Performance comparison between forged steel valves and cast valves: in-depth analysis of process advantages and material properties

1. Forging process: a journey to optimize metal microstructure
The core advantage of forged steel valves comes from their unique forging process. Forging is a process in which external force is applied to metal materials under high temperature and high pressure to cause them to undergo plastic deformation. In this process, the grain structure inside the metal undergoes a "rebirth". Under high temperature, the activity of metal atoms is enhanced, and external forces cause the grains to elongate and gradually refine along the direction of force, forming a more uniform and dense microstructure. This grain refinement phenomenon not only increases the number of grain boundaries per unit volume, but also optimizes the arrangement of grain boundaries, thereby significantly improving the strength and toughness of the material. In contrast, during the cooling and solidification process of cast valves, due to the natural shrinkage of liquid metal and the limitations of solidification conditions, their grains often grow coarsely, resulting in relatively weak strength and toughness, which becomes a bottleneck for their application in high-pressure and high-strength applications.

2. Double improvement in strength and toughness
The refined grain structure obtained by the forging process of forged steel valves provides the valves with higher strength and toughness. Strength refers to the ability of a material to resist damage from external forces, while toughness refers to the ability of a material to absorb energy and not break easily when subjected to force. The refined grains make it more difficult for cracks to expand in the material, requiring more energy to be consumed, thereby delaying the fracture process and improving the overall mechanical properties of the material. This feature enables forged steel valves to exhibit higher stability and durability when facing extreme working conditions, such as high pressure, high temperature or frequently opened and closed fluid control systems.

3. Good density and low defect rate
Another major feature of the forging process is that it can effectively reduce defects inside the valve, such as pores and cracks. These defects are often the key factors affecting the sealing performance and service life of the valve. During the forging process, the high temperature and high pressure environment causes the gas and impurities inside the metal to be effectively discharged, and at the same time the metal flow fills the original pores, making the internal structure of the forged steel valve more dense and uniform. In contrast, it is difficult to completely avoid the formation of internal defects during the casting process due to the fluidity restrictions and solidification shrinkage of the liquid metal. Therefore, when forged steel valves are subjected to high-pressure fluid impact, they can better maintain the integrity and sealing performance of the structure, thereby improving the safety of the system.

4. High reliability: a solid backing in industrial applications
Combining the above advantages, forged steel valves have shown extremely high reliability in industrial fluid control systems. Whether in oil and gas extraction, chemical production, power transmission or aerospace, forged steel valves can meet the complex and changing working conditions with their excellent strength and toughness, good density and long-term stable operation. In contrast, although cast valves have application space in cost control and certain low-pressure and low-temperature environments, the advantages of forged steel valves are self-evident in situations where safety and reliability are extremely high.