HAMMER students visit Scot Forge facilities
Located just north of Chicago, the manufacturer specializes in custom open-die and rolled-ring forging
Feb 2026
Northwestern Ph.D. student and ERC HAMMER Student Leadership Council President, Carter Taylor recently organized a visit to the local Scot Forge facilities in Spring Grove, IL. Faculty, Graduate students, Post-Docs and Undergraduate students took part in the visit to the manufacturer located just north of Chicago. Scot Forge specializes in custom open-die and rolled-ring forging, producing high-quality metal components for critical, demanding applications in aerospace, defense, and mining. They are recognized as the industry leader in open die forging and rolled ring forging, and are the world's premier provider of high-quality metal forging solutions.
"Visiting a facility like Scot Forge during my graduate research in manufacturing gave me a unique insight into how my work directly connects with industrial applications," said the SLC president Carter Taylor, "It also helped me develop a new perspective on the current manufacturing research challenges our lab is facing."
Starting as a small hammer shop in Chicago in 1893, Scot Forge has 130 years of experience. Today they have the capability to forge parts weighing up to 300,000 lbs. and roll seamless rings up to 252" in diameter. Customized equipment and creative operating techniques at multiple locations enable them to manufacture forged products that conform to exact specifications. A special thanks to Patrick Nowak, the Scot Forge Plant Metallurgist, for making this trip possible. https://www.scotforge.com/