What is the difference between forged and cast wheels?
2 Answers
The differences between cast wheels and forged wheels are as follows: 1. Different manufacturing processes. (1) Casting involves melting metal into a liquid that meets certain requirements, then pouring it into a mold. After cooling, solidification, and cleaning, a casting with predetermined shape, dimensions, and performance is obtained. (2) Forging, on the other hand, uses forging machinery to apply pressure to metal blanks, causing plastic deformation to obtain forgings with certain mechanical properties, shape, and dimensions. 2. The costs of the two types of wheels also differ. (1) The casting process is relatively simple and straightforward, making it easy for mass production, so the cost is relatively lower. (2) Forging, due to its more complex procedures, has a higher production cost. 3. The strength of the two differs. Forged wheels are made through continuous hammering, resulting in very compact molecular structure and orderly arrangement. This gives them better strength and toughness compared to cast wheels, meaning forged wheels are more robust.
Forged wheels are made by pressing aluminum alloy blocks under high temperature and pressure, resulting in higher overall density and greater strength, with about 15% lighter weight, which makes the car accelerate faster and save some fuel; cast wheels are formed by pouring molten metal into a mold and cooling it, which is low-cost but slightly weaker in strength and heavier. When I was into racing, I found that forged wheels are less prone to deformation, providing more stability during high-speed cornering, especially performing excellently on uneven roads. However, they cost one to two times more. For regular family cars, cast wheels are sufficient since fuel savings aren’t that significant for daily commutes. Choosing wheels also depends on the type of vehicle—SUVs or heavy-duty vehicles prioritize durability more.
