Forge Welding Advantages and Disadvantages?

What is Forge Welding?

Forge welding is a process of welding metal using controlled heating of the workpiece. Forge welding is a process of joining metal pieces by heating them to melting point and then forcing them together under pressure. It is typically used for joining pieces of iron or steel to make a weldment.

Forge welding can be used for making large-scale projects such as bridges, ships, and automobiles.

Advantages of Forge welding :

• Forge welding can be used on virtually any type of metal that has melting point and thermal conductivity suitable for this process. 
• It is more economical than other processes like gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) or submerged arc welding (SAW). 
• It does not require inert gases or special equipment. 
• The quality of forge welds can be controlled through heat input, time, speed, and temperature settings. 
• It is relatively easy to use. 
• It does not require much equipment and can be done by hand. 
• It can produce intricate shapes and can be used for heavy-duty purposes.

Disadvantages of Forge welding:

• It is labor-intensive compared to GTAW or SAW due to the many manual steps involved in this process.
• Forge welding is not a process that requires any heat source.
• There are few risks associated with it as compared to other processes such as TIG and MIG welding.
• Forge welding can be slow, which means it takes more time to complete the project. 
• It also has limited applications in manufacturing industries because of its low speed.
• The heat generated during the process can cause thermal distortion, which could result in cracking or warping of the finished product. 
• If not properly done, there is a risk that it will cause stress corrosion cracking due to the poor mechanical properties of the material.
• It requires no special skill or training.