Casting and Forging are the two ends of a string that never meets. Both of them are the industrial processes used for forming metals and shaping them. But not every process is fruitful for every condition. Let us define them individually.
By definition, casting is the industrial process in which metal is heated and melted properly without any lumps. In this molten state, the liquid metal is poured into a mold or a vessel to create the desired shape. This process is often used to cast gold, platinum, or any other precious metals to create jewelries, and even in forming other industrial parts like machine bed and so on. Recently tons of platinum and gold casting house has emerged in the city and every casting house use the same method to give a unique shape to their timeless creations.
In contrast to this, forging is used in industries to change the shape of different materials. It is basically an application of thermal and mechanical energy to steel billets or ingots that gives a new shape to the solid material.
Both casting and forging are applied on metals but the primary difference between the two industrial methods is that in casting the metal is absolutely converted into a liquid state with the application of heat while in forging high pressure is applied on the metal to give a desired shape,without any application of heat. Even if the metal is preheated in the second case, the metal is not converted into a liquid stage.
Let us create the differentiation in details.
Casting
What’s the use of Casting?
Casting, as said earlier, is the process used for a wide range of wearparts and components that are too large, complicated, intricate and obviously inappropriate for forging process. For example, custom made jewelry, these are something that is improbable with forging. Casting alloys such as gold or platinum excel only when the alloys are chosen carefully and heat is applied properly. Casting when done in proper methodical manner appear in high quality, strength, and wearability. Other than jewelries this process is even used in building industrial structural parts like lathe machine bed, IC engine components etc.
In addition to this, forging can only be possible for weights up to 50Kgs. But when it comes to large items, it is always beneficial to choose the alternative. Here we have listed down some benefits associated with the process of casting.
Why the above-mentioned industries use Casting?
- Platinum and Gold Casting House use this process for attaining high accuracy in their designs.
- Casting form very large structures that weigh high.
- With the help of Casting, complex and unsymmetrical structures can be made seamlessly.
Forging
What’s the use of Forging?
Forging converts metal into its desired shape without melting it completely. The metal is heated below the recrystallization temperature so that it won’t get melted properly. Different types of forging are used in different industries. For example, rolling, pressing, wire drawing etc. Here are the two primary reasons why forging is used in every mechanical industry.
Advantages of Forging
- Forging compared to Casting creates more complex and stronger products.
- The resultant product of forging possesses high impact or tensile strength relative to the products formed using the casting process.
- If you talk about the fatigue strength, forged products have more than the cast products.
In comparison to forging, casting involves high lead time, thus is costlier than forging. It even requires a secondary fishing operation.
Casting and forging are two different industrial methods used to shape metals. The former one is used for custom made jewelry while the later one is used to shape different mechanical instruments.
Hence it can be concluded that if there is any need of making a structure mechanically strong without even spending on expensive alloys, then forging is the best process. Otherwise, for low strength, complicated parts, it is always casting that works as an alternative.
Hope now it won’t be confusing for you.
Master Casting & Cad 