SIC 3463 Nonferrous Forgings

Contenidos

• NAICS CODE(S).
• FURTHER READING.

SIC 3463

This category includes establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing nonferrous forgings, with or without the use of dies. These establishments generally operate on a job or order basis, manufacturing forgings for sale to others or for interplant transfer. Establishments that produce metal forgings for incorporation into end products produced in the same establishment are classified on the basis of the end product. Establishments that further process forgings are classified according to the particular product or process.

The forging industry as a whole, which includes SIC 3462: Iron and Steel Forgings, is characterized by its forging processes rather than its end products. Because many companies forge many types of metals, including both ferrous and nonferrous, industry information for this industry classification and SIC 3462: Iron and Steel Forgings are often reported together. The Forging Industry Association, for example, does not distinguish between the two SICs, presenting information on sales for the entire industry. Therefore, this entry will focus on the unique characteristics of the nonferrous forgings industry, and general information on forging can be found in the essay on SIC 3462: Iron and Steel Forgings.

NAICS CODE(S)

332112

Nonferrous Forging

In 2001, North Grafton, Massachusetts-based Wyman-Gordon Company, a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp., led the industry with $730 million in sales and 3,400 employees. Jet Engineering Inc. of Lansing, Michigan, was a distant second at $44 million in sales and 200 employees, while Weber Metals Inc. of Paramount, California, rounded out the top three with $41 million in sales and 200 employees.

Aluminum was the metal most often forged in this industry classification. Aluminum and its alloys can be forged into many different shapes and sizes. The metal is unique because it can be heated to the same temperature as the dies that will form it. The hardness of the dies is also lower than dies used for forging steel. The most common lubricant for forging aluminum is a graphite-water solution, with soap, to help the flow of the metal. Aluminum also can be forged into precision parts that need no further machining for use. Gravity or drop hammers are used for open die forgings, mechanical presses for closed die forgings, and hydraulic presses for complex pieces.

Other nonferrous forgings are made from magnesium and its alloys, whose...