All Metals & Forge Group adds rough machining to every open-die forging order

All Metals & Forge Group says every open-die forging order now includes rough machining to 250 RMS and machining within 3 millimeters of finished dimensions. The Fairfield, New Jersey, supplier says the added step can cut machine-shop time, tool wear and total production costs.

Why it matters: - Rough-machined forgings can reduce the amount of work machine shops must do before final machining. - The service can lower labor, tooling and machine-hour costs for OEMs, industrial manufacturers and custom shops. - Parts delivered closer to finished dimensions can move faster into production and free capacity for higher-value work.

What happened: - All Metals & Forge Group added rough machining to 250 RMS as a standard value-added service on every forging order. - The Fairfield, New Jersey-based company said every forged component is machined to within 3 millimeters of the customer’s finished dimensions. - The offering applies to the company’s open-die forgings and seamless rolled rings.

The details: - Most forging suppliers deliver parts in an as-forged condition, which leaves customers to remove scale, excess stock, surface irregularities and decarburized material. - AMFG rough machines forged components after forging to remove scale and again after heat treatment to remove the decarburized surface layer. - The resulting 250 RMS surface condition supports dimensional inspection and nondestructive testing. - Every AMFG forging is ultrasonically examined in accordance with ASTM A388/A388M by qualified in-house nondestructive testing personnel. - AMFG says the combination of rough machining and ultrasonic testing leaves customers with a more thoroughly inspected and production-ready component before shipment. - The company says additional machining to 125 RMS, 64 RMS, 32 RMS or 16 RMS is also available for customers who need tighter surface finishes. - AMFG manufactures forgings in carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, tool steel, aluminum, titanium, nickel alloys and other specialty materials. - Available forged shapes include shafts, step shafts, gear blanks, discs, hubs, blocks, sleeves, cylinders, rings and custom configurations.

Between the lines: - The move shifts early-stage material removal from the customer’s shop floor to the forging supplier. - That can help shops improve estimating, scheduling and job costing because less work remains before precision machining starts. - The service is especially useful for large forgings, complex shapes, short runs, one-off parts and difficult-to-machine alloys. - AMFG framed the change as a way to help shops move into final machining faster and improve material utilization.

What's next: - AMFG is inviting manufacturers to request quotes for upcoming forging projects. - The company says customers can contact sales@steelforge.com or submit an RFQ at steelforge.com. - AMFG said it will continue offering value-added services including heat treatment, finished machining and ultrasonic testing.

The bottom line: - AMFG is packaging rough machining and testing into every forging order to deliver parts that are closer to finished, easier to inspect and less costly to complete.