Closed die steel forgings, commonly called impression-die forgings, are produced through a multi-step process. At Walker Forge, heated steel is placed in a forging press and compressed in a series of tool steel dies that progressively reflect the mirror image of the desired final shape. Forgings are specified in high load and high-stress applications for a number of reasons, including internal consistency (no pockets or voids), and superior mechanical properties due to optimized grain flow and refinement.