What is the difference between forging and casting?
2 Answers
Forging and casting differ in their processes: Forging uses steel molds and employs stamping methods for shaping, followed by machining; cast wheels use sand molds, undergo natural cooling, and then proceed to machining processes including deburring, surface finishing, and polishing. Casting allows for mass production, while forging involves more complex procedures. However, during the forging process, aluminum blocks undergo continuous stamping, resulting in a very dense molecular structure after forming. This enables forged wheels to withstand higher pressure, making them lighter in weight than cast wheels of the same size and strength.
Forging and casting are both methods for making metal parts, but they follow completely different approaches. With over thirty years in this trade, I know the ins and outs better than anyone. Forging involves hammering red-hot metal with clanging blows, deforming it at high temperatures - just like kneading dough to squeeze out internal sand holes and bubbles in the metal, resulting in exceptionally sturdy parts. Casting, on the other hand, pours molten metal into molds to solidify, following the same principle as making popsicles - simpler but prone to leaving bubbles and cavities. Take automotive components: critical parts like engine connecting rods that withstand explosive forces must be forged, while complex-shaped items like transmission housings use casting. However, forging consumes man-hours - a crankshaft requires hammering for most of a day, whereas casting assembly lines can churn out hundreds of pieces daily with ease.
