What’s Heating Up This Season!

From scholarships to summer camps and industry events, there’s a lot happening across the forging community. Here’s everything you need to know—and how to get involved!

Featured in this Newsletter:

Annual Golf Outing

Forging Competition Winners

Forge the Future Summer Camps

Forging Club Grant Winners

Research & Technology Grant Winners

Silent Auction

Forging Industry TechCon

Annual Golf Outing

August 31, 2026 | Westfield Country Club (South Course)

Hit the greens with fellow industry professionals at one of Northeast Ohio’s premier courses.

What’s Included:

• 18 holes of golf + cart
• Lunch & dinner reception
• Networking with industry peers

All proceeds support the Forging Foundation through forging research, education, and scholarships.

Event Schedule:

12:00 PM – Shotgun Start (boxed lunch included)

5:00 PM – Networking & Dinner Reception

Registration Deadline: August 11, 2026

Thank You Sponsors:

The Underys Family

Forging Competition Results

22 student teams took on the challenge to forge an American Felling Axe for this year’s Forging Competition.  Each axe was put through a series of tests appropriate to the application. All submissions included applicant’s axe, a project video, and technical report documenting the design and manufacturing process.

Congratulations to the winners!

Grand Prize Winner: Colorado School of Mines

Testing Winner: Colorado School of Mines

Technical Report Winner: Michigan Technological University

Competition Video Winner: University of Florida

Check out the team’s videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@forgingindustry

Thank you to our host and competition sponsor:

Participate in a Forge the Future Camp Near You!

Explore the world of forging through the Forging Foundation’s Forge the Future Summer Camps. Students will have the opportunity to tour a forging facility, participate in STEAM and team building activities, and learn how to forge. Plus, campers will get to take home their own forging!

2026 Forge the Future Summer Camps:

• California - June 22-26, 2026: La Jolla Country Day School - Middle School Camp | High School Camp
• New York - July 19-24, 2026: Alfred University
• Texas - July 20-21, 2026: University of North Texas
• Ohio - July 27-31, 2026: Tri-C
• Wisconsin - July 7, 2026: Blackhawk Technical College
• Illinois - Decatur High School – Information coming soon

Get Involved

Looking to support and inspire the next generation of talent? Sponsor your employees’ children to attend the camp, facilitate an activity, or sponsor the event.

Thank You Sponsor:

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2026 Forging Club Grant!

• Carnegie Mellon University – Industry Partner, Ellwood Group
• New! Case Western Reserve University – Industry Partners, SIFCO & thyssenkrupp
• Millersville University – Industry Partner, Lehigh Heavy Forge
• Michigan Technological University - Industry Partner, Cornell Forge
• Purdue University - Industry Partner, Steel Dynamics
• New! University of Alabama - Industry Partner, Scot Forge
• University of Florida – Industry Partner Needed
• New! University of Illinois – Industry Partner, IMT CJ Forge 

Grants are awarded to organizations that are interested in starting or continuing a Forging Club and can be awarded every two years. Awarded organizations are committed to compete in FIERF’s Forging Competition in 2027 and start an official Forging Club with their organization.

Check out other Forging Clubs near you: Find a Forging Club

Research & Technology Grant Winners Announced!

The Forging Foundation (FIERF) awards grants to universities and community colleges to advance the science of forging and to engage students and professors in industry-relevant research. This year's grant recipients are:

• In-Process Monitoring and Intelligent Quality Control for Industrial Forging - North Carolina State University
• Enhanced Cavitation Based Descaling for Forged Alloy Steels - University of Akron
• Enhancing Forging Process Robustness and Reducing Scrap via Advanced Ingot-to-Component Microstructure Modeling - University of Florida
• Machine-Learning Guided Design of Additively Manufactured Forging Preforms and Component Fabrication - Wright State University

Thank You: Silent Auction Fundraiser

The Forging Foundation brought the excitement to Scottsdale, AZ, hosting its Sixth Annual Silent Auction during the FIA Annual Meeting of Members—and what a success it was! The event raised an impressive $20,000, all of which will go directly toward supporting industry research, advancing the science of forging, and inspiring the next generation through education, hands-on learning, and scholarships.

From sporting tickets and beautifully forged pieces to jewelry and outdoor gear, the auction featured something for everyone. Guests joined in the fun during the Sunset Reception, placing bids and enjoying the energy of friendly competition.

A huge thank you to the incredible companies that donated and made this event possible. Your generosity and support truly made a difference!

Thank you to all who attended this year’s Forging Industry Technical Conference. With more than 150 attendees, this year’s event was a tremendous success, and we truly appreciate everyone who took the time to participate. From the engaging technical sessions to the great conversations, networking opportunities, and shared meals throughout the event, it was wonderful to see so many industry professionals come together.

We hope you found the conference valuable, made meaningful connections, and enjoyed your time with us. Your participation and enthusiasm are what make this event such a great experience each year.

Stay tuned for details about TechCon 2028!

Thank You Sponsor:

Stay Connected. Get Involved. Forge the Future.

Every event, donation, and opportunity helps strengthen the future of the forging industry. Whether you're supporting students, attending events, or sponsoring initiatives—you’re making a difference.

Interested in learning how your company can get connected and engage with students through the Forging Foundation? Contact Amanda at [email protected].