Forges & Foundries
Forges and foundries are facilities which manufacture whole metal parts. Often used to manufacture the same types of parts, such as automotive crankshafts, forges and foundries use very different processes, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. A foundry is a facility which manufactures metal castings, a process which uses a closed mold (or die) to shape molten metal into specific, mid to high tolerance parts. Forges, or smithies, use hot and cold hammering and stamping processes to shape metal pieces that are still in solid form.
Because the products fabricated by casting and forging are often similar, the term “foundry” is often used to refer to a facility that manufactures forgings, which is a misnomer; foundries manufacture castings, and forges (also called “smithies") manufacture forgings.
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Castings:
Grey Iron Castings Investment Castings (Lost Wax Castings) |
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| Die Casting Companies: Peerless Aluminum Foundry Crown Die Casting Corporation Miniature Casting Corporation A&B Die Casting Kinetic Die Casting, Inc. Oberdorfer LLC Dart Casting, Inc. Lakeshore Die Cast, Inc. |
Forging Companies: Falcon Stainless & Alloys Corporation Complete Metalworks Corp. LLC Clifford-Jacobs Forging Company Trans World Alloys Weldaloy Products Company Anderson Shumaker Company Ajax Rolled Ring And Machine, Inc. |
About Casting
The casting process may be performed on virtually any type of metal or alloy and is typically preferred for shaping aluminum, brass, silver, copper and zinc alloys.
Casting Methods
- Grey Iron Casting – produces cost-effective cast iron parts for
non-critical applications
- Die Casting – uses precision steel molds and high pressure injection
to form complex metal parts
- Investment Casting (Lost Wax Casting) – forms high precision, high performance alloys with high accuracy and repeatability in wax-plastic-mercury composite molds
About Forging
Forging is the preferred process for manufacturing high-strength steel, alloy, magnesium, nickel, aluminum and titanium parts. Metalworking processes such as hot rolling, cold rolling and coiling may be considered forging processes, as these involve plastic shaping and create a grain flow consistent with the part.
Forging Methods
- Hand Forging – a traditional process done by skilled smithies
with a forging fire, hammer and anvil
- Drop Forging – metal ingots are heated in forging fires, then pounded into shape between a mechanical punch and a die.
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Image Provided by Weldaloy Products Company
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Image Provided by Peerless Aluminum Foundry
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Image Provided by Peerless Aluminum Foundry
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Image Provided by Kinetic Die Casting
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Forges & Foundries Compared
Casting processes can offer fast repeatability, complex design features and cost-effective processes. However, parts are often weak or brittle due to internal fractures and uneven grain flow. Forged parts tend to have tough mechanical properties and are used in critical applications in many industries. As forged pieces are pounded into shape, the grain flow of the metal changes to follow the shape of the part, giving forgings high strength and ductility. Forges manufacture wheel hubs, gears and valves with maximum strength and durability, while foundries offer the most precise, cost-effective manufacturing for low-performance parts and complex parts such as sink faucets and electronic connector housings.