Q: When requesting a forging quote, should I provide my finished machine sizes or do I need to add extra material to allow for clean up?
A: It is always best to provide the finished sizes and/or a print of the finished part. Due to the variety of forging equipment and processes, allowances and tolerances can vary. In many cases, the forging manufacturer will only guarantee "clean up" when finished sizes are provided.
Q: Who owns the tooling?
A: Practices may vary from forger-to-forger and should be negotiated in advance.
Q: What grades of material can be forged?
A: Just about any metal can be forged. Click here to see a detailed list and common applications.
Q: What is the size range of parts to be forged?
A: Forgings can range in size from less than an inch to shafts over 80 ft in length, and rings with an OD over 25 feet. Forgings can weigh from ounces to almost half a million pounds! Click here to see our Buyers Guide which lists size, weight and material capabilities for about 150 North American forging companies.
Q: What are the lead-times for impression die (closed die) tooling ?
A: This varies from forger-to-forger by process and complexity of the part.
Q:What are the advantages of forging?
A: In the past, forging assured strength, toughness, reliability, and the highest quality in a variety of products. Today, these advantages assume greater importance as operating temperatures, loads, and stresses increase. Forged components make possible designs that accommodate the highest loads and stresses. Recent advances in forging technology have greatly increased the range of properties available in forgings.
Economically, forged products are attractive because of their inherent superior reliability, improved tolerance capabilities, and the higher efficiency with which forgings can be machined and further processed by automated methods.
The degree of structural reliability achieved in a forging is unexcelled by any other metalworking process. There are no internal gas pockets or voids that could cause unexpected failure under stress or impact. Often, the forging process assists in improving chemical segregation of the forging stock by moving centerline material to various locations throughout the forging.
To the designer, the structural integrity of forgings means safety factors based on material that will respond predictably to its environment without costly special processing to correct for internal defects.
The structural reliability of forgings means reduced inspection requirements, uniform response to heat treatment, and consistent machinability, all contributing to faster production rates and lower costs.