自由鍛造所用的工具簡單，加工方法通用性強，生產(chǎn)準備周期短，因而應(yīng)用較為廣泛。自由鍛分為手工鍛造和機器鍛造兩種。手工鍛造只能生產(chǎn)小型鍛件，生產(chǎn)率也較低。

The tool used for free forging is simple, the versatile and the production period is short, so it is widely used. Free forging is divided into two kinds: manual forging and machine  Manual forging can only produce small forgings, and the productivity is low.

機器鍛造是自由鍛造的主要方法，可鍛造質(zhì)量達到幾百噸的大型鍛件，這使得自由鍛在重型機械制造中具有特別重要的作用。通過鍛造能消除金屬在冶煉過程中產(chǎn)生的鑄態(tài)疏松等缺陷，優(yōu)化微觀組織結(jié)構(gòu)，同時由于保存了完整的金屬流線，鍛件的機械性能一般優(yōu)于同樣材料的鑄件。例如，水輪機主軸、多拐曲軸、大型連桿、重要的齒輪零件，在工作時都承受很大的載荷，常采用自由鍛造方法生產(chǎn)毛坯，使其具有很高的力學性能.滿足使用要求。

Machine forging is the main method of free forging. It can forge large forgings with a quality of hundreds of t, which makes free forging play a very role in heavy machinery manufacturing. For example, the main shaft of a hydraulic turbine, a multi crank crankshaft, a large connecting rod, and important gear parts are subjected to heavy loads when they are working. Free forging is often used to produce blanks, so that they have high mechanical properties.

鍛造設(shè)備是指在鍛造加工中用于成形和分離的機械設(shè)備。鍛造設(shè)備包括成形用的鍛錘、機械壓力機、液壓機、螺旋壓力機和平鍛機，以及鍛造操作機、開卷機、矯正機、剪切機、等輔助設(shè)備。

Forging equipment is the mechanical equipment for forming and separating in forging. Forging equipment includes forging hammer, mechanical press, hydraulic press, screw press, forging machine, forging machine, coiler, straightening machine, shearing machine, and other auxiliary equipment.