Forged steel vs. tempered steel?

Question

What's the difference? Is steel usually forged and tempered at the same time? When would you want to use forged steel instead of tempered steel?

What are some applications where tempered steel is a must and conversely, when tempered steel is not suitable??

Answer 1

Forging and tempering are not alternatives to each other. Forging is a fabrication process - it means forming shapes using localized force. Tempering is a heat treatment performed on some types of steel to produce the desired balance of strength and ductility. Forged steel may also be tempered, in which case tempering comes after forging.