| Sport and performance car enthusiasts are just now | | | | manufacturers do install forged wheels on their highest |
| beginning to understand what both amateur and | | | | performing vehicles. By optimizing wheel strength |
| professional racers have known for | | | | through process and material choices, the many |
| years……..The fact that forged wheels | | | | benefits in overall vehicle performance will make |
| deliver better performance parameters on the track | | | | forged magnesium wheels one of the key milestones |
| and are significantly safer than cast wheels. What this | | | | in upcoming production vehicle refinement, |
| means for everyday luxury, sport and performance | | | | performance and safety improvement. |
| car drivers is that lighter, stronger, forged wheels can | | | | Technology in forging magnesium wheels is always |
| offer both a higher margin of safety as well as | | | | advancing. With the new technologies come new |
| improved vehicle dynamics including acceleration times, | | | | applications in forging and coating. SMW Engineering |
| braking distances and handling. Because forged | | | | and are researching and testing new design methods |
| wheels are much stronger than cast wheels, they can | | | | regularly. The racing world, automotive and motorcycle, |
| be designed with thinner cross-sections, making them | | | | has for some time adopted magnesium wheels as |
| lighter in weight and better optimized for rotational | | | | efficient tools for weight reduction, better handling and |
| mass and inertial moment considerations. | | | | increased performance. Luxury car and bike |
| Mark Lisnyansky, President of notes that, "Wheel | | | | manufacturers are now meeting consumer interest |
| weight is very important to overall performance as it is | | | | and demand for not only high-performance magnesium |
| key component in "un-sprung" vehicle mass. Generally, | | | | wheels but exclusively designed and coated |
| the accepted rule for thumb for predicting | | | | magnesium wheels. |
| performance benefits from sprung vs. un-sprung | | | | recently announced the introduction of one-piece, |
| weight reduction is a factor of approximately 4:1. For | | | | forged magnesium wheels for street use in North |
| every pound of un-sprung mass eliminated a four fold | | | | America. The wheels are 20 to 30 percent lighter than |
| advantage is gained in vehicle performance | | | | forged aluminum and offer increased safety and |
| parameters. For example, forged magnesium, large | | | | performance. |
| diameter wheels ( 20"-22") increase the weight | | | | "The U.S. wheel market is quite formidable and we |
| advantage over aluminum by eliminating, on average, | | | | intend to supply a smaller but very important segment |
| 70-75 lbs. un-sprung mass, which would provide the | | | | of the 100 million vehicle wheels used in North |
| same acceleration time and braking distance benefit | | | | America," said Mark Lisnyansky, President of "We will |
| as eliminating 250-300 pounds from the vehicle engine, | | | | provide the best-in-class wheels that automakers can |
| chassis or passenger compartment." Mr. Lisnyansky | | | | offer as an option on new vehicles and consumers |
| goes on to say that, "By virtue of these lighter wheels, | | | | can add to their present vehicles." |
| forged wheels are at least 20% lighter, sustaining equal | | | | The magnesium alloy wheels are initially available in 20 |
| loads with better characteristics, which is always | | | | and 22-inch sizes, and are treated with a high-tech |
| easier on the car and its suspension. Lighter wheels | | | | anti-corrosion coating. The company will also be |
| also yield shorter breaking distance, which saves lives, | | | | developing wheels in various sizes and compositions |
| shorter acceleration and reduces fuel consumption." | | | | for specific North American applications. |
| The forged aluminum and magnesium wheel | | | | "Steel wheels are becoming nearly obsolete and the |
| manufacturing process is critical to wheel strength. | | | | prevailing trend is toward cast aluminum wheels. While |
| They are produced by applying extremely high forces | | | | most people are not familiar with forged wheels, |
| to base material in a contained die. The forged wheel | | | | performance car enthusiasts know that forged wheels |
| blanks, or "pre-forms", undergo very beneficial changes | | | | offer significant advantages, and forged magnesium |
| in metallurgical grain structure during this process. The | | | | wheels, which are lighter and much stronger than their |
| more random grain structure found in standard cast | | | | aluminum counterparts, are the next logical step in |
| wheels becomes a more highly organized and aligned | | | | optimizing vehicle performance." |
| grain structure when wheels are forged. More | | | | Magnesium wheels offer consumers improved safety |
| importantly, forged wheel metallurgical microstructure in | | | | by shortening braking distances and delivering higher |
| both aluminum and magnesium can be further oriented | | | | acceleration rates as well as improving gas mileage. |
| in the forging process to provide the highest material | | | | There is also the dampening factor of magnesium, |
| strength exactly where wheels see the highest loading | | | | which allows for vibrations caused by road |
| from road surface hazards or from lateral and other | | | | imperfections to be absorbed six times more |
| loading generated by the vehicles own inertia. Going | | | | effectively. |
| one step further, today's advanced computer aided | | | | Mr. Lisnyansky added that along with the safety |
| modeling techniques allow the wheel manufacturer and | | | | aspects, "forged magnesium wheels will also provide |
| the automaker to collaborate in optimizing a specific | | | | appreciable impact to vehicle performance by |
| forged wheel geometry and design for the utmost | | | | decreasing un-sprung mass, an important performance |
| strength and safety on the vehicle. | | | | factor." |
| SMW Engineering, a division of is a leader in developing | | | | Using specialized aviation industry equipment, the |
| magnesium wheels. Engineers at acknowledge another | | | | company has been producing Superbike and Formula |
| important feature of forged wheels over low pressure | | | | One competition wheels for many years. The wheels |
| cast wheels is the integrity of surface finish achievable. | | | | are forged in Russia by a subsidiary and then |
| Most final wheel styles and finish combinations are | | | | machined and finished in Italy. |
| enhanced by the density and uniformity of cosmetic | | | | Why not build a finishing line in Russia? "Prospective |
| surfaces on forged wheels. This is particularly | | | | customers, primarily automotive original equipment |
| important on higher-end vehicle applications where a | | | | manufacturers, often require the comfort level of |
| bright wheel finish is desired but chrome plating is not | | | | having their suppliers' wheels produced locally, even if |
| an alternative due to mass, cost and environmental | | | | the forging itself arrives from Russia," Lisnyansky said. |
| considerations. Forged, bright polished wheels certainly | | | | Magnesium . com recently held a "Best New Wheel |
| make a dramatic addition to the vehicles appearance | | | | Design" competition, and is negotiating with several |
| and aesthetics. | | | | large distributors to establish a joint machining and |
| While forging processing cost is higher than the | | | | finishing facility in the U.S. The company is considering |
| standard, low-pressure casting process used on | | | | an acquisition of or a joint venture with a local wheel |
| wheels that come as original equipment on many | | | | company with an existing high-end market presence |
| vehicles, even the most cost-conscious auto | | | | and brand name recognition. |