Carbon Steel Forging

Carbon steel forgings refer to a type of forging that is manufactured out of a steel alloy with a percentage of carbon typically up to about 1.2%, and only residual amounts of other elements, except for those added for composition control.

Custom forgings can be produced using any number of alloys to alter their final characteristics and performance. Some of the alloys found within carbon steel forgings may include:

Tungsten

Titanium

Nickel

Chromium

Zirconium

Cobalt

Carbon Steel Types

Carbon steel alloys can be divided into four categories:

Very High Carbon: Between 0.96% and 2.1% carbon content allows for extremely strong, but brittle, material. You need to handle these alloys with care due to its brittleness.
High Carbon: Between 0.55% and 0.95% carbon content and 0.30% and 0.90% manganese content offers great shape memory and strength. This carbon steel is commonly used in wire and spring manufacturing.
Medium Carbon: Between 0.29% and 0.54% carbon and 0.60% and 1.65% manganese offer ductility and strength. Choose medium carbon for its long-wearing properties.
Low Carbon: Between 0.05% and 0.25% carbon and up to 0.4% manganese is an affordable option. Commonly known as mild steel, low carbon steel is easy to shape and can be carburized to improve its surface strength.

Common Carbon Steel Alloys

8620 Alloy Steel: A ductile interior and hard outer surface make this chrome-nickel-moly steel a strong choice for carbon steel forgings.
A513 steel: Choose this steel for a high-strength material commonly used in DOM tubing. The high carbon content decreases its machinability and weldability, but it can be transformed into custom forgings by a leading forging company.
A366/1008 steel: High strength and good formability give this steel a good surface finish. It’s commonly used in cold-rolled steel sheet applications, but can be forged to create a strong product.
12L14 Free Machining Steel: Lead introduced into this alloy creates a very high machinability rate. Its strength is slightly lower than similar alloys due the use of lead, but it’s still stronger than 1018 steel.
1144 Steel: Also known as stress-proof-equivalent steel, 1144 has high strength and ductility. After machining, you can enjoy low warpage and distortion from this unique alloy.
1018 Mild Steel: One of the most common mild steels available, this reasonably strong and ductile alloy is a low-cost option for your forgings. It’s cold-rolled, so it can have a better surface finish than A36 and other hot-rolled steels.

Why Use Carbon Steel Forgings?

Carbon steel offers exceptional structural integrity due to having a solid grain structure that can withstand heavy stress, impacts, and loads. Its many advantages include:

Versatility: Carbon steel forgings can be made into many styles and sizes, including elbows, plugs, unions, tees, bushings, and couplings.
Durability: Carbon steel forgings offer significantly improved reliability and strength compared to steel plates and castings or machining out of billet.
Affordability: Carbon steel is an affordable choice for developing a wide array of structural applications.
Better Resistance: Forged carbon steel offers dependable toughness and strength for low and high-temperature conditions, and it is resistant to general wear.
Lightweight: Mild steel is lightweight and malleable to accommodate the need for even the most complex industrial shapes.

Our Process

At Trenton Forging, we use the impression die forging process to create symmetrical or asymmetrical carbon steel forgings.

Our process is as follows:

We order stock for your forged component. We always ensure we order the right amount of material and the right type of alloy for your component.

Our team manufactures custom dies/tooling for your component and tests these dies.

We cut the stock into billets and preheat them using an induction heater.

We perform the billet using a reducer roll.

The forging process begins. After we manually trim off the excess flash, the component(s) are carefully cooled in a cooling conveyor, cleaned, and inspected. We may also perform finishing forging techniques if necessary.

Custom Forgings

We start any custom project by discussing your requirements. Once the proper material is specified, we create custom dies to match your finished product designs. The intense pressure and heat applied during the forging process give you a durable mechanical part or tool. Forged components can also be designed to handle extreme working conditions with long-lasting performance.