Once reduced from its ore and smelted, aluminum, in ingot form, may be reheated for subsequent forging, extruding, or rerolling to slab, prior to rolling to coil. The metal and its alloys represent a broad range of mechanical properties, with the 7075 alloy relatively difficult to forge, having almost ten times the strength of 1100 aluminum at 700ºF (370ºC).  But most aluminum alloys are readily forged to precise, intricate shapes, thanks to their ductility, the absence of scale during heating, and their low forging pressure requirements. The fact that no scale forms during heating means that direct contact of metal to die could cause galling (where two metal surfaces under high pressure begin to adhere to one another), hence the need for efficient lubrication during forging. 

Aluminum alloy forgings are rarely used in the as-forged condition; rather, they are brought to maximum strength by solution heat treating, quenching, and aging. Mechanical properties of aluminum alloy forgings are developed primarily by solution treating at a temperature just below the solidus temperature, water quenching, then aging between 250 and 350ºF (120 and 180ºC) for several hours.

The melting, casting, forging, heat treatment and accompanying testing of the various grades of aluminum and aluminum alloys is familiar territory for All Metals and Forge Group. 

All Metals & Forge Group takes great pride in maintaining one of the most stringent ISO9001, AS9100 quality systems in the open die forging and seamless rolled ring industry.  It begins with taking a customer’s end use, required forged surface condition, mechanical properties of the specified alloy, forged shape, heat treatment, delivery need, and competitive price. All this is coupled with forging soundness proven by ultrasonic testing, and care in packing goods to arrive in pristine condition at the customer’s desired location.  Every step is monitored by the quality system at AMFG and continuously improved.

AMFG performs rough machining to within 3mm of finished dimensions to reduce the CNC cost at the customer’s machine shop for all the forged shapes the company produces.  The rough machined surface condition is 250 RMS so that proper quality testing can be performed on each part – the AMFG standard.  

AMFG can perform finish machining to within .001 of an inch for final tolerance and 64 or 32 RMS surface finish.  This level of quality and precision is unique in an industry where other suppliers’ parts are often delivered black, as forged, or with a rough machined surface of 500 RMS, without the internal or external steps and dimensions to reduce machining costs.

From inquiry to invoice, All Metals & Forge Group quality is managed and not assumed. Whether the need is for one part, an entire project, or a production run, AMFG delivers.