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The process of forging steel has probably been around for ages. And with the continuously growing industry for forging, it’s pretty undeniable that nothing can beat forging in terms of strength and reliability.
And with the advances in this industry, forged steel comes in a number of shapes, sizes, designs and properties. Not just this, there are plenty of options when it comes to custom steel forging. Not only is it reliable and strong, but it is economical and shock-resistant as well.
If you have ever wondered what exactly steel forging is and where it is used, here’s an overview explaining everything from its applications to the advantages of opting for forged steel over welding.
What Is Steel Forging?
Steel forging is a manufacturing process where metals like steel are exposed to high temperatures and compressive forces, thus changing their shape and remodeling to a desired or customized form.
It can be done in several ways like cold forging, warm forging and hot forging. Though the process can be a little expensive, it is known in the industry for its strength, performance and custom sizes.
Some of the common ways to forge steel are:
- Extrusion
- Cold forging
- Open die forging
- Closed die forging
- Roll forging
What Are The Applications Of Forged Steel?
Forged steel can be found in multiple places.
Automobile and Trucks
In the automotive and truck industries, forged parts are often located in high-stress areas. A typical automobile may contain over 250 forgings, most of which are forged from carbon or alloy steels. Powertrain components and forged steel engines include driveshafts, connecting rods, differential gears, crankshafts, clutch hubs, transmission shafts, and universal joint yokes and crosses. The strength of forged camshafts, pinions, gears and rocker arms is enhanced by the ability to harden them selectively.
Aerospace
To improve the performance and payload capabilities of aircraft, this steel is often used in the aerospace industry. Non Ferrous and ferrous engines are often used in commercial jets, helicopters and piston-engine planes.
Agricultural industry
Forged steel is also used in mining machinery and heavy construction equipment for its strength and toughness.
Fittings and Valves
Since forged steel is resistant to heat and corrosion, it is often used in levers, rocker arms, camshafts, rod caps, linkages and connecting rods.
Benefits of Using Forged Steel
Here’s a list of benefits of forged steel-
Uncompromising Strength
Due to the billets’ plastic deformation, the grain structure of steel is compressed and aligned with the component shape, thereby increasing directional strength and reducing stress concentrations in corners and fillets. Die forgings are stronger than equivalent machined-from-solid parts or cast components.
Long Life
Though the tooling cost of dies for steel forgings is more expensive than cast ones, they also come with exceptionally long life. Die forgings for such purposes are precision-machined from tool steel and are made with CNC equipment. Moreover, the serving life is quite long.
Uncompromising Quality
The process of forging bars is done by pressing them solid, which means it is not easy to produce defects inside or outside. But in the case of casting, manufacturers will have to deal with defects, and MT testing will be necessary. As a result, steel forging offers a low injection rate and high-quality products.
Summing Up
If you are in search of a metal that is known for its high strength and reliability, forged steel is the best choice you get. While it can be a little expensive, it is safe to say that forging steel comes with a number of additional benefits like shock resistance and long life. Hope we were able to answer all of your questions about forged steel.
