How to Check Forging Raw Materials: A Complete Guide

Forging is a critical metal forming process used to manufacture high-performance components for industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, energy, and machinery. The performance and reliability of forged parts heavily depend on the quality of the raw materials used. Any inconsistency in chemical composition, cleanliness, or structure can lead to defects during forging or failures in service.

To ensure product quality and compliance with customer and international standards, it is essential to carry out comprehensive inspection and testing of forging raw materials. In this article, we explore how to check forging raw materials, the key methods involved, industry standards, and best practices for material traceability and certification. Whether you are a quality inspector, procurement manager, or forging engineer, this guide will help you optimize your material control process.

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What Are Forging Raw Materials?

Forging raw materials refer to the metal inputs—usually in the form of billets, ingots, bars, or blooms—used to produce forged parts. These materials can be:

• Carbon steel

• Alloy steel

• Stainless steel

• Nickel-based alloys

• Titanium alloys

• Aluminum alloys

Each material must meet strict chemical, mechanical, and metallurgical criteria to ensure successful forging and product performance.

sakysteel supplies high-quality forging raw materials with full mill certifications, traceability, and quality control to meet customer specifications across global markets.

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Why Is Raw Material Inspection Important?

Checking forging raw materials ensures:

• Correct material grade and composition

• Compliance with standards (ASTM, EN, DIN, JIS)

• Internal soundness and cleanliness

• Traceability for audits and customer verification

• Prevention of forging defects (cracks, porosity, non-metallic inclusions)

Without proper checks, the risk of non-conforming products, process disruptions, and customer complaints increases significantly.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Checking Forging Raw Materials

1. Verify Purchase Documents and Mill Test Certificate (MTC)

The first step is to verify the material documentation:

• MTC (Mill Test Certificate): Includes chemical composition, mechanical properties, heat treatment status, and standards.

• Certificate Type: Ensure it complies with EN10204 3.1 or 3.2 if third-party verification is needed.

• Heat Number & Batch ID: Must be traceable to the physical material.

sakysteel provides all forging raw materials with detailed MTCs and third-party inspection options for critical projects.

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2. Visual Inspection

Upon receiving raw materials, perform a visual check to identify:

• Surface defects (cracks, pits, rust, scale, laminations)

• Deformation or warping

• Incomplete labeling or missing tags

Mark and isolate any material that does not meet acceptance criteria. Visual inspection helps prevent faulty inputs from entering the forging process.

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3. Chemical Composition Analysis

To ensure that the material matches the required grade, perform chemical composition analysis using:

• Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES): For quick and accurate on-site verification

• X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF): Suitable for rapid alloy identification

• Wet Chemical Analysis: More detailed, used for complex alloys or arbitration

Key elements to check include:

• Carbon, manganese, silicon (for steel)

• Chromium, nickel, molybdenum (for stainless and alloy steels)

• Titanium, aluminum, vanadium (for Ti alloys)

• Iron, cobalt (for nickel-based alloys)

Compare test results with standard specifications such as ASTM A29, ASTM A182, or EN 10088.

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4. Mechanical Property Testing

Some critical forging applications require checking the raw material’s mechanical properties before processing. Common tests include:

• Tensile Testing: Yield strength, tensile strength, elongation

• Hardness Testing: Brinell (HB), Rockwell (HRB/HRC), or Vickers (HV)

• Impact Testing (Charpy V-notch): Especially for low-temperature applications

These tests are often performed on test pieces taken from the raw material or as per the MTC.

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5. Ultrasonic Testing (UT) for Internal Defects

Ultrasonic inspection is a non-destructive method used to detect:

• Internal cracks

• Porosity

• Shrinkage cavities

• Inclusions

UT is essential for high-integrity parts in aerospace, nuclear, or oil and gas sectors. It helps ensure the internal soundness of the material before forging.

Standards include:

• ASTM A388 for steel bars

• SEP 1921 for high-strength materials

sakysteel conducts UT as part of the standard QC process for all forging-grade bars above 50 mm in diameter.

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6. Macro and Microstructure Examination

Evaluate the material’s structure using:

• Macroetch Testing: Reveals flow lines, segregation, cracks

• Microscopic Analysis: Grain size, inclusion rating, phase distribution

This is especially important for materials like tool steels, where uniform grain structure ensures performance.

Etching and metallographic testing follow ASTM standards such as ASTM E381 or ASTM E112.

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7. Dimensional and Weight Inspection

Verify dimensions such as:

• Diameter or cross-section

• Length

• Weight per piece or per meter

Use calipers, micrometers, and weighing scales. Tolerances should conform to:

• EN 10060 for round bars

• EN 10058 for flat bars

• EN 10278 for precision steel bars

Correct dimensions are essential for forging die fitting and material volume control.

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8. Surface Cleanliness and Decarburization Check

Surface finish must be free from:

• Excessive scale

• Rust

• Oil and grease

• Decarburization (loss of surface carbon)

Decarburization can be checked via metallographic sectioning or spark testing. Excess decarburization can weaken the surface of the final forged part.

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9. Material Traceability and Marking

Each material must have:

• Clear identification tags or paint marks

• Heat number and batch number

• Barcode or QR code (for digital tracking)

Ensure traceability from raw material to finished forging, especially for critical industries like aerospace, defense, and energy.

sakysteel maintains full traceability through barcode systems, ERP integration, and documentation for every heat batch.

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Industry Standards for Raw Material Inspection