Investigation of the effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue of dies in hot forging through a new simulative laboratory test

The paper presents the design, setting up and conduction of a new simulative test to study the effects of thermo-mechanical fatigue of dies in hot forging. The aim of the test is to replicate the effective operative conditions to which a die is subjected during forging. Accordingly, the test has to reproduce coupled thermal and mechanical cycles as well as high thermal gradients in the central cross section of the specimen. Results in terms of number of cycles to crack initiation are presented and discussed.