A pilot assembly and method has a cylindrical pilot body with a tapered outer end, a grooved inner end, and a central portion with at least one inwardly curved side wall relief, as well as internally mounted reciprocating ejector pins with outer ends that protrude through holes in the outer body end to strip stock from the pilot. A spring has its outer end mounted in the groove in the outer body end, and an inner end attached to the inner body end in a pre-tensed condition. A cap screw has an enlarged head that has at least a portion thereof fit into the pilot sidewall relief, and a threaded shank that anchors the pilot in an associated die member.

A forging die apparatus includes: an upper mold holder installed to be movable in a vertical direction, an upper mold detachably installed in the upper mold holder, a lower mold holder installed to be movable in the vertical direction, a lower mold detachably installed in the lower mold holder, and a stopper unit detachably installed in one of the upper mold holder and the lower mold holder to selectively restrain the vertical movement of the one of the upper mold holder and the lower mold holder in which the stopper unit is installed.

A pilot assembly and method has a cylindrical pilot body with a tapered outer end, a grooved inner end, and a central portion with at least one inwardly curved side wall relief, as well as internally mounted reciprocating ejector pins with outer ends that protrude through holes in the outer body end to strip stock from the pilot. A spring has its outer end mounted in the groove in the outer body end, and an inner end attached to the inner body end in a pre-tensed condition. A cap screw has an enlarged head that has at least a portion thereof fit into the pilot sidewall relief, and a threaded shank that anchors the pilot in an associated die member.

A pilot assembly and method has a cylindrical pilot body with a tapered outer end, a grooved inner end, and a central portion with at least one inwardly curved side wall relief, as well as internally mounted reciprocating ejector pins with outer ends that protrude through holes in the outer body end to strip stock from the pilot. A spring has its outer end mounted in the groove in the outer body end, and an inner end attached to the inner body end in a pre-tensed condition. A cap screw has an enlarged head that has at least a portion thereof fit into the pilot sidewall relief, and a threaded shank that anchors the pilot in an associated die member.

A thin plate-shaped substrate molding device for pressing molding a pre-molded article to a prescribed irregular shape. The thin plate-shaped substrate molding device comprises a first die, a second die, a plurality of tensioning portions and a controller. The first and second dies are movably disposed to be moved towards and away from each other. The second die has protruding portions that protrude towards the first die for forming stretched portions and forming bent portions. The controller controls the first die, the second die and the tensioning portions. The bent portions are tensioned and stretched by the tensioning portions, while the stretched portions of the pre-molded article are still pressed by the first die and the protruding portions of the second die, to impart the shape of the protruding portions to the pre-molded article along the side edges of the protruding portions.

A thin plate-shaped substrate molding device for pressing molding a pre-molded article to a prescribed irregular shape. The thin plate-shaped substrate molding device comprises a first die, a second die, a plurality of tensioning portions and a controller. The first and second dies are movably disposed to be moved towards and away from each other. The second die has protruding portions that protrude towards the first die for forming stretched portions and forming bent portions. The controller controls the first die, the second die and the tensioning portions. The bent portions are tensioned and stretched by the tensioning portions, while the stretched portions of the pre-molded article are still pressed by the first die and the protruding portions of the second die, to impart the shape of the protruding portions to the pre-molded article along the side edges of the protruding portions.

A forging die apparatus includes: an upper mold holder installed to be movable in a vertical direction, an upper mold detachably installed in the upper mold holder, a lower mold holder installed to be movable in the vertical direction, a lower mold detachably installed in the lower mold holder, and a stopper unit detachably installed in one of the upper mold holder and the lower mold holder to selectively restrain the vertical movement of the one of the upper mold holder and the lower mold holder in which the stopper unit is installed.

A cycle is repeated a plurality of times, which includes a forging process for placing a material to be forged in a lower die and pressing the material to be forged in this state and then separating an upper die from the material to be forged; an elevation process for lifting the material to be forged by using an elevation device to separate the material to be forged from the lower die; a rotation process for rotating the material to be forged around its center by using a rotation device; and a lowering process for placing the material to be forged rotated by the elevation device in the lower die.

A forging method according to the present invention includes the steps of placing a work having a first shape which is a rectangular hexahedron in a work space of a forging die which has a rectangular opening, which is formed by rectangular plane wall portions, and which is provided with the work space to hold the work in a placement step and applying a plastic strain to the work by deforming the placed work into a second shape which is a rectangular hexahedron in a working step, with the placement step and the working step being performed at least two times.

A forging method according to the present invention includes the steps of placing a work having a first shape which is a rectangular hexahedron in a work space of a forging die which has a rectangular opening, which is formed by rectangular plane wall portions, and which is provided with the work space to hold the work in a placement step and applying a plastic strain to the work by deforming the placed work into a second shape which is a rectangular hexahedron in a working step, with the placement step and the working step being performed at least two times.