Steel Forgings, General Requirements

A788/A788M-18: Standard Specification for Steel Forgings, General Requirements

In the demanding world of engineering and manufacturing, ensuring the integrity and performance of critical components is paramount. For professionals working with steel forgings, ASTM A788/A788M-18, the "Standard Specification for Steel Forgings, General Requirements," serves as an essential framework, providing a consistent baseline for quality and material attributes. This industry-leading standard is fundamental for specifying and procuring a wide array of steel forgings, ensuring they meet foundational requirements before specific product details are applied.

What is A788/A788M-18?

ASTM A788/A788M-18 establishes a comprehensive set of common requirements applicable to various steel forgings. Developed by ASTM International, this standard acts as a foundational document, ensuring that a baseline level of quality, testing, and material properties are met across a broad spectrum of forging specifications. Its primary purpose is to streamline procurement and manufacturing by providing a unified set of general rules that supplement individual product specifications.

Scope & Purpose

This authoritative standard governs the general requirements for a wide range of steel forgings intended for diverse industrial applications. It provides overarching stipulations for material properties, manufacturing processes, and testing methodologies that are to be applied unless otherwise explicitly stated in a specific product specification. Crucially, A788/A788M-18 does not dictate specific mechanical properties or dimensions; these are defined in complementary product standards. Its scope is to establish the "rules of the game" for general forging quality, not the detailed design of the forging itself.

Who Must Comply?

• • Primary audience: Materials Engineers, Quality Assurance Managers, Metallurgists, Design Engineers, Procurement Specialists, and Production Engineers involved in the specification and manufacturing of steel forgings.
• • Industries affected: Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Power Generation, Heavy Machinery, and any sector utilizing custom-engineered steel forgings.
• • Compliance nature: Typically voluntary, but becomes mandatory when referenced in customer purchase orders, design specifications, or other contractual agreements.
• • Enforcement: Compliance is typically verified through internal quality control processes, third-party inspections, customer audits, and certification by the manufacturer.

Key Requirements Overview

The standard requires that all steel forgings supplied under its purview adhere to a set of fundamental criteria. Professionals must ensure that forgings are produced in accordance with the general requirements outlined, including provisions for:

• • Material Integrity: Establishing baseline requirements for the chemical composition and internal soundness of the steel.
• • Manufacturing Practices: Ensuring that the forging process itself is controlled to achieve desired material structures and properties.
• • Testing and Inspection: Mandating specific types of testing, such as mechanical property verification and non-destructive examination, to confirm quality.
• • Documentation and Certification: Requiring clear marking and comprehensive certification that details compliance with both this general specification and the applicable product specification.
• • Supplementary Requirements: Allowing for the inclusion of additional, specific customer-defined requirements that do not conflict with the base standard.

Related Standards & References

A788/A788M-18 is designed to work in conjunction with numerous other ASTM standards that define specific types of