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Issue #3, 1999

Inverse Chill in Ductile Iron Castings

Types of Chill: Sectioned Inverse Chill Castings

Chill structure or carbidic rateas in 41
castings can be classified as nonnd chill ox
inverse chill. With normal chill, the
carbide areas occur at cornem, along edgw,
may extend for mme distance in h m the
cast surface, or could be sprinkled
throughout the cross sectioa Normally, it
is the d t of solidification in the mold, at
a rate greater than can be t01mk.d hy the
total iron composition, chlu,
sometimes d l e d centerline carbides, is a
dense concentration of a carbidic
m i c x o ~ ~only , at the casting
mihedon, or at the center ~f an isolated
smtion of thin or light section castings. Etched Cross Section
(Some light section castings may
experience both types of chills.)
1
Skps to E h h m General Chill:
Raise the h l s i l i ~ ~l~vel.
n
Urn the wbon equivalent

dlowable lev& fbz different ssectjuns

are: 4.5 for I", 4.6 for ID", 4.7 for
114".
W e me dl carbide producing d o y Sectioned and Etched Wedge
levels are as low a pmficd (Crand V
mparticukly W).
JnCma56 c*g pouring tmpmm,
Add additional mold and late
Fe% bod&@^.
Increase ca&g d d v per mold d
irAmw3e mold wall thtcImw.
If t h e steps are not adquate - a high
t q - full putn&g heat
treabnmt may be the last ~ r t .
Inverse Chill:
Typiod examples are shown in the
accompanying figures on Page I. Inverse
chill is nut detectable at casting shake-out
or by inspection ~~ testing.
Howww, it is readily detected in the
machine shop wben attempting to drill, tap
and mill into the cross sectional
unmacbhble structure. In a f& cases,
the fractm face of the gate section may
indicate the presence of centerline
carbides.
Causes of Iaverse CMI (IIC):
IC o c c m in the Ierat area of the casting
to aolidjfr, This k the midline of a thin
section; or at the cmtm of an isolated
heavier section such as a boa.
Carbide formem, even if present in
ma31 quantities, lose solubility during
soIidi&ation and segregate to the last
itontohm.
Residual m-ium and cerium in
"over seated ironNsegregate to thermal
centas.
* Dissahed hydrogen loses solubility and
~~bIastmtOwlidi@.
IC is d e n associated with micro-
sbrhhge at an under-fed casting
centerline*
Don't store or hold molds in an
enviroment that will = w e ex-
water to condense in the mold cavity.
Can Inverse Chill Be Heat Treated
Away?
Yes, but these carbides are extremely
stabIe, requiring o long a d slow cool, high
temperature annealing cycle.
Coa~qtleaceaifIC b Undetected:
The bigge&prohIem is mmhimbility.
If machin* excssive wear in
wmbIies may be experienced by the
end user,
If all the d d m am concentrated at
the centerline, thb may not a f k ~ t
service life f i r the customer (failures
generally originate at surfaces).
However, under h t h c t w e loading,
such an impact or low cycle, high s t m s
metal fatigue, early &ce f d mm
posdde.
Once the customer identifies IC, they
ugualiy insist on 100% elimhtion.
Typical mimstructure in the inverse chill
area of the Etched Cross Seation sbom on
Page I.

Preventing Inverse Chik

Considcx all the recommenddsteps for
e h h t i n g g e n d chill.
Avoid over treatment. Target W
magnaium and cerium levels at
<0.040% and <0,008%, w p d v e l y .
Add h o l d inoculation (in pouring cup
or j31 the mold).
Revent hydrogen pickup by assurhg all
rehtory vessels, metal launders, etc.,
are 1WO dried and cured (there should
be z m residual moisture).
Make sure inoculants and magnesium
alloys are kept dry.