August 2026 Volume 8

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

9. How energy efficient is this equipment? Energy efficiency directly affects operating costs, carbon footprint, production speed, and long-term competitiveness. This is especially important in heat-intensive forging environments where furnaces, induction systems, hydraulic systems, drives, and compressed air can represent significant operating expenses. Forgers should ask suppliers to quantify energy performance, not simply describe the equipment as efficient. For heating systems, that may mean asking for energy consumption per ton of heated material, such as kilowatt-hours per ton for induction systems or fuel usage for gas furnaces. For furnaces, companies should ask about insulation materials, heat loss, startup and recovery time, and whether recuperative or regenerative burners are available to capture waste heat and improve fuel efficiency. For electrical and drive systems, forgers should ask about power supply efficiency, power factor, automatic standby modes, and whether hydraulic pumps use variable frequency drives to match motor speed to actual demand. For mechanical presses, it may also be worth asking whether direct-drive servo motor options are available. Energy monitoring is another important consideration. Equipment that tracks real-time energy use, energy spikes, and usage by production run can help forgers optimize scheduling, identify waste, and support broader energy or decarbonization goals. Ask: What is the expected energy consumption of this equipment, what efficiency features are included, and can the system monitor energy use by production run? 10. What is your company’s experience, stability, and long-term service commitment? The supplier relationship should not end after installation. Forgers need to know who to call when problems arise, how quickly support is available, and whether the supplier can assist with troubleshooting, upgrades, rebuilds, or future process improvements. Peter Campbell of Campbell Press Repair recommends asking how long the supplier has been in business and how long the company has operated under its current ownership. That question matters. A supplier’s stability, ownership structure, technical depth, and service history can affect parts availability, documentation, field service, and long-term accountability. Forgers should ask about the supplier’s service team, response times, domestic support capabilities, field service availability, and experience supporting older or customized equipment. They should also ask whether the supplier offers remote diagnostics, preventive maintenance programs, equipment reviews, rebuild support, or upgrade planning. Ask: How long has your company been in business, how long has it operated under current ownership, and what level of ongoing service and technical support do you provide after startup?

Final Thought The right equipment decision can strengthen a forging operation for years. The wrong decision can create unnecessary downtime, safety concerns, maintenance headaches, excessive energy costs, and missed production opportunities. By asking better questions upfront, forgers can better evaluate not only the equipment itself, but also the supplier’s experience, responsiveness, technical capabilities, energy-efficiency solutions, training resources, and long-term commitment to the success of the operation. Looking for a supplier of forging equipment, materials, or services? Check out the FIA Supplier Guide at www.forging.org/suppliers. Thank you to the following members for their contributions to this article: David Lee, Weld Mold Company; Robert Brodhead, DAUCH; Joseph Stambaugh, Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic; and Peter Campbell, Campbell Press Repair.

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2026 19