More than 1,600 forging industry leaders, suppliers, associates, academics and students met May 23-25 at FIA’s Forge Fair 2023. The event was held in Cleveland’s Huntington Convention Center, and attendees were treated to presentations by keynoters Dr. Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence and “Forged in Fire” star Ben Abbott. More than 230 exhibitors were present, and the technical program consisted of seven topical tracks that included more than 60 technical presentations.

Footprint Tools, a manufacturer of traditional hand tools in the United Kingdom, is at the heart of a research project that could see Sheffield spark a recycling revolution in industrial forging that unlocks a step-change in the manufacture of safety-critical components for the aerospace, defense and energy industries using machining waste and linear hammer technology.

Nucor placed orders with Sheffield Forgemasters for ultra-large steel rolls for its new plate rolling mill. Sheffield Forgemasters will deliver three rolls weighing 147 metric tons each to Nucor’s Brandenburg Mill near Louisville, Ky., an advanced steel plate mill with the ability to produce 1.2 million tons annually.

According to the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM), hundreds of smaller manufacturers critical to the supply chain in the United Kingdom could be forced to close when the government withdraws its Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) at the end of March 2023.

Rio Tinto plans to provide responsibly sourced aluminum to the BMW Group’s vehicle production plant in Spartanburg, S.C., for use in body components starting in 2024. Low-carbon primary aluminum from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada, combined with recycled content, could generate a reduction of up to 70% in CO₂ emissions compared to BMW Group’s benchmark for aluminum. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see technical experts working together on how to embed low-carbon solutions into BMW Group’s supply chain while ensuring the highest standards of vehicle quality are maintained.

Hot Edge Detection (HED) allows for the collection of information on the shape change that takes place during forging in real time. Integrating HED will provide a reliable and automatic geometry measurement, which provides a better understanding of the microstructural evolution that takes place during forging.

In a move to boost manufacturing in India, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) and Bharat Forge Ltd., announced a partnership to manufacture main landing-gear components, subassemblies and assemblies of remotely piloted aircraft. With over five decades of experience in manufacturing a wide range of high-performance, critical-safety components, Bharat Forge offers full-service supply capability from concept to product design, engineering, manufacturing, testing and validation. It the company, which is part of the Kalyani Group, manufactures structural and engine parts and subsystems for aircraft and engines for both civil and military applications. Its portfolio includes aircraft turbine and compressor manufacturing; high-end engine components like blades, discs and shafts; and airframe components, including aircraft landing gear. 

India’s Bharat Forge Ltd. commenced supply of forgings utilizing green steel manufactured and supplied by Saarloha Advanced Materials Private Ltd. (Saarloha), which is part of the Kalyani Group.

Forged Solutions Group Inc. (FSG), a provider of complex, precision forged rings and closed-die products to aerospace and defense customers, acquired Steel Industries Inc. Headquartered in Redford, Mich., Steel Industries is a vertically integrated manufacturer of open-die forgings and seamless rolled rings for the aerospace, defense, space and industrial markets. Since 1913, Steel Industries has forged components for the most demanding end-use applications. Steel Industries offers forging, heat-treating, machining and finishing services.

This article considers the production deficits, logistics turmoil and demand surges that contributed to supply-chain disruptions that were brought into focus with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.