Cast iron are also classified according to metallurgical point of view

Hypo Eutectic cast iron (2.11-4.3% carbon)

Eutectic* Cast iron (4.3% carbon)
Hyper Eutectic cast iron(4.3-6.67% carbon)

Types of Cast Iron

The best method of classifying cast iron is based on type of
microstructure:
Two main types of Cast iron
1.White Cast Iron: Carbon is in form of White cementite
2.Grey Cast Iron: Carbon is in form of Graphite flakes

Properties
Hard and wear resistant
The hardness and brittleness increases as the carbon content increases.
Hardness Brinell 375 to 600BHN.
Tensile strength 20000 to 70000 N/mm^2.
Compressive strength 200000 to 250000 N/mm^2.

Limitations
Because of extreme brittleness and lack of machinability, white
irons find limited engineering applications.

Application
The parts where resistance to wear is the most important requirement
such as liners of cement mixers, ball mills, pumps, wearing plates. Parts
of sand-slingers, certain type of drawing dies, extrusion nozzles,
grinding balls.
Brake shoes
Shot blasting nozzles
Mill liners
Crushers
Pump impellers and other abrasion resistant parts.

These all other cast iron except gray and white

cast iron are made by special treatment (heat
treatment and by mixing chemical composition) to
enhance its properties

I. COMPOSITION

(a) Carbon: Higher is the carbon, more is graphite formed and lower the
mechanical properties. Carbons lower the melting point of metal and act
a graphitiser to favour the formation of gray cast iron.
(b) Silicon: Silicon is a strong graphitiser and increases the
fluidity. It controls the relative proportions of combined carbon
and free graphite
(c) Sulphur and Manganese: Sulphur retards graphitisation and
increases the size of the flakes, High sulphur tends to reduce fluidity and
is often the cause of blowholes in castings. Sulphur is kept low in
amount of .06 to .12%.
Manganese in excess of what has formed MnS, weakly retards
primarily graphitisation. However, it has strong cementite
stabilising effect on eutectoid graphitisation

(d) Phosphorus- Most cast iron contain

phosphorus between .1 to .3%.Its amount may
be more than .9%, then it forms iron phosphide
(Fe3P),
(d) Carbon equivalent Value: Si, P has similar effect on the
microstructure, their effect in term of carbon is important.
The carbon equivalent value (CE) = Total C% + 1/3(Si %+P
%)
The carbon content of cast iron may be lower (than 4.3%), but
if C.E is 4.3%, then, the cast iron is eutectic cast iron. Carbon
equivalent value for a given cooling rate, determines how
close is to given composition of cast iron to the eutectic and
thus how much free graphite, it is likely to form. This
determines probable strength of a section of casting.

CHILLED CAST IRON

Chilled-iron castings are made by casting the molten metal against
chillers which result in a surface of white cast iron. Chilled iron has
surface layers of white iron, while the structure of the core is that of gray
iron. Normally, chilled iron castings are obtained by casting the molten
alloy in metal mould. Chilling to certain depth (12 to 30 mm) is because
of the fast cooling (chilling) obtained due to high thermal conductivity of
metal mould, The composition of molten alloy is so chosen that normal
cooling results in gray iron in the whole section, but fast cooling of the
whole surface, or a part of the surface yield white iron there. The fast
cooling obtained by employing metal or graphite platescalled chills in
the sand mould. A chilled cast iron of following composition can get
chilled easily:

C = 2.83.6%; Si =0.5 to 0.8%; Mn = 0.4 0.6%

Where the deeper chill is needed can be increased by
increasing the thickness of the chill plates. It is possible to
choose the composition of the cast iron so that the normal
cooling rate at the surface is just fast enough to yield white
iron there, and the slower cooling rate below this surface
produces mottled or mottled and gray iron. Presence of
graphitiser decreases the chill depth and the carbide
forming elements increase the chill depth.

Properties: Castings have some good properties due to white iron surface which are
high wear and abrasion resistance, and some good properties due gray iron core which
are damping capacity, low notch sensitivity.

Application:
Chilled cast irons used as
Rail-freight car wheel
Cane-crushing rolls
Road rollers
Grinding balls
Liners
Stamp shoes and dies
Sprockets
Ploughshares many other heavy-duty machinery parts

Properties of S.G. Iron:

S.G. irons have higher mechanical properties, almost equal to cast
carbon steels (thus used for pipes), such as tensile strength, ductility and
toughness (Table 6), combined with favourable properties of gray cast
irons, like good machinability, damping capacity, high wear resistance,
reasonable castability, but do not suffer from the defects of gray irons
such as growth and fire crazes, when used at elevated temperatures, and
is less section-sensitive.

Application of S.G. Iron:

S.G. iron is used for gear pumps for processing and transport of
sulphuric acid, pumps and valves in sea water applications, components
used in steam services, and in the handling of alkali, caustic and
ammonia-cal solutions, and for pumping and handling of sour crude oils
in petroleum industry. Other wide applications areCrank-shafts
Pistons and cylinder heads in automobile and diesel engines
Pressure castings like gears and roller slides
Steering knuckles
Rocker arms
Paper mill dryer rolls
Bearing

TYPES OF MALLEABLE CAST IRONS

Ferrite malleable iron: The structure consists of
nodules of temper carbon embedded in ferrite matrix (due to slow
cooling in eutectoid temperature range).

Properties
In the form of compact nodules, the temper carbon does not break up
the continuity of the tough Ferritic matrix. This results in a higher
strength and ductility than exhibited by gray cast iron. The graphite
nodules also serve to lubricate cutting tools, which accounts for the very
high machinability of malleable iron.
The Ferritic malleable iron shows higher strength and ductility than
gray cast iron.
Graphite nodules lubricate the cutting tools leading to good
machinability of malleable iron.

Application
Ferritic malleable iron has been used for pipe fittings, expansion joints,
railing casting on bridges, n-hoist assemblies, bearing blocks, valves,
farm equipment, chains, automobile parts, in general hardware, reducing
gear housings, rear-axle housings, hubs, hooks, shackles, leads, yokes,
nuts, mufflers, flanges, couplings.

Pearlitic malleable iron:

To obtain pearlitic matrix, 1% manganese is added to cast iron, or secondstage graphitisation is replaced by a quench, usually air, which cools the
castings through the eutectoid range fast enough to retain combined carbon
throughout the matrix.
The amount of Pearlite formed depends upon the temperature at which the
quench starts and rate of cooling. If the air quench produces a fast enough
cooling rate through the eutectoid rang, the matrix will be completely pearlitic

Application:
Due to high strength and hardness, pearlitic malleable iron is used for
cam shafts, crank-shafts, axles, differential housing in automobile
industry, rolls, pumps, nozzles, gears, links, sprockets, elevator brackets
in conveyer equipment, hammers, wrenches, shows, switch gear parts,
fittings for high and low voltage transmission and distribution system,
jaws of universal-joint shafts, links and rollers of conveyer chains,
bushings, couplings brake-shoes. Malleable irons are used chiefly for
thin walled castings because there are restrictions in section thickness.
Properties:
The malleable cast irons have reasonable ductility, high strength,
toughness and even are bendable. The main reasons of using malleable
irons are low cost and ease of machining with above properties.
Malleable iron has limitations of section thickness, lower damping
capacity and impact resistance.

cylinder block

Cast Iron Pipe

Automobile Gear Box case

Gray Cast Iron Pipe Fittings

Manhole cover
Plano Type Bed

The bed is made of graded cast iron

The Iron Bridge

As originally built, the bridge had five
cast iron ribs supporting the deck via
X-shaped lattices. The ribs were cast
in 6.8m long segments.

cast iron wall bracket

Cast Iron Cookware

Soho (Newyork)just might be the

cast-iron capital of the worlda
handful of streets packed with dozens
of beautifully preserved iron
buildings