Definition
A metal-shaping process in which a heated metal billet is formed into a desired shape by hammering, pressing, or squeezing it between dies. Forging aligns the grain structure of the metal along the shape of the part, producing components with high strength and resistance to fatigue.
Plain English
Forging is shaping hot metal by pounding or pressing it into a mold-like form. Because the metal is squeezed rather than cut or melted, the internal grain follows the part's shape, which makes forged parts stronger than parts made other ways.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, structures, landing gear, propeller, and engine-part descriptions.
Derivation
From the Latin 'fabrica,' meaning workshop or smithy. The word originally referred to the blacksmith's shop where metal was heated and hammered into shape, which is still essentially what forging means today.
Why Pilots Care
Forged parts are chosen for high-stress areas of an aircraft (crankshafts, connecting rods, landing gear components) because of their superior strength. Knowing a part is forged helps explain why it is trusted to handle heavy loads and repeated stress cycles.
Intuition Check
Do not read forge here as “to fake” or “to copy a signature.” In aircraft materials, forge means to form metal under heavy force, and forging is the part made that way.
Example Sentence 1
The crankshaft in this engine is forged from a single piece of steel, giving it the strength to handle the loads of continuous operation.
Example Sentence 2
Mechanics inspect forged landing gear fittings for cracks because the forging process gives them superior fatigue resistance.