Which of the following is a characteristic of cold forging?

Cold forging is characterized by being performed at or near room temperature, specifically below the recrystallization temperature of the metal being worked. This process involves deforming the material to shape it without the need for heating, which can lead to several advantageous properties in the final product.

When materials are forged at lower temperatures, they generally exhibit enhanced strength and toughness because the grain structure becomes refined. The cold work hardening that occurs during this process contributes to a denser and stronger material, as opposed to hot forging where materials are more pliable and can result in a more coarse structure.

This characteristic of cold forging not only impacts the material properties but also influences other aspects such as tooling life and the dimensional tolerances of the finished product. Cold forgings are often made to close tolerances when compared to hot forging, so they tend to be more dimensionally accurate rather than less.

In contrast, hot forging can sometimes require less force due to the decreased resistance of the heated metal, leading it to be shaped more easily. The other implications of cold forging, such as producing unstressed products or dimensional inaccuracies, do not align with the established characteristics of this process. Therefore, the statement regarding being conducted below the recrystallization temperature accurately reflects the foundational aspect