Kucie

Kucie is a metalworking process in which a workpiece is shaped by plastic deformation caused by hammering or pressing, usually while the metal is heated to a forging temperature. The term derives from kuć, to hammer, and is used to distinguish forging from cutting or melting processes such as casting.

It includes hot forging, performed above the material’s recrystallization temperature, and cold forging, carried out at or near room temperature. Hot forging enables large reductions in cross-section and a refined grain structure, while cold forging can produce high strength and excellent surface finish but requires greater force and rigid tooling.

Common methods are open-die forging, where the billet is shaped by repeated blows against simple dies, and closed-die or impression-die forging, which uses cavities to produce near-net shapes. Other techniques involve upsetting, draw forming, or extrusion-based steps. The process generally requires heating, shaping on a forge or press, and finishing operations such as heat treatment and machining.

Materials typically forged include steel and stainless steel, aluminum alloys, copper, and titanium. Benefits of kucie include improved grain structure, enhanced mechanical properties, and the ability to produce strong, fatigue-resistant parts with relatively good tolerances. Disadvantages include high equipment and tooling costs and the need for skilled labor. Kucie remains a fundamental method in manufacturing and metalcraft.