In addition to open die forging, Anderson Shumaker uses hammer forging to manufacture many of our products. What’s the difference? Let’s find out in today’s blog post. What is Hammer Forging? This forging technique uses two dies. These dies are attached to a moving ram and a stationary anvil. The operated places heated metal on…
Anderson Shumaker is proud to be an open die forge shop. However, this isn’t the only forging technique available. Sometimes our clients wonder which method gives the best advantage: open die or closed die forging? Let’s take a look at each. Open Die Forging Open die forging, also known as free forging, is when a…
Did you know that metal fatigue is one of the most dangerous types of metal failures? What makes metal fatigue challenging is that this defect can be very subtle, and even go unnoticed until it’s too late to correct. Avoiding metal fatigue is yet another reason why choosing a reliable forge shop like Anderson Shumaker…
Anderson Shumaker is an approved forged rolled ring provider for many industries. Our forged rings are critical components for many industries. Due to their importance, all our rolled rings must be durable, accurate, and able to withstand extreme temperatures and weather conditions. But, how does a customer choose a seamless rolled ring provider? Choosing the…
While there are a lot categories for metal, the most important difference is whether a metal is ferrous or non-ferrous. Anderson Shumaker forges in both ferrous and non-ferrous materials, but what is the different between these categories? Let’s learn more. What Are Ferrous Metals? Simply defined: ferrous metals include iron in their composition, often as…
In honor of our hardworking healthcare professionals, today we’ll discuss the importance of steel in the medical industry. While Anderson Shumaker doesn’t make end-use medical components, we do forge many of the same steel grades the medical industry relies on for lifesaving tools and equipment. Let’s take a look into why steel is a top…
Some days, we like to get a little wild in the forge shop; at least we do with our exotic alloys. But what exactly are exotic alloys? Today we’ll discuss 3 popular exotic alloys that we forge at Anderson Shumaker. What Are Exotic Alloys? Exotic alloys (also called super alloys) contain a very high alloy…
We forge a lot of special projects at Anderson Shumaker, but none more so than our special machinery forged parts. Because special machinery’s requirements present unique challenges, these projects require a lot of upfront planning to ensure each part and process is perfect. Last week we discussed custom forging, so it only makes sense to…
Do you need something custom forged? Anderson Shumaker has got you covered! We are an industry leader in forging durable, custom parts. Furthermore, we forge in a variety of materials for many industries and applications. Our Custom Forgings We can take our customers’ demanding requirements and create custom parts from forge to finish machining. Best…
Our forging equipment works just as hard as our talented employees. Moreover, if we didn’t have proper equipment, we wouldn’t be able to offer diverse products or meet our high-quality standards. Today we’ll take a look at our most important forge shop equipment. FORGING & RING ROLLING EQUIPMENT Anderson Shumaker uses all of the below…
In November 2019, we welcomed the newest addition to the Anderson Shumaker equipment family: a brand-new heat-treat furnace! Additionally, our new furnace was designed, engineered, and built in-house. This is quite an accomplishment. Consequently, we’re really proud of this latest equipment addition. Here are a few fun facts about our new heat-treat furnace: Clam Shell…
Our many certifications are very important at Anderson Shumaker. We’re proud to be PED (June 2019), AS9001D (March 2019), and ISO 9001:2015 (September 2018) certified. We’ve earned each key certification due to our diligent management and our dedicated workforce. However, while we’ve blogged about our PED and AS9001D certifications, we haven’t highlighted our very important…
Forging titanium is an important part of Anderson Shumaker’s operations. Our skilled team knows their metals inside and out. But, not everyone is familiar with the many materials we forge. Each metal has its own unique properties and attributes. Therefore, not all metals are appropriate for all products. A few weeks back we discussed aluminum.…
Customer satisfaction surveys are a big part of how we do business at Anderson Shumaker. We know our customers have options when it comes to forged products suppliers. Therefore, we regularly gather feedback about our services and products. This feedback gives us insight into what our customers need. Most importantly, it drives future decisions. At…
Forging aluminum grades is an important part of Anderson Shumaker’s production. Our skilled team knows their metals inside and out. But, not everyone is familiar with the many materials we forge. Each metal has its own unique properties and attributes. Therefore, not all metals are appropriate for all products. A few weeks back we discussed…
This summer Chicago gained an unusual celebrity: Chance the Snapper. Chance is a 40 lb, 5+ foot alligator named after the city’s very own Chance the Rapper. For one whole July week, the rogue gator lived his best life swimming around the Humboldt Park Lagoon. We loved following our resident reptile’s Chicago adventures. We even…
Our team achieved record breaking sales in July 2019. We’re only 1 week into autumn, but we’re already beating those numbers. Each month keeps getting better! What’s our secret? First, Anderson Shumaker has a stellar sales team. From our top sales management to our customer service experts, each sales team member is industry knowledgeable and…
Anderson Shumaker is now AS9100D (aerospace) certified. This certification is based on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)‘s aerospace industry standards. This is an important achievement for an open die forging company if the company seeks to become an aerospace industry supplier. For example, all major aerospace regulators endorse and require the AS9100D certification: DoD…
Anderson Shumaker really had a blast this summer. While Chicago’s weather was thankfully mild, we kept things hot on the shop-floor. From hosting tasty company barbeques, celebrating our 1-year new management anniversary, and earning coveted company certifications, we really had a fantastic summer! This June we proudly celebrated our 1-year anniversary under new management. Over…
Did you know that Anderson Shumaker offers in-house testing on our forgings? While our forgings and ring rolling represent the best in high quality products, they wouldn’t be the best if it wasn’t for our in-house testing services. Usually, testing is the final step in manufacturing. Consequently, it’s a critical for cost-savings. Most importantly, by…
Forging University: Open-Die Forging vs. Closed-Die Forging Welcome back to Forging University! This is the fourth topic in our 5-part discussion. Today, we’ll compare two popular types of forging: open die vs. closed die. To get started, take a quick look back to Lesson #1, Lesson #2, and Lesson #3 to review forging basics. You can…
Anderson Shumaker offers complete finishing services on our forged products. Because we’re one-stop shop, our in-house extras save our customers both time and money. Above all, we offer seamless traceability. This means that with one phone call, our customers can trace the exact status of an order from start to end. From a CAD drawing…
Spring has finally sprung in Chicago! We’re “rolling” in the season with an increased production of our forged round bars. Did you know that round bars are an Anderson Shumaker specialty? We really strive to raise the “bar” with both our materials inventory and production. Our custom round bars are suited for multiple applications and…
Forging alloy steel is an important part of Anderson Shumaker’s production. Our skilled team knows their metals inside and out. But, not everyone is familiar with the many materials we forge. Each metal has its own unique properties and attributes. Therefore, not all metals are appropriate for all products. Last week we discussed tool steel. Today we’ll…
Forging University: Lesson #3 – Open-Die Forging vs. Torch Cutting Welcome back to Forging University! This is the third topic in our 5-part discussion. Today we compare forging vs. torch cutting. Before continuing, take a look at Lesson #1 and Lesson #2 to review forging basics. You can also check out Anderson Shumaker’s forging page for…
Happy Valentine’s Day from your friends in Anderson Shumaker’s heat treatment department. We don’t know what your special plans are, but on the shop floor, we like to keep things burning hot all year round… at least when it comes to heat treatment! Did you know that heat treating plays a significant role in the forging process?…
Today we’ll take a deep into the metal tool steel. This material is more common than most people realize. Metals are the beating heart of our industry. The skilled team at Anderson Shumaker knows their metals inside and out. But, not everyone is familiar with the many metals we forge. Each metal has its own…
Forging University: Lesson #2 – Open Die Forging vs. Casting Welcome back to Forging University! The second topic in our 5-part discussion compares forging and casting. Before reading, take a quick look back to Lesson #1 and review forging basics. Additionally, you can check out the Anderson Shumaker forging page. What is Casting? Casting is the process…
Forging metal is the heart of our industry. At Anderson Shumaker, our skilled team knows their metals inside and out. We’re masters at forging all metal grades – alloys, carbon, nickel, stainless steel, tool steel, and many more. We’re also located in Chicago, a city rich in forging history. But, not many people know the…
We’re all about forging for grain flow at Anderson Shumaker. Afterall, grain flow is important when creating a durable, long-lasting forged products. From rings to bars, we know the internal structure of our products is key to our customers’ end uses. But when it comes to forging metal, what exactly is grain flow, and why…
In June 2018, new management took over Anderson Shumaker. The new owners have a combined 60 years of open die forging experience and are both degreed engineers. As a result, they wasted no time in jumping right into the swing of things. For example, they brought in not only a wealth of industry knowledge, but…
Anderson Shumaker’s new website is live! Our new website provides a more customer-focused experience. We’re also proud to announce the launch of our new blog. We’ve made amazing digital updates all around. First, Anderson Shumaker’s new website is extremely easy to navigate with new detailed dropdown menus. Most importantly, it’s mobile compatible. Therefore, clients can…
Anderson Shumaker is a trusted aerospace parts provider to both the military and commercial markets. Therefore, we’re excited to attend the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition (JA2018) this year in Tokyo, Japan. Japan International Aerospace Exhibition (JA2018) This trade-only show hosts 520+ companies in a variety of aerospace fields. For example, highlights include the trends, innovations,…