The Benefit of Near Net Shapes

Graphic showing the different types of near net shapes

Among companies in the forging industry, Specialty Ring Products is a leader in the design and manufacture of near net shapes with a ring geometry.

By rolling a ring similar in shape to the final machined part, Specialty Ring Products’ (SRP) customers can see reduced costs in a few different ways:

  • There is less input material required to produce the ring
  • There is less material that needs to be machined away
  • The process requires fewer machinery hours and involves less wear and tear on the machining equipment

But despite these reductions in cost, we are able to maintain the consistent strength and durability that are inherent in the forging process.

Near net designs have been especially attractive to SRP’s clients in the aerospace sector, where the savings realized from reduced material costs can be substantial, due to the high cost of many aerospace materials.

But even customers with less exotic material requirements have seen significant savings due to the factors we described above.

In consultation with our customers, SRP engineers have designed near net forgings that meet their specific requirements and closely match the shape of the final machined part.

These designs have included:

  • Ball baths
  • Flanges
  • Cups and cones

We’ve also more recently produced rings with double ball paths and inner barrel shapes.

Our engineers can design a forging that will come as close to the machined print as the part’s size and input material will allow.  The design will take any grain flow requirements into consideration and will provide for sufficient excess material so that the forging will clean up to the final dimensions.

Our former company president had a saying: “Roll in the shape, roll down the cost!”

Designing near net shapes is one of the many ways SRP strives to support our customers by increasing efficiencies and reducing costs.

We are a leading provider of high-performance quality forgings and machining to the aerospace, defense and bearing industries.

Contact us today to request a forging quote or to learn more about our near net shapes capabilities.