Forged Steel Blocks

Forged steel blocks are a forging industry product describing raw steel metal blocks that have been forged using the open die forging process to compress them in all six directions (four sides, top and bottom) to refine the grain structure of the steel to yield greater impact and direction strength than plate steel stock, or bar steel stock.

Forged Steel Blocks Manufacturers

• Great Lakes Forge is an open die forging manufacturer located in the Midwest that specializes in the fastest turnaround times in the forging industry. Great Lakes Forge produces forged steel blocks and stainless steel blocks utilizing their in-house steel inventory including 13-8 stainless steel, 15-5 stainless steel, 17-4 stainless steel, 316 stainless and other popular steel grades, including carbon and alloy steels.

Forged Metal Block Advantages

Forged steel blocks are considered a raw supply product, even though they have been extensively worked and refined to improve the properties of the metal. The blocks themselves are not a finished product, instead they are used by machine shops and product manufacturers to create a finished part. Forged steel blocks are often preferred to standard plate or bar steel stock straight from the foundry due to the inherent advantages that the forging process offers, including greater impact strength. Stainless steel forged blocks in particular are valued for the enhancements they lend parts for performance in high pressure environments, applications in which corrosion resistance is important, and any application in general that requires greater strength or longer life out of the finished parts.

Industries Using Forged Steel Blocks

Forged metal is used in nearly every major industrial industry in which large part or part requiring great strength are manufactured. A partial list includes:

• Oil & Gas industry, in which forged steel parts are often used for large machinery
• Aerospace industry, in which great strength and precise tolerances benefit from forged steel over cast or machined steel
• Medical, in which forged steel parts manufactured from forged blocks benefit from the refined grain structure
• Chemical, in which the corrosive resistant properties of forged stainless steel blocks are very desirable
• Food processing, in which the properties of forged stainless steel and resistance to corrosion are important