Five industries that use forged steel
Ductile, malleable, tough, durable. These are some of the main characteristics of forged steel. It is strong, but at the same time light, which is why it is highly valued in many areas of industry: car manufacturing, construction, aeronautics… Here are some examples of the main industries that take advantage of the incredible qualities of forged steel to make their end products safer and stronger.
Construction & infrastructure
Civil engineering and building construction are two of the most important industries that use forged steel in their designs. The main advantage of its use in construction is the simplification and safety of the structure.
The first metal structures were bridges. The Eads Bridge over the Mississippi River was the first one to be made of steel, built in 1874. Today all types of building materials and metal structures are manufactured from forged steel. There are some very clear reasons for selecting this material in construction:
- Its reasonable price reduces the project’s material costs.
- It can be manufactured and installed quickly.
- It is very durable over time and resistant to changes in temperature and other environmental forces.
- Excellent hardness.
- Malleability, to combine parts with great flexibility.
- It can withstand impact and retain its structural integrity without breaking.
Forged steel in the automotive industry
The main reasons that steel is used in the automotive industry are its light weight and great strength, plus the safety provided by the use of lighter materials. Steel can represent up to 70% of the material in a car.
The malleability of forged steel is perfect for manufacturing both exterior and interior parts of a car. Its toughness and durability are particularly suitable for vehicles, which need to be able to withstand corrosion, heavy loads and the passage of time.
The extraordinary strength of forged steel makes it the perfect candidate for automotive assembly parts that need to be durable and able to bear all the pressure of the rest of the vehicle. Examples? Crankshafts, sprockets, gear transmissions, etc.
Uses of steel in the petrochemical industry
For the petrochemical industry, the quality and composition of the material used are extremely important. Therefore, one of the materials most used in this sector is steel. These types of facilities must not only be safe, but must also withstand extreme temperature conditions, high corrosion, humidity and ultraviolet radiation, among other weather conditions.
Steel is perfect in this area, as its excellent hardness, malleability and wear resistance can meet the needs of the industry.
Agriculture
The agricultural industry values steel very highly, both in machinery and in manual tools, because, similarly to the above industries, agricultural activities involve traction, shock and force, and the tools must also withstand the passage of time and weather conditions. The main reasons this sector chooses steel are for:
- Its resistance to wear and tear, which results in longer-lasting parts.
- Its malleability and hardness, which make the components able to withstand shocks and bending forces without breaking.
Steel in the aviation industry
The first principle that led to the use of steel in the aviation industry was safety. In this sector, the materials must maintain the total integrity of the structure. This means they must be strong enough to withstand the conditions of the environment that they will be used in. Thus, steel is the main component of aircraft due to its high resistance to corrosion, high temperatures and rust, and because it retains its mechanical properties over a wide range of temperatures.
Flanges from ULMA Forged Solutions
At ULMA Forged Solutions we develop a wide variety of forged products with the highest quality standards. Committed to excellence in our products, we develop parts that go beyond the standard, with designs and manufactures tailored to the needs of our customers and their industries.
In this way, we can provide failure-free performance even in the most adverse conditions and in all types of industries, making it possible for entire systems to run flawlessly.