MetalCastingversusForgingComparisonChart

Introduction:
Therearemanythingstoexplorewhenchosingamongaforgingorcastingprocessforyourmetalproduct(s).Thechartbelowisintendedtobeusedasageneralguidelineand
shouldnotbeconsideredas100%accurateinformationthatcannotbedeviatedbeyondwhatislistedinthetable.Alldataisrelativeandmaychangebasedonyourspecific
needs.Forexample,the"costperpiece"maybehigherduringahighvolumeproductionrunduetotheincreasedlaborrequirement.However,the"costperpiece"may
actuallybelowerduringasmallvolumeproductionrunaftertakingintoaccountthecostofthetoolingitself.

SizeRange
MetalForging
Processes

MetalCasting
Processes

OpenDie
ClosedDie
GreenSandMold
NoBakeMold
ResinShellMold
PermanentMold
DieCast
InvestmentCast
(lostwax)
ExpandablePattern
(lostfoam)
Vacuum("V")
ProcessMold
CentrifugalMold

DCTGToleranceDetails:

1LB1000LBS
<200LBS
1LB2000LBS
1LB10000LBS
1LB10000LBS
1LB100LBS
Approx.75LBSMAX

Tolerances/
Reproducibility
(refertoDCTG
table)
Approx.0.17"
Smooth HIGHER
Approx.0.065"
Smooth HIGHER
Rough LOWER DCTG11DCTG14
Smooth MEDIUM DCTG3toDCTG8
Smooth HIGHER DCTG8DCTG12
Fine MEDIUM DCTG3toDCTG8
Fine
HIGHER DCTG3toDCTG8

Surface Tooling
Texture
Cost

Costper
Potentialfor
Piece
InternalDefects

SuitedforHigh Processesability WideRangeof

AlloyMaterials
tohandle
Volume
Used
complexdesigns
Production

MEDIUM
MEDIUM
HIGHER
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
LOWER

LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
LOW
LOW
HIGH

GOOD
BEST
FAIR
GOOD
FAIR
GOOD
BEST

GOOD
GOOD
BEST
GOOD
GOOD
GOOD
FAIR

BEST
BEST
BEST
BEST
BEST
GOOD
FAIR

Approx.75LBSMAX

Fine

MEDIUM

DCTG3toDCTG8

HIGHER

MEDIUM

FAIR

BEST

BEST

1LB1000LBS

Smooth

LOWER

DCTG8DCTG12

MEDIUM

HIGH

GOOD

GOOD

GOOD

1LB2000LBS

Fine

MEDIUM

DCTG8DCTG12

HIGHER

LOW

FAIR

GOOD

GOOD

1LB100LBS

Fine

MEDIUM

DCTG8DCTG12

MEDIUM

LOW

BEST

FAIR

GOOD