Forging
Pressing solid billet under high tonnage.
A billet of 6061-T6 aluminium is heated and pressed under high tonnage. The grain structure is compressed and follows the shape of the part rather than running randomly as it does in a casting.
That grain flow is the entire reason a forged wheel can be lighter than a cast one at a higher load rating. It is not a finish or a marketing term — it is a change in the metal itself.
Forging fixes the blank shape. Everything after this is machining, with tooling and machining costs depending on the supplier and design.