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Cast Iron
Basically alloy of iron and carbon Contains greater amount of carbon (from 2.11 to 6.67 %) as compared to steels (commercial manufactured cast iron has carbon % from 2.11 to 4.0) The ductility of cast iron is very low, and it cannot be rolled, drawn, or worked at room temperature. Most of the cast irons are not malleable at any temperature. However they melt readily and can be cast into complicated shapes which are usually machined to final dimensions. Since casting is the only suitable process applied to these alloys, they are known as cast irons. Although the common cast irons are brittle and have lower strength properties than most steels, they are cheap, can be cast more readily than steel, and have other useful properties. In addition, by proper alloying, good foundry control, and appropriate heat treatment, the properties of any type of cast iron may be varied over a wide range.
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Properties
Low ductility (cannot be rolled, drawn or worked at room temperature) Highly brittle and low strength (as compared to steels) Highly non-malleable at any temperature (except malleable cast iron) Relatively low melting point Cheap and can be cast more easily than steels Good fluidity and castability (can be melt readily and can be cast into complicated components) Excellent machinability (cast components can be further machined easily to final dimensions)
High resistance compression, deformation and wear Proper alloying, good foundry control and appropriate heat treatment can be effectively used to vary its properties over a wide range
Applications
Pipes, plates, wagon wheels, bridges, columns, textile mills, chairs, tables, benches, gates, grills, railings, wall brackets, lamp posts, spiral staircase, garden furniture, manhole covers, etc Machines parts such as legs, beds, supports, flanges etc Automotive parts such as cylinder heads, cylinder blocks and gearbox cases
Note:
Cast iron may be classified based on its metallographic structure, which is based: Carbon content (combined or free state) Content of alloying elements and impurities Cooling rate during and after freezing Heat treatment process after casting
Nodular cast iron (ductile cast iron): using special alloying elements, carbon is largely in uncombined state in form of compact spheroids (different from malleable cast iron, as it is obtained directly from solidification and round particles are more regular in shape) Alloy cast iron: properties or structure of any above types of cast iron are altered by addition of suitable alloying elements
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Limitation in size of part that can be cast (rapid cooling of surface leads to formation of malleable cast iron shell with relatively slowly cooled-formed gray cast iron core Chilled Cast Iron) Higher strength & ductility (compared to gray cast iron) High machinability (due to presence of graphite nodules, which lubricate cutting tools) Applications like axle bearings, track wheels, automotive crankshafts, agriculture equipments, railroad equipments, expansion joints and railing castings on bridges, chain-hoist assemblies, pipe fittings, industrial casters
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Presence of silicon promotes good corrosion resistance and increases fluidity during casting. Generally considered easy to weld Low tensile strength and ductility (compared to modern alloys) High thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity Used for housings where tensile strength is non-critical, e.g. cylinder blocks, pump housings, valve bodies, electrical boxes and decorative castings, cast iron cookware and disc brake rotors, flywheels, gears, machine-tool bases
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Mottled iron is used for production of items operating under conditions of dry friction (brake shoes) and wear-resistant parts, such as roller, paper-making and flour-milling shafts. Chilled cast iron finds applications likes sheet, corn milling, sugar rolls, tilt hammer anvils and bits, plowshares, brasses, bushes, cartwheel boxes, serrated cones and cups for grinding mills, railway and tramway wheels and crossings, artillery shot and bolts, stonebreaker jaws, circular cutters
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Good casting properties, high flowability, low linear shrinkage and good machinability High strength and toughness (compared to gray cast iron) Used to replace cast and hammered steel parts, such as crankshafts of engines and compressors, as well as, items made of malleable iron or ordinary gray iron Used for applications like gears, camshafts, crankshafts, cylinder heads, electrical fittings, switch boxes, motor frames, hoist drums, flywheels, drive pulleys, elevator buckets, mill rolls, furnace doors, table rolls, tractor and implement parts, bearings, wrenches, levers, clamp frames, chuck bodies and shaping dies
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