Method For Preparing Metallic Workplaces For Cold Forming

A process comprising preparing metallic workpieces for cold forming by bringing their metallic surfaces into contact with an aqueous acid phosphating solution to form at least one phosphate coating and then by coating the phosphate-coated surfaces with at least one lubricant to form at least one lubricating film, wherein, in addition to phosphate, the phosphating solution contains substantially only calcium, magnesium or/and manganese as cations chosen from cations from the 2nd main group and the 1st, 2nd and 5th to 8th subgroups of the periodic table, that a phosphating solution containing alkaline-earth metals is free from fluoride and from complex fluoride, that the phosphating solution contains at least 5 g/l of compounds of calcium, magnesium or/and manganese including ions thereof, calculated as calcium, magnesium and manganese, and contains

• a) 5 to 65 g/l of Ca and 0 to 20 g/l of Mg or/and Mn or
• b) 5 to 50 g/l of Mg and 0 to 20 g/l of Ca or/and Mn or
• c) 5 to 80 g/l of Mn and 0 to 20 g/l of Ca or/and Mg
• and that phosphating is performed by electrolysis with a current density in the range from 5 to 200 A/dm2, wherein a phosphate coating is formed with a coating weight in the range from 2 to 40 g/m2.