Forging price per kg looks simple but it hides several decisions: which weight is being priced, which grade, who pays for the dies and how much finishing is included. We do not publish forging prices, because a per-kilogram figure without those answers misleads.
A reliable quote is one that states the basis, so you can compare it with another supplier's. This guide shows what to ask for and why per-kilogram quotes differ.
What does the per-kg figure refer to?
Ask first whether the rate applies to the finished weight of the forging or to the weight of steel the forge has to buy. These differ. The forge starts from a billet that is heavier than the finished part, because it loses material to flash, scale and cut-off.
Some suppliers quote by finished weight, which already includes the loss. Others quote on billet weight or add a material charge. If you compare two per-kilogram numbers on different bases, you compare nothing.
What are the main cost drivers?
These items move the quote:
- Steel grade, since alloy and stainless grades cost more to buy and to forge. See steel grades used for forgings.
- Part weight and shape, which set the press size and the number of strokes.
- Order quantity, since dies and set-up are spread across the run.
- Heat treatment, such as normalising or quenching and tempering, and the testing that follows.
- Machining after forging, which can be larger than the forging cost itself.
- Inspection and certificates, including ultrasonic or magnetic particle tests.
- Packing, and the commercial terms you agree.
How do dies change the price?
For closed-die forging, the dies are a one-time cost that can be charged separately or built into the piece price. Our guide to tooling cost and ownership explains the options. Ask who pays, who owns the dies and where they are stored.
Open-die work needs no part-specific dies, so set-up is cheaper but material removal and machining are higher. See open-die versus closed-die forging for the trade-off.
How do you get a quote you can rely on?
Send a package with the drawing, the grade as a standard designation, the finish you need, the heat treatment, test requirements and the annual quantity. Ask each supplier to state the weight basis and to list what is included and excluded.
Raw material markets move, so ask how long the quote is valid and whether a material price adjustment clause applies. The same is true of castings: how castings are priced shows how weight-based pricing works there.
Then check that the supplier is a real forge, as described in trader or manufacturer, and compare quotes line by line.
Ask for a breakdown if you can get one: material, forging, heat treatment, machining, inspection and packing. A breakdown lets you see where two suppliers differ and challenge a line that looks out of place. It also shows you where a change to the drawing could save cost, for example by relaxing a tolerance that does not matter or leaving a surface as forged.
Next step
To get comparable forging quotes against your drawing, book a free sourcing review. We ask forges for offers on the same basis and check the first samples.