The cross-wedge rolling is an incremental metal forming process, essentially developed at high temperatures, dedicated to manufacture blanks with high quality level while realizing significant gain on yield compared to other processes. The thesis work addresses the state of the art regarding this complex technology which remains quite undeveloped in France. A synthesis based on extensive literature points out some of the governing laws along with significant parameters of the process. As the workpiece/die contact is seen to be the main concern of this process, contact pressure measurements devices have been implemented on specific dies to characterize the severity of forming efforts. Preforms with a simple diameter reduction, made of steel, titanium and copper-aluminum-based alloy, are manufactured to highlight the tribological and rheological characteristics of the part/tool couple. To demonstrate that, the condition to keep the rotational drive of parts is a key factor driving the process, many experimental tests are performed. This shows the role of surface texture to obtain defect-free parts and its influence on internal thermomechanical history. Many difficulties related to tool set-up and developments are identified on the basis of experimental observations which are then integrated in the tool design approach. A tool design procedure is proposed, which is based on a synthesis of literature rules as well as rules identified during experimental work. A case study of a "baluster-shape" preform is carried out integrating the die design, numerical simulations with the FORGE© software and also die testing and fine-tuning on a bench developed at ENSAM. An overview of the process and its governing key-parameters is finally proposed.
