Rank the following materials by strength: billet metal, cast metal, forged metal (4 weakest to 10 strongest).

• A. billet: 7; cast: 4; forged: 10
• B. billet: 4; cast: 7; forged: 10
• C. billet: 10; cast: 4; forged: 7
• D. billet: 7; cast: 10; forged: 4

Answer: (A)

Strength comes from how the metal is processed. Forging subjects the metal to plastic deformation, which aligns the grains and closes internal flaws, giving a continuous and refined microstructure that resists loading very well. Casting solidifies metal from a liquid, so it often ends up with porosity and randomly oriented grains that weaken the material under stress. Billet represents a wrought form produced by shaping through rolling or extrusion, which improves grain structure and adds some work hardening, making it stronger than cast metal but not as strong as forged metal. So the order from weakest to strongest is: cast metal, billet metal, forged metal.