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Jul 31, 2019 · Alloy wheels are commonly manufactured through three different processes: Cast, Flow Formed, and Forged. We will go through how each of the manufacturing processes is conducted and some of the pros and cons of each finalized wheel. CAST WHEELS. Casting aluminum wheels is the most common manufacturing process for alloy wheels on the market.
- Materials
- Standards
- Techniques
- Forging
- Flow Forming
Aftermarket wheels were originally made from magnesium, hence the name “Mag” wheels. Currently they are made from several materials including steel, aluminum, exotic alloys, carbon fiber; even plastic. We will focus on aluminum as most aftermarket wheels are made from aluminum alloy. During your selection process, do some research into the weight r...
Cheap, heavy wheels made with inferior practices or to nonexistent standards, can be less expensive, but are no bargain. Properly constructed wheels will perform much better. The processes used, and the attention to detail may increase costs, but are crucial to a quality final product. Look for wheels that are tested to accepted benchmarks, and hav...
Aluminum wheels can be made by several different techniques. The most prevalent are casting, forging, and flow forming. Casting and forging are unique. Flow forming uses a combination of both. Cast wheels have somewhat of a bad reputation for ultimate strength, but that reputation was earned by poor quality wheels from substandard suppliers. Cast w...
The forging process for aluminum wheels uses heat and pressure to form the part. Unlike the cast part, the surface can be irregular, and require a machining process to get it smooth. Hot forging is common on larger, thicker parts that require more movement of the material. Forging a complex part may require multiple operations with progressive dies...
Flow forming has benefits of both the casting, and forging processes. The wheel begins to take shape as a casting. The wheel face is cast, taking on the smooth finish that makes a casting precise, and cost effective. The casting is then heated and put on a turning die. While the part spins, hydraulically controlled tooling puts pressure on the part...
Oct 7, 2020 · A cast wheel is made by pouring molten aluminum into a mold where it is formed to the correct shape and sits there until it cools down. Once the wheel cools down, they perform trimming and drilling. Unfortunately, there is one massive flaw with this method of producing wheels: porosity.
Feb 18, 2023 · Flow-formed wheels are a hybrid of forged and cast wheels. They are made by pouring molten aluminum into a cast, which is then spun at a high speed while heated. This process stretches and compresses the aluminum, creating a wheel that is stronger than a cast wheel but not as strong as a forged wheel.
Learn the difference between cast vs flow formed vs forged alloy wheels, the best flow formed wheel brands, whether forged wheels are worth it, how forged wheels are made, and what the best forged wheels are.
Cast wheels are exactly what they sound like, with molten metal being cast directly into the desired shape within a mold. There are two main methods of casting used to accomplish this: gravity casting and low-pressure casting.
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Cast wheels are the first of the three. These are the most affordable of the processes of manufacturing. Nowadays most wheel manufacturers will use a low-pressure cast manufacturing process which means molten aluminum is injected into a pressurized cast from the bottom up.
