Surprising Benefits of Using Forged Aluminum in Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

More consumers want to cash in on the cost and time savings of electric vehicles (EVs). U.S. EV sales increased by two-thirds last year, and market analysts say growth will continue. According to McKinsey, global EV demand will “grow sixfold” between 2021 and 2030, from 6.5 to 40 million EVs per year.

EV makers can capture the market demand by maximizing the value of the purchase for consumers. How? Converting from castings to forged aluminum components.

Keep reading to learn the differences between casting and aluminum forging and the benefits of using forged aluminum components to create the highest quality EVs.

What is Forging?

Forging is the process of shaping metal with a furnace (called a forge) followed by force.

Here's how the process works:

1. The forge heats the metal to loosen the internal structure, making it malleable. The optimal temperature is often far below the melting point.
2. Then a press, hammer, or set of rollers applies force to form the heated metal into the desired shape.

Ferrous and non-ferrous alloys can be forged, including stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, and magnesium.

Forging processes fall into three categories: press forging, drop forging, and roll forging.

Press Forging

In press forging, a vertical ram applies continuous force to heated metal resting on a die. The die is shaped like the desired part.

Press forging uses open and closed dies.

Closed dies completely enclose the metal, forming the metal into the exact die shape. It’s ideal for forging small to medium-sized components and complex shapes that require little to no after-forging work.

Open dies don’t encompass the entire part, letting the metal expand outside the die.

Drop Forging

Drop forging uses a mechanical power hammer fitted with a die. The power hammer lifts and “drops” onto the heated metal to form it in the shape of the underlying die.?

Drop forging is suited to forming large, thick or cold pieces. That’s because the power hammer can produce momentary forces beyond that of a similarly sized press.

Roll Forging

Roll forging passes heated metal between two thick steel rollers. The rollers slowly bend or shape the metal into a specific diameter equal to the distance between them.

Roll forging is often a much faster process for forming round stock or other flat pieces. It can also include a textured roller to place a pattern or shape onto the metal workpiece.

How Does Forging Differ from Casting?

Forging shapes heated metal, while casting shapes molten metal.

Here's how the casting process works:

1. Liquid metal pours into a forming tool called a cast or a mold. The cast has a cavity in the exact shape of the end product.
2. After cooling time, the end product ejects from the cast. The end product is called a casting.

Casting is ideal for complex shapes because the liquid metal flows freely into the cast crevices. Compared with other metal shaping processes, casting is also more appropriate for producing large parts. It creates a solid mass without joining several small pieces of material together through welding or hot joining.

Common casting materials are aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys. Casts must resist these heavy, hot, and dense liquid metals. So casts are often made of sand, clay, epoxy, and other heat-resistant materials set in a solid mass.

Why Engineer EVs with Forged Aluminum Components?

Using forged aluminum components creates some of the highest-quality EVs.

From driveshafts, battery boxes, yokes, and motor housings to suspension components, hubs, shocks, and any other component required, forged aluminum components help EVs go farther and last longer than castings.?

Following are a few reasons why.

Design Simplicity

Forged aluminum components support EVs' engineering simplicity.

EVs require fewer moving parts and subsystems than vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). As a result, the design of EV mechanical components is inherently simpler.

Forged aluminum components allow engineers to combine simple geometries for a more significant impact. As a result, engineers can spend more time on other design challenges, like engineering batteries to increase the driving range.

Improved Performance

Forged aluminum components can bring superior performance to EVs. They’re stronger, more reliable, and lighter than castings. This improved performance enhances consumer loyalty and sales potential.

• Strength: The forging process permanently alters the metal’s internal structure into a new shape. This new shape carries the internal stresses, creating an overall strength and rigidity unmatched by castings.
• Reliability: Forged components can be more reliable than castings because their rigidity prevents significant deformation. They stand up to applications where that type of wear is unacceptable.
• Weight: Forged components have higher relative strength than castings. Aluminum forged components have higher strength-to-weight ratios than castings. Together, these properties mean a forged aluminum component can be made with less material and in stronger geometries than castings, reducing the weight of the final component.

Pound-for-pound, forged aluminum components perform better than cast or machined parts. EVs that deliver better performance are positioned to capture more market share.

Increased Production Efficiency

Amazon has shown that supply chain management is critical to retail success. For EV makers, the speedy procurement of components and factory turnarounds are vital to getting products to market. Automakers providing the highest quantity of EVs can garner the most sales.?

EVs have thousands of fewer parts to source than ICE vehicles. So forge shops can produce all the necessary components as fast as, or faster than, comparable casting shops.

Minimal Cost Impact

Because EVs have fewer components than ICE vehicles, manufacturers and consumers enjoy cost savings. Using forged aluminum components instead of castings amplifies this benefit.

Initially, forged aluminum components may seem costlier than castings. But their increased design simplicity, performance, and production efficiency offset the additional upfront cost of producing them.

With forged aluminum components, EV manufacturers and consumers reap the benefits without sacrificing price.

Learn More About Forged Components for EVs

The metal forging and casting processes both own their rightful place in manufacturing. But when it comes to EVs, forged aluminum components can maximize value for manufacturers and buyers.

Curious about the various types of forged aluminum components for EVs?

Learn how Anchor Harvey's Electric Vehicle Workgroup is delivering high-strength, lightweight components for the next generation of transportation.

About Anchor Harvey

Anchor Harvey is a data-driven aluminum forging company with a century-long legacy in precision manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain management. Anchor Harvey specializes in forging aluminum parts, up to 36” in length and width, for specialty manufacturers and machine shops in nearly every industry, including aerospace, automotive, and medical.