Forging VS Casting Processes

In a variety of industries, casting and forging are popular methods for creating components and parts. Despite their popularity, these processes are quite different and yield products with distinct characteristics. As a leading industrial manufacturing and engineering company specializing in metal forming and fabrication, we aim to clarify the differences between casting and forging. This will help you determine which method is best suited for your project.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website.

What is Casting?

Casting involves pouring molten metal into a mold and allowing it to cool and harden before removing it. This method is ideal for mass-producing parts and creating identical products using the same mold.

Casting comes in various forms:

• Die-casting: Liquid metal is forced into a die and kept under pressure until it hardens. This method supports high-speed applications.
• Permanent mold casting: Molten metal is poured into a metal mold, using gravity or vacuum. This process produces stronger castings than die casting but can be difficult to remove the final product from the mold. Semi-permanent molds with expendable cores are also available to ease removal and reduce costs.
• Sand casting: A pattern is pressed into a mixture of sand to form a mold for the molten metal. Though slower, this economical method is ideal for large-scale metal fabrications and intricate designs.

The Advantages of Casting Include:

• No real upper limit on casting weight
• Wide range of materials can be used
• Custom alloys are easier to produce compared to forgings
• Less expensive tooling costs compared to forge dies
• Smaller production runs are feasible
• Complex part geometries are achievable

What is Forging?

Forging involves shaping metal using compressive force. Hammers or dies shape the metal until the desired form is achieved. This process creates a continuous grain flow, enhancing the metal's strength and removing defects, inclusions, and porosity.

Forging is suitable for medium to long production runs. Careful design can enable high-speed manufacturing with minimal downtime.

Forging can be classified by temperature:

• Cold forging: Performed at room temperature
• Warm forging: Metal is heated to a temperature below its recrystallization point
• Hot forging: Metal is heated to its recrystallization temperature

Forging Offers the Following Benefits:

• Tougher than other manufacturing methods
• More impact-resistant than castings
• No porosity, shrinkage, or cavities
• Tight grain structure for high mechanical strength
• Good wear resistance without requiring super-hard materials

Casting vs. Forging: What's the Difference?

Castings yield metal products with relatively low strength, while forgings produce items with higher strength and hardness. Forged metals are less likely to shatter upon impact with different objects.

Omnidex Metal Castings Services

Forging involves shaping metal by pressing or hammering, stretching metal grains into a single direction for added strength. However, forging is limited by the size and thickness of the metal, making it more difficult for larger sections. In contrast, casting allows for more complex shapes and can produce products up to 200 tons in weight from almost any material. Each casting method has its pros and cons, and the best method depends on the application's requirements.

Metal Casting Vs. Metal Forging: 5 Things to Consider

1. Size & weight of the Finished Product

2. Design of the Component

When designing a part for casting or forging, consider:

• Part complexity
• Tolerances
• Grain structure
• Structural integrity

3. Alloy Selection

Alloy availability is a key factor. In forging, components are made from billets, which are typically limited to specific grades and alloys. In comparison, casting at the foundry allows for easier management of special alloys.

4. Internal Strength of the Component

Forgings are typically stronger in a specific direction, while castings have uniform strength throughout. For applications involving frequent impacts, forgings retain their shape longer. For uniformly strong components, castings are preferable.

5. Cost of Castings vs. Forgings

The price depends on several variables. Factors influencing cost include production volume, alloy, shape complexity, specific process, and required testing.

Summary

This guide focuses on the fundamental differences between casting and forging. The choice depends on the specific metal component, its intended purpose, and overall needs. For specific metals, either casting or forging may be the best option. Consulting with manufacturers is the best way to determine which process suits your project.

Get in touch with us or send a quote request if you think metal casting may be the right solution for your application.

During the development of a new project or product, you may require a custom metal part. A quick search will reveal many metallurgical firms that can create the needed part, each using different methods. The difference between forging and casting may not be immediately apparent if you are new to this situation.

You want a part that is reliable and durable, contributing to the excellence of your project or product. Forging vs casting? Which process suits your needs? Find out below!

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from G-Top.

What is Casting?

Casting involves heating the component metal to a molten state and pouring it into a mold. While die casting is common, sand and investment casting are also used for specific alloys or parts with unusual dimensions. Once the metal cools into the desired shape, the metalworker finishes the part with the requested details either by hand or through further machining.

What is Forging?

In forging, the component metal is heated but not to its melting point. Instead, it's heated enough to allow manipulation via hammer forging or prepared dies. Giant presses are used for larger products. The forging process can be hot or cold and may use open or closed dies.

Forged Vs. Cast: Which is Better?

Both methods have their advantages and drawbacks:

Casting Benefits

• Allows a greater variety of shapes, providing flexibility in design
• Initial results are closer to design specifications, reducing secondary machining time
• Cast parts are typically lighter than forged counterparts
• Easy and quick to modify part designs and molds

Casting Drawbacks

• Typically more porous, with potential voids
• Less tensile and fatigue strength compared to forged parts
• Requires close observation to ensure quality and prevent defects

Benefits of Forging

• Superior structural integrity and mechanical strength due to altered grain structure
• Less expensive than casting due to less intensive labor and material usage
• Eliminates surface porosity and other defects
• Consistent yield of strong and ductile parts

Forging Drawbacks

• May require extensive post-forging machining to meet design specifications
• Limits the complexity of parts
• Custom alloys are difficult to work with as the metal remains solid

Still unsure whether to choose forging or casting? Some projects can use either method, but the difference becomes clear when comparing results. According to a 2007 research paper from the University of Toledo, forged parts exhibited greater quality in almost every aspect compared to cast parts.

• The tensile strength of forged parts is 26% higher than cast parts.

• The fatigue strength of forged parts is 37% higher than cast parts.
• Cast iron has only 66% of the yield strength of forged steel.
• Forged parts exhibit a 58% reduction in area when pulled to failure, while cast parts show only a 6% reduction.

The last point is particularly striking. It indicates that forged parts must undergo much more deformation before failing, while cast parts can fail with minimal force. Overall, these results affirm that forged parts are generally stronger and more reliable than their cast counterparts.

Canton Drop Forge – Experience and Reliability.

At Canton Drop Forge, we recognize that casting may be the superior choice for certain situations, such as intricate designs or specific alloys. However, in most cases, forging is the smart choice for affordability and part quality. We hope this breakdown has provided the information needed to proceed with your part creation. For more insights, feel free to contact our customer service representatives.

For more information, please visit forging vs casting pros and cons.