If you’re in the market for aerospace components, chances are you’ve heard about forged parts—and maybe you’re wondering why they’re such a big deal for planes, satellites, and all kinds of flying hardware. As someone who runs a small, specialized forging shop (yeah, I’m the guy behind the parts that hold those big jet engines together), I deal with this question every single day. So let’s break it down straight, no jargon, no fancy fluff—just real talk about what we make and where it actually goes. Forged Parts
First off, let’s keep it simple: forging is when you heat a metal (usually titanium, aluminum, or alloy steel) and pound or press it into shape. Unlike casting, which melts metal and pours it into a mold, forging compresses the metal’s grain structure. That makes the parts way stronger, more durable, and way less likely to crack under stress. For aerospace, where a single part failing mid-flight is a non-starter, that’s a game-changer. We’ve all seen those viral videos of jet engines spitting out parts mid-takeoff—you can bet those were cast, not forged, and that’s exactly why aerospace crews swear by our stuff.
Let’s start with the big stuff: commercial jetliners. You know the ones you fly to visit family every holiday? Almost every critical structural part on that plane is forged. Take the landing gear, for example. When a 787 Dreamliner lands, it slams onto the runway at like 160 mph, and the landing gear has to support 100 tons of plane plus its passengers and cargo. If that gear was cast, it’d snap like a cheap pencil. Our forged alloy steel landing gear struts and axles? They flex, take the impact, and keep working for thousands of landings. We also do the engine mounts—those hold the massive jet engines to the wings. If an engine ever shifts even a little mid-flight, that’s a disaster. Forged titanium engine mounts are lightweight (key for saving fuel) and super tough, so they handle all the vibration and torque from the engine’s 100,000+ rpm blades. Even the wing spars—those long beams that run the length of the wing to keep it from folding up mid-flight—are often forged from high-strength aluminum. We’ve supplied parts for both Boeing and Airbus over the years, and every time, the aerospace teams tell us the same thing: forged parts just don’t let them down.
Next up: military aircraft. Fighters like the F-35 or F-22 have to do crazy things—pull 9-G turns, fly at supersonic speeds, take fire, you name it. Forged parts are non-negotiable here. I spent a year working on a contract for F-35 fuselage frames—those big, curved parts that make up the plane’s body. Titanium is the go-to for stealth aircraft, because it doesn’t show up on radar as easily as steel. Forging titanium gives it a uniform grain that’s way harder than cast titanium, so the frames can withstand the heat from the engines and the stress of high-speed maneuvers. We also make the hydraulic line fittings for military jets. Hydraulics are what move the landing gear, flaps, and control surfaces—if a fitting leaks or breaks, the plane is grounded. Forged steel fittings are sealed tight, no weak spots, so they work even in extreme temperatures, from -60°F at 40,000 feet to 120°F on the tarmac in the Middle East. I’ll be honest, military work is high-pressure—you can’t mess up a part that keeps a pilot safe. That’s why we invest in good forging equipment and quality checks every step of the way.
Then there’s space stuff, which is a whole other level of crazy. Satellites, rockets, even the space shuttles (rest in peace) rely on forged parts more than most people realize. Let’s talk about rocket engines. When a rocket launches, its engines generate millions of pounds of thrust, and the fuel lines and combustion chambers have to handle insane pressure—like, thousands of pounds per square inch. Forged alloy steel combustion chambers are way more reliable than cast ones here. We supplied parts for a small satellite launch company last year: their upper stage engine’s fuel injector was a forged stainless steel part. The injector has to spray fuel and oxidizer perfectly to make the engine burn right, and any irregularity would cause a launch failure. Forging ensures the inside of the injector is smooth and uniform, so the fuel flows exactly how it needs to. Satellites themselves also use forged parts: their antenna mounts, solar panel hinges, and even the brackets that hold sensitive electronics. Satellites are in space for 15+ years, dealing with radiation, extreme temperature swings, and micro-meteoroids. Forged aluminum hinges don’t rust (obviously, no rust in space) and are strong enough to deploy the solar panels the first time, then stay open for a decade. I’ve had customers call us panicking because their cast satellite part cracked during testing—we replaced it with a forged part, and it’s been working without issues for three years now.
Wait, let’s not forget general aviation—small planes, business jets, the stuff you see at local airports. A lot of people think forged parts are only for big jets or military jets, but that’s not true. Small plane engine crankshafts and propeller hubs are almost always forged. A propeller hub has to spin thousands of times a minute, and if a blade comes loose, that’s a tragedy. Forged steel prop hubs hold the blades tight, no movement, no risk. Even the brake parts for small business jets: when you’re landing a Citation X at a private airport, you need brakes that stop the plane fast. Forged carbon steel brake discs handle the heat of hundreds of landings without warping, which keeps passengers safe. We do a lot of work with small general aviation shops, too—they can’t afford to mess up, so they come to us for reliable forged parts at a price that makes sense.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Why not use 3D printing or casting? It’s cheaper, right?” Yeah, 3D printing is cool, and casting has its place, but for critical aerospace parts, forging is still king. Let’s get real: 3D printed parts can have tiny gaps or uneven grain, and even though they’re strong in some ways, they don’t hold up to the same extreme stress as forged parts. Casting, like I said earlier, creates a grain structure that’s more porous—so it’s more likely to crack when you put pressure on it. We’ve tested forged parts against 3D printed ones for a customer last year: the forged landing gear strut withstood 10x the load of the 3D printed one before it showed any signs of wear. For aerospace, safety doesn’t care about cost savings—at least not when it comes to parts that keep people alive.
Another big thing: weight. Aerospace companies are obsessed with weight because every extra pound means more fuel, which means higher costs and more emissions. Forged parts are super strong but lightweight, especially when we use titanium and aluminum. For example, a forged titanium engine mount is half the weight of a steel cast mount, but just as strong. That adds up over an entire plane—save a few hundred pounds here, a few hundred there, and you’re talking thousands of dollars a year in fuel savings. Our customers love that because it’s a win for their bottom line and the environment.
But it’s not just big structural parts. We also make a ton of small, often overlooked parts that keep the whole system running. Take the fasteners—bolts, nuts, rivets that hold everything together. Aerospace fasteners have to be made to exact specs, no exceptions. Forged alloy steel fasteners are way stronger than rolled or cut ones, so they don’t loosen or break during flight. I’ve heard stories of airlines doing inspections and finding cheap, non-forged fasteners in their planes—they had to ground entire fleets, which cost millions. That’s why almost all aerospace fasteners are forged, and we’re a big supplier for those, too. We make everything from tiny rivets for fuselage panels to large bolts for wing attachment points.
Now, let’s talk about how we do it. When a customer comes to us with an aerospace part design, first we work with them to pick the right metal. Titanium is great for high-heat, stealth applications; aluminum is light for wings and fuselages; alloy steel is tough for landing gear and engine parts. Then we heat the metal to just the right temperature—too hot, and it gets too soft; too cold, and it cracks when we pound it. Then we use a forging press—we’ve got a 500-ton press and a 1000-ton press, so we can make parts as small as a fastener or as big as a 10-foot wing spar section. After forging, we machine the part to exact dimensions, then do a bunch of tests: x-rays to check for hidden defects, pressure tests to make sure it can handle stress, and material tests to confirm the metal’s strength. We don’t ship a part unless it passes every single test—no shortcuts, no exceptions.
I know there’s a lot of competition out there for forged parts, but what sets us apart is that we actually listen to our aerospace customers. A few months back, a commercial jet company asked us to make a forged engine mount that was 5% lighter than the standard part. We worked with our metallurgists to tweak the forging process, reduced the material where it didn’t need to be, and ended up with a part that was 7% lighter than their request. They’ve re-ordered with us three times since then. Another time, a small satellite company needed a part delivered in 6 weeks for a launch. We rearranged our schedule, worked overtime, and got it to them on time—they said that part was the difference between their launch happening and being delayed a year. That’s the stuff we care about, not just making parts, but being a partner for our customers.
So if you’re an aerospace engineer, a procurement manager, or someone who just needs reliable forged parts for a plane, satellite, or rocket, don’t settle for cast or 3D printed. Forged parts are still the gold standard for critical applications, and that’s because they’ve been tested and proven for decades. Every time you get on a plane, you can be sure that the parts holding you up, holding the engine to the wing, and stopping the plane on the runway are forged. If you’re looking to place an order or just talk through your part needs, reach out to us directly—we’re here to help, no matter how big or small your project is. We don’t do generic parts; we work with you to make exactly what you need, on time, and to the strict aerospace standards you require.
Asme(ansi) B16.5 Flange References:
- Aerospace Materials and Processes Handbook, Volume 5: Forging of Aerospace Alloys, SAE International, 2021.
- “Forging in Aerospace Applications,” Modern Metals Manufacturing, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2020, pp. 45-52.
- Titanium Alloys for Aerospace Forgings, International Titanium Association, 2019.
- Commercial Aircraft Structural Components: Design and Manufacturing, Boeing Technical Report, 2022.
Shanxi Xinshunda Flange Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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