
Wire drawing
precision carbide dies for wire and spring drawing lines, ground and polished so the bore keeps a fine finish over a long run on a capstan or multi-block machine.
Stamping and forming presses
press cylinders with forged rod-eye ends, hydraulic die-cushion cylinders mounted under the bolster, and carbide wear plates and inserts at the high-wear points of the forming die.
Moulds and die-casting dies
core-pull cylinders on the moving half, carbide guide bushings and ejector-pin bushings at the wear points, sintered and MIM small parts for slide and ejector mechanisms.
Powder compaction presses
cemented carbide dies and punches sized to the die table, ground to hold their bore through repeated compaction cycles up to 800 MPa.
Abrasive blasting and waterjet cutting
carbide blasting nozzles and mixing tubes, and waterjet focusing tubes, bored and finished so the diameter stays in size for hundreds of hours of service.
What We Make for Tool Rooms
Six Technologies for Toolmakers, Die Shops and Wear Part Buyers
Hydraulic Cylinders
Bore 20–1000 mm, working pressure up to 500 bar, stroke 6000 mm and beyond, total length up to 16000 mm, operating temperature from -50°C to +200°C; double-acting, single-acting, telescopic and plunger designs. A press cylinder or a die-cushion cylinder under a stamping press cycles through the working life of the machine, and its service life usually ends with fatigue at the rod-eye. We forge the rod-eye from the same bar as the rod, so the joint has no weld. A forged joint has 3–5× higher fatigue resistance than a welded assembly. After hard chrome plating the rods are ground, and rods for high-cycle duty are superfinished to Ra ≤ 0.1 µm to extend seal life. Every cylinder is pressure tested at 1.5× working pressure for at least five minutes before it leaves the workshop.
Typical parts
- Press cylinders with forged rod-eye ends for stamping and forming presses
- Hydraulic die-cushion cylinders mounted under the press bolster
- Core-pull cylinders for die-casting and injection moulds
- Cylinders with integrated pressure and stroke sensors for process monitoring
Hydraulic Motors and Pumps
Gear, planetary, axial-piston and radial-piston motors with displacement from 0.25 to 8000 cc/rev, working pressure up to 450 bar, speed from 0.5 to 12000 rpm and operating temperature from -40°C to +120°C. In a tool room the main use is the power unit that drives a press or a compaction machine, where a gear pump at moderate speed and pressure suits the duty. Mounting flanges follow SAE and DIN, so a replacement pump fits the original power unit without an adapter. Each unit gets a functional test and a pressure test against the catalogue values before dispatch.
Typical applications
- Gear pumps for the hydraulic power unit of a stamping press
- Drive motors for die-cushion pumps and press ancillary equipment
- Pumps for the powder compaction press hydraulic circuit
- Replacement motors and pumps for power units already in service
Machining and Gears
Our Schiess lathes take shafts and housings up to 2 m in diameter and 16 m long, and we hold ±0.05 mm and IT6–IT7 fits on tooling and machine components. We cut and grind gears for the reducers and drives that move a press ram or a compaction table, to ISO 1328, with grade 7 the usual requirement for a loaded stage. Bushings, bearing seats and shafts for press and compaction machine mechanisms come off the same lathes and grinding machines. When a gearbox on an older machine has no drawing left, we measure the worn gear on the Zeiss Contura and cut the replacement to those measurements.
Typical parts
- Gears for press and compaction machine drives, cut and ground to ISO 1328
- Shafts, bushings and bearing seats for tooling and press mechanisms
- Precision components for hydraulic and pneumatic press systems
- Replacement gears cut from a worn sample
Aluminium Die Casting
Our tool room builds the dies for our own die-casting line in H13 or P20 tool steel, and the die for your part stays with us after it is built. On a tooling shop floor die casting has a modest place: control-panel and sensor housings for machine electronics, and small brackets and covers for fixtures and workholding, cast to ±0.1–0.3 mm with Ra 1.6–6.3 µm and finished with anodising or powder coating on request.
Typical applications
- Die-cast parts made in dies we build and keep in H13 or P20 tool steel
- Control-panel and sensor housings for shop-floor equipment
- Small brackets and covers for fixtures and workholding
- Enclosures for press and machine control panels
Powder Metallurgy and MIM
Small gears, pins, levers and wear bushings for tooling mechanisms are usually ordered in quantities where pressing and sintering the part to shape costs less than machining each one from bar, and sintering also uses up to 30% less material. Compaction pressure goes up to 800 MPa and density to 97%. Tolerance is ±0.05 mm as sintered and ±0.02 mm for MIM parts. The same pressing and sintering line already produces cylinder plugs, cams and gear sets in volumes from a few hundred pieces to millions a year for lock and security hardware, in low-alloy and stainless steels from 0.1 g (MIM) up to 250 g (PM). Where a tool or die mechanism needs a small, intricate steel part in that size range, MIM forms it complete in one shot, then hardens and finishes it to print.
Typical applications
- Sintered gears and pump gears for press and compaction drive stages
- MIM levers, cams and pins for tool and die mechanisms
- Wear-resistant bushings and small sintered components for tooling assemblies
- High-strength, wear-resistant PM and MIM parts for tooling and equipment
Cemented Carbides
Cemented carbide consists of tungsten carbide grains bonded with a cobalt or nickel binder. We sinter it in-house on our own powder metallurgy line at 1,350–1,500°C, and its hardness is 1,400–2,000 HV depending on grade. The full ISO 513 range is available, from K01–K10 fine-grained grades for finishing cuts through K40 for heavy interrupted cuts and impact wear, plus P and M grades for cutting steel and stainless. Guide bores and seal faces are diamond ground to ±0.01 mm and Ra 0.1–0.4 µm, and complex internal profiles are cut by EDM. We use hot isostatic pressing where a part needs more than 99.9% of theoretical density, and PVD/CVD coatings (TiN, TiAlN, Al₂O₃) where the cutting duty calls for a harder or more heat-resistant surface. Parts weigh from 0.001 to 300 kg and measure from Ø3 to 500 mm.
Typical applications
- Cutting tool blanks and inserts (K-grade substrates)
- Precision carbide dies for wire drawing and forming
- Carbide nozzle inserts, bushings, sleeves and seal rings
- Guide bushings and wear plates for presses and moulds
Cost Logic
Where the Budget Goes, and How We Keep the Price Down
Buyers compare a die insert or a nozzle with the last one on unit price. We put the money into the grinding accuracy and the testing that decide how long the part holds its dimension, and keep the rest of the order plain.
| We invest in | How we keep the price down |
|---|---|
| Diamond grinding to ±0.01 mm and Ra 0.1–0.4 µm on every functional bore and seal face | Standard ISO 513 grades where the duty allows, with a custom formulation reserved for duties that need one |
| Hot isostatic pressing and PVD/CVD coating on parts where the duty needs full density or a harder surface | Carbide used only at the wear edge, brazed or pressed into a steel body, everywhere the duty allows it |
| Batch testing: Rockwell hardness, metallographic microscopy, X-ray and CMM verification on every lot | One setup and one sintering or grinding run for a full batch of the same part |
| Material certificates and full documentation: EN 10204 3.1, dimensional and hardness reports | Repeat orders run on the proven grade and tool, with no re-engineering |
Aftermarket
Replacement and Repair
Tooling and wear-part enquiries often reach us as a worn part with no drawing: a wire-drawing die whose bore has opened past size, a blasting nozzle that no longer holds line pressure, or a mould cavity with a chipped edge. We measure the bore, the cavity geometry or, on a gear or a compaction punch, the tooth count, module and bore diameter. We then quote a replacement in the same envelope before any material is cut or pressed. If the original part wore faster than it should have, we say why and recommend a grade or a finish that lasts longer in the new one.
A spare seal kit is supplied on request with each hydraulic cylinder we build, whether it is a press cylinder or a die-cushion or core-pull cylinder mounted on a die. Further kits are ordered by the serial number engraved on the body. Carbide, PM and MIM parts are pressed in dedicated tooling. Once a die insert, a nozzle or a sintered gear has been quoted and made, we keep its drawing and tooling on file, and a repeat order matches the first part with no redesign.
By drawing
By worn sample
Batches for repeat orders
Seal kits by serial number
Documentation
Standards and Documentation
Components ship with material certificates, dimensional records and test protocols, referenced to the standards your tool room works to.
| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| ISO 513 | Classification of cemented carbide grades |
| ISO 5755 / ISO 22068 | Specification for sintered PM and MIM materials |
| EN 10204 3.1 | Material certificate with traceable test results, on request |
| ISO 1328 / DIN 3960 | Accuracy classes for gear tooth geometry |
| EN 1706 | Chemical composition and mechanical properties of cast aluminium alloys |
| ISO 6020 / ISO 6022 | Mounting dimensions for hydraulic cylinders, 160 bar and 250 bar series |
| ISO 4413 | Safety requirements for hydraulic systems and components |
| ISO 10100 | Acceptance tests for hydraulic cylinders |
Machine and tool safety rules apply to the complete machine or tool and are the responsibility of the builder who integrates our components. We supply the documentation for the components themselves: material certificates, dimensional reports and test protocols referenced to the standards above.
Our quality system is certified to ISO 9001:2015. More on inspection stages and equipment: Quality.
Quality
Quality Control
Every order goes through three inspection stages. We check incoming material against its certificate, and where the grade matters, for example on a carbide powder lot or a forged rod blank, we also run a spectrochemical analysis. During machining and grinding we measure with Renishaw probes on the machine and on a Zeiss Contura CMM with an error under 3 µm, checked on schedule every 45 machine hours.
Carbide parts are ground to their functional tolerance, tested for Rockwell hardness and checked under the microscope for grain size and binder distribution. Critical parts are X-rayed for internal porosity. Before a new die design is released, a trial sinter sets its shrinkage allowance. Sintered PM and MIM parts are checked for density, hardness and dimensions on every lot, with weight control on MIM green parts as an early warning of a feedstock drift. Gears cut by machining are measured for profile, lead, pitch and runout against their ISO 1328 grade, with hardness and case depth checked after heat treatment. Die-cast housings are X-rayed for porosity at bearing bosses and sealing faces before machining, and hydraulic cylinders are pressure tested at 1.5× working pressure with a leak check at every seal and a full stroke with no stick-slip. Third-party inspection can be arranged on request, and the documentation stays with the batch.
More detail: Quality.
From Hydroforce
From Our Workshop
Tungsten Carbide Nozzles and Wear Consumables: Why Service Life Beats Purchase Price
A nozzle, a bushing or a valve seat erodes from the inside and stays in service while it wears. The article shows how bore growth on a No. 4 blasting nozzle raises air demand by close to 70% and how to specify a wear part by the dimension that predicts its life.
Read more → Powder MetallurgySintered Gears: Powder Metallurgy and MIM Gear Manufacturing
Net-shape spur and helical gears, sprockets and pump gears pressed and sintered to a final density up to 97%, with MIM tolerances to ±0.02 mm for the small gears in tool and die mechanisms.
Read more → Powder MetallurgyMetal Injection Molding (MIM) and Powder Metallurgy Parts for Locks
MIM and PM gear trains, cams and levers under fifty grams, produced in one shot from a few hundred pieces to millions a year, on the same tooling and sintering line behind our sintered wear parts.
Read more →Procurement FAQ
FAQ
What documentation do you supply for tooling and wear parts?
Carbide, PM and MIM parts ship with a material certificate for the powder lot, a CMM dimensional report and, where the grade and duty call for it, a hardness or density report. Gears come with their ISO 1328 inspection report and hardness and case-depth records where heat treatment applies. Cylinders ship with EN 10204 3.1 certificates for the structural steels and a pressure test certificate. Tell us the standard your tool or machine is built to and we plan the documentation package with the order.
Can you cut a die, a nozzle or a gear from a worn sample with no drawing?
Yes. Send us the part, or photos with the bore, cavity geometry or tooth count and module. We take the geometry off the sample and quote before any material is cut or pressed. If the part wore faster than it should have, we will tell you what to change on the replacement, for example the grade, the coating or the finish, so it lasts longer this time.
We run the same die, nozzle or gear in production. Can you supply it as a batch?
Yes. Once the first part has been quoted and measured against your drawing or your sample, further units run as a batch, with the same certificates and tests on every piece and one setup for the run. The drawing and, for carbide, PM and MIM parts, the tooling stay on file, so a repeat order matches the first part with no redesign.
What is the minimum order and the lead time?
A single cylinder is fine, with the same certificates and tests as a series batch. Carbide, PM and MIM parts are pressed in dedicated tooling, so send us your volumes, from a prototype quantity to a repeat series, and we will size the tooling and quote. We quote the lead time with the offer: it depends on the grade and blank size, and on whether the part needs hot isostatic pressing or a coating before it is ground to its final dimension.
Related capabilities:
Get a Quote
Send us a drawing, a specification or a photo of the worn part with its measurements, and tell us what it is for: a cutting tool, a wire-drawing die, a stamping or forming press, a mould or die-casting die, a powder compaction press, or blasting and waterjet equipment. We will quote the carbide part, the sintered or MIM component, the machined tooling, the die-cast housing, the gear or the cylinder, made to tolerance and tested before dispatch, with the documentation your tool room needs.