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How can we judge the manufacturing process of a wheel by its appearance?
2024-10-11
1.Surface texture
4.Color and surface treatment method
- Forged wheel:
- The surface is usually very smooth. This is because in the forging process, metal blanks are formed under high pressure, and the metal closely adheres to the mold. After demolding, the wheel surface has high flatness. Moreover, in the subsequent processing of forged wheels, high-precision machining equipment is often used for grinding, polishing, and other treatments, making the surface texture even more delicate, like a finely polished metal handicraft. For example, the surface of some forged wheels of high-end sports cars can achieve a mirror-like effect, reflecting clear light and shadow.
- The surface details are exquisite. Due to the ability of the forging process to withstand complex shape designs, fine lines, complex patterns, or unique textures may be seen on the wheel surface. The edges of these details are clear and sharp without roughness. For example, the brand logo or decorative patterns on some brand forged wheels have smooth lines and strong three-dimensional effects.
- Cast wheel:
- The surface is relatively rough. Casting is the process of injecting liquid metal into a mold. During the solidification process, the contact between the liquid metal and the mold may cause some minor irregularities. Moreover, the liquid metal may contain some impurities or gases, which will form pores or sand holes on the surface after solidification. Although some casting processes will try to reduce these defects as much as possible, the surface texture still remains slightly inferior. For example, upon close inspection of the surface of an ordinary cast wheel, some small granular protrusions or depressions may be found.
- The surface details are not fine enough. Compared with forged wheels, cast wheels may be limited in making complex details. Some decorative lines or patterns may become blurred or not clear enough due to issues such as the fluidity of liquid metal and solidification shrinkage. For example, the text logo on a cast wheel may have uneven edges and an incomplete font.
- Forged wheel:
- The spokes can be relatively slender. Due to the high strength of forged wheel materials, they can withstand greater stress. Therefore, in design, thinner spokes can be used to reduce weight and achieve unique shapes. For example, the spokes of some high-performance forged wheels can be as thin as hair but still ensure the strength of the wheel. Moreover, these slender spokes make the wheel look lighter and more dynamic.
- The spoke shapes are complex and diverse. The forging process allows the manufacture of spokes with complex geometric shapes, such as multi-segment bends and twists. These complex spokes not only increase the aesthetics of the wheel but also can optimize the mechanical properties of the wheel to a certain extent. For example, the spokes of some forged wheels adopt a twisted shape similar to a propeller. This design not only improves the strength of the wheel but also gives people a strong sense of technology visually.
- Cast wheel:
- The spokes are usually relatively thick. To ensure sufficient strength, the spokes of cast wheels are generally relatively thick because the strength of cast materials is relatively lower than that of forged materials. If the spokes are designed too thinly, they are prone to deformation or fracture when bearing the vehicle weight and the impact force during driving. Therefore, from an appearance perspective, the spokes of cast wheels give people a relatively sturdy and thick feeling.
- The spoke shapes are relatively simple. Although the casting process can also produce multiple shapes of spokes, they are usually not as complex as forged wheels. This is because the characteristics of liquid metal flow and solidification in the mold limit the realization of overly complex geometric shapes. For example, most of the spokes of cast wheels are relatively regular straight lines, simple arcs, or common basic shapes such as Y-shaped or five-spoke.
- Forged wheel:
- Special designs can be found in the rim part. Due to the advantages of the forging process, the rim can be made into unique shapes such as deep concave or wide edges. The deep concave rim can increase the three-dimensional and sporty feeling of the wheel and visually make the tire look flatter, enhancing the overall aesthetics of the vehicle. This design is more common in forged wheels of high-performance vehicles and luxury cars.
- The rim edge is smooth and fluent. The forging process can precisely control the shape of the wheel, making the rim edge very smooth whether in a plane or an arc. This smooth edge is not only more refined in appearance but also more convenient for operations such as tire installation, ensuring a better fit between the tire and the wheel.
- Cast wheel:
- The rim shape is relatively conventional. The rims of cast wheels are usually common shapes such as ordinary straight edges or slightly curved edges. This is because the casting process may encounter problems such as difficult demolding and insufficient filling of liquid metal when making some special rim shapes.
- The rim edge may have defects. Due to the characteristics of the casting process, the rim edge may have some casting defects such as burrs and unevenness. These defects may need additional processing in the later stage to improve, but compared with forged wheels, the edge quality is still slightly inferior.
4.Color and surface treatment method
- Forged wheel:
- The color is uniform and durable. When forged wheels are subjected to surface color treatment (such as painting, electroplating, etc.), due to their good surface quality, the color can adhere better, and it is not easy to fade during long-term use. For example, forged wheels with high-quality electroplating treatment can maintain a bright metal luster for a long time without local discoloration or fading.
- There are diverse surface treatment methods. Forged wheels can adopt various advanced surface treatment methods to enhance their aesthetics and performance. In addition to common painting and electroplating, methods such as wire drawing, frosting, and two-tone treatment can also be used. These treatment methods can further highlight the delicacy and uniqueness of forged wheels. For example, after wire drawing treatment, forged wheels will present a delicate metal filament texture under the illumination of light, with great texture.
- Cast wheel:
- The color may not be uniform enough. Due to the presence of some tiny irregularities and pores on the surface of cast wheels, when performing surface color treatment, these defects may affect the uniformity of the color. For example, after painting, cast wheels may have darker colors or small bubbles at the pore positions.
- The surface treatment methods are relatively limited. Cast wheels mainly use relatively traditional surface treatment methods such as painting and simple electroplating. Due to their surface quality and structural characteristics, some advanced surface treatment methods (such as complex two-tone treatment or high-precision wire drawing treatment) may not achieve the desired effect or are too costly for large-scale application.
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