Cast steel valves vs forged steel valves
People has been debating which one is better between cast steel and forged steel valves for a long time. For a long period, cast steel valves dominated the valve industry. It is economical, easy-to-manufacture and of good quality. But then, forged valves came on the stage, which bring higher strength, longer service life and better performance.
Cast valves are made of liquid form of metal. The solid metal is melted into liquid and poured into molds. The casting is taken out from the mold for further machining when it cools and solidifies. While, forged valves are manufactured by shaping metals in their solid state and then using mechanical forces to further process the steel into a finished product.
In a very brief conclusion, cast steel valves can be manufactured in large quantities from a variety of materials and are more cost-efficient. However, forged steel valves are more suitable for high temperature and high pressure application. Due to the high cost of forging, a small size forged steel valve is more widely used than big one (except ball valve).