ORIGINAL: 8banger

Forgings generally produce a flowed grain structure that provides great strength parallel to the lines of flow. The metallurgy of a forging also depends on the alloy used and the heat treatment that is applied to it after it has been shaped. The one drawback of a forging is that it requires a die to shape the metal.

Billet crankshafts or rods,etc, by comparison, are CNC machined from a solid chunk of metal. The machining process cuts through the grain structure so there are fewer residual stresses in the metal as there are in a forging.
Proponents of billet cranks say billet steel alloys also tend to be "cleaner" in terms of impurities and inclusions, which improves strength and durability of the finished product.
The main advantage of billet cranks, however, is that CNC machining allows the supplier to custom fabricate a crankshaft for virtually any engine. No mold or forging die is necessary, so there's no limit on the shape or dimensions .

[blockquote]quote:

ORIGINAL: 8banger

Forgings generally produce a flowed grain structure that provides great strength parallel to the lines of flow. The metallurgy of a forging also depends on the alloy used and the heat treatment that is applied to it after it has been shaped. The one drawback of a forging is that it requires a die to shape the metal.

Billet crankshafts or rods,etc, by comparison, are CNC machined from a solid chunk of metal. The machining process cuts through the grain structure so there are fewer residual stresses in the metal as there are in a forging.
Proponents of billet cranks say billet steel alloys also tend to be "cleaner" in terms of impurities and inclusions, which improves strength and durability of the finished product.
The main advantage of billet cranks, however, is that CNC machining allows the supplier to custom fabricate a crankshaft for virtually any engine. No mold or forging die is necessary, so there's no limit on the shape or dimensions .
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