Forging Parts — Custom Hot & Cold Forged Components

NBI offers precision forging services for high-strength, safety-critical, and load-bearing components. From hot forging large structural parts to cold forging high-volume precision fasteners, our integrated forging + machining + finishing workflow delivers durable, repeatable, and cost-effective forged parts tailored to your drawings.

What is Forging?

Forging is a metal forming process that strengthens material by plastically deforming it under controlled force. There are two primary methods:

Hot forging — performed at elevated temperatures to improve ductility and formability; ideal for large or complex structural components.
Cold forging (cold heading) — performed at room temperature for very high production rates and excellent surface finish and dimensional consistency; commonly used for bolts, pins and threaded parts.

Forging aligns and refines the grain flow of the metal, producing parts with superior mechanical properties (higher fatigue strength, impact resistance and toughness) compared with cast or machined-from-solid equivalents.

Our Forging Capabilities

Hot Forging

Suitable for large, load-bearing parts and components that require high toughness.
Robust die design, controlled heating and precise press control for repeatable microstructure and mechanical properties.
Ideal outputs: connecting rods, seat pins, large brackets and structural forgings.

Cold Forging & Cold Heading

Excellent for high-volume, tight-tolerance parts such as bolts, pins, countersunk plugs and threaded fasteners.
Fast cycle times, tight dimensions, and smooth surfaces that minimize secondary machining.

Precision Machining After Forging

In-house CNC turning, milling, threading and grinding to meet tight tolerances and finish requirements.
Ensures critical bores, threads, and mating surfaces meet assembly specifications.

Secondary Services

Heat treatment: quenching, tempering, case hardening, nitriding.
Surface treatments: zinc plating (clear/yellow/blue-white), black oxide, passivation, galvanizing, nickel plating, anodizing (for aluminum).
Overmolding, rubber bonding, and assembly operations as required.

Materials We Forge

We select alloys to match strength, corrosion resistance, machinability and cost requirements.

Carbon & Alloy Steels (e.g., 12L14, 20#, 40Cr, 8.8 grade) — high strength and wear resistance; widely used for shafts, bolts, and structural components.
Stainless Steels (e.g., 303, 304, 316) — corrosion-resistant forgings for medical, food, and outdoor applications.
Aluminum Alloys (e.g., 6061-T6, 7075) — lightweight forgings used for aerospace and automotive components where weight reduction is critical.
Brass & Copper Alloys (C36000, HPb59-1) — forged rings, bushings and fittings with excellent machinability and corrosion behavior.
Special Alloys — custom alloying available for demanding environments (heat-resistant or wear-resistant grades).

For every project we recommend the optimal alloy and post-forging treatment based on part function, operating environment and cost targets. Material certificates and test reports are provided with samples and production runs on request.

Industries & Typical Applications

Forged components are used where strength, safety and long service life matter:

Automotive & Mobility: suspension pins, steering components, bolts, and connecting rods.
Aerospace & Defense: high-strength structural forgings and critical fasteners.
Industrial Machinery: shafts, couplings, valve components and machine parts.
Hydraulics & Pneumatics: forged fittings, plugs and pressure-resistant parts.
Consumer & Commercial Equipment: durable mechanical parts such as hinges, cam followers and adjustable rod ends.

Why Choose NBI for Forging?

Integrated supply chain: forging, heat treatment, CNC finishing and surface treatment in-house — one partner from prototype to production.
Engineering & DFM support: design-for-forging feedback to reduce cost, improve yield and cut secondary operations.
Quality assurance: dimensional inspection (CMM), mechanical testing (tensile, hardness), chemical analysis and full traceability.
Flexible volumes: rapid prototyping, short runs, and high-volume production with competitive unit cost.
Material breadth & finish expertise: experience with steels, aluminum, brass and specialty alloys plus plating, black oxide and corrosion protection services.
Proven track record: experienced workforce and process controls that deliver consistent mechanical performance and low defect rates.

Quality Control & Traceability

Quality is enforced across the entire process flow:

Incoming material inspection and mill certificates.
First article inspection (FAI) and prototype validation.
In-process checks and final dimensional verification using CMM and gauges.
Mechanical tests (tensile, hardness) and metallurgical checks available on request.
Full production traceability and documented inspection reports delivered with shipments.

Forging vs. Other Manufacturing Methods

Forging vs Casting: Forged parts have superior strength and fatigue life because forging aligns grain flow; casting allows complex shapes but typically has lower mechanical performance.
Forging vs Machining-from-Solid: Machining offers geometric flexibility and very tight tolerances but is wasteful for high-volume metal removal; forging plus light machining is often more material- and cost-efficient for strength-critical parts.
Cold Forging vs Hot Forging: Cold forging yields excellent surface finish and high production rates for small parts; hot forging is better for large components and complex shapes where ductility is required.

Industry Trends & Innovation

We monitor and adopt trends that improve performance and sustainability:

Digital forging simulation for die life optimization and reduced trial cycles.
Hybrid manufacturing — combining additive and forging for optimized geometry.
Energy-efficient furnaces and recycled scrap loops to reduce environmental impact.
Automated inspection and process-control to increase yield and repeatability.

FAQs

Q1: What tolerances can you achieve on forged parts?

Typical as-forged tolerances depend on geometry; after machining we routinely achieve tight tolerances required by assemblies. Please provide drawings for a tolerance assessment.

Q2: What are typical lead times for prototypes and production?

Prototype lead times depend on tooling and complexity; cold-headed parts can be produced rapidly, while hot forging with new dies requires longer setup time. We provide estimated lead times with quotes.

Q3: Do you provide tooling/die design?

Yes — we offer die tooling design, validation and maintenance services to support production quality and tool life.

Q4: Can you handle secondary operations and assembly?

Yes — heat treatment, machining, plating, overmolding and sub-assembly are available in-house.

Ready to Start?

Send your drawing (STEP, DWG or PDF) and requirements to our engineering team for a free DFM review and fast quote. We’ll return material recommendations, process plans and a sample inspection report.

Start Your Project