Papers by Keyword: Ductile Cast Iron

Abstract: Welding process is widely used as a metal assembly technique in various industries, including construction, automotive manufacturing, pressurization, and shipbuilding. In ship repair and fabrication, dissimilar welding between carbon steel and cast iron is often required, for example, in assembling appendages such as propeller shafts, yokes, and other equipment. Although cast iron offers high strength about 700 MPa and weight reduction benefits, its poor weldability due to high carbon content often leads to cracking when joined to carbon steel. Previous studies have found that preheating before welding mitigates rapid cooling and martensite formation, while buttering with Ni-based filler reduces carbon diffusion and carbide precipitation at the fusion boundary. This research has been carried out to investigate various procedures for dissimilar welding ductile cast iron A536 and carbon steel A36, as follows: (1) no preheat or buttering (Control), (2) preheating only (PH), (3) buttering only (BT), and (4) combined preheat and buttering (PHBT) to evaluate their effects on tensile strength, hardness, and microstructural evolution. Successful study of dissimilar welding between carbon steel and cast iron will reduce the cost of ship maintenance, increase its service life, and provide a path for more sustainable development.

Abstract: The solidification mechanism of ductile iron is a bit complex due to the precipitation of graphite and silicon. These elements change the solidification pattern of cast iron. Density of these elements is less than iron leads to occupying more volume consequently increase the overall metal volume. There are two aspects on this increase in metal volume. One is, reducing this volume increase to reduce the creation of porosities at the earlier stage of solidification and second is, using this volume increase to remove porosity at the later stage of solidification. Proper understanding of this graphite expansion in cast iron solidification will bring insights on reducing or removing of the risers. The current study focus on correlating the net contraction and austenitic liquidus point with shrinkage. The average contraction found through this study is 1.36 % which is more than the net expansion of 0.25 % (without riser) reported in literature.

Abstract: This research focused on defects reduction in spheroidal graphite iron casting process of a jackscrew manufacturer in which graphite nodularity was lower than a given specification (75%). This situation could lead to serious issues and accident to end-users. The Six Sigma approach of DMAIC was employed to identify and eliminate the problems. The result obtained after implementing the Six Sigma showed that the process capability was improved from-0.47 to 2.04, and the average per cent graphite nodularity was increased significantly from 61.49% to 86.43%.

Abstract: The subject of this work is to evaluate the influence and adhesion degree of different coating layers deposited on a ductile cast iron substrate by two different methods, thermal spraying and welding with and without use of an interlayer. Microstructures of different zones and interfaces of coated specimens are investigated using optical microscope and scanning electron microscope SEM. Also, the mechanical behavior was evaluated by tensile test. It is found that when stainless steel thermal spraying coating onto the ductile cast iron substrate, the use of the nickel-based interlayer Ni allowed us to mitigate the disadvantages of cracking at the interface. This is due to the mechanical effect of nickel plasticity. In the case of coating by welding, the use of nickel-based buttering ENi-CI allowed us to reduce the diffusion of graphite to stainless steel, resulting in a reduction in the formation of harder alloy carbides. Finally, the mechanicals tests in particular the tensile test shows that the coating by welding is effective but causes a structural hardening; on the other hand the coating realized by thermal spraying does not really present sufficient adhesion.

Abstract: Forging of ductile cast iron with pure iron by the Damascus technique, results in a new composite material. The combination of cast iron and pure iron is unusual because of its rather different properties. After forging these two materials a small diffusion zone of about 150 µm was observed. Various heat treatments at 900 °C for 2, 4 or 20 hours and 950 °C for 4 h were performed to increase the diffusion zone up to 2.4 mm. At 900 °C carbon solubility in austenite is about 1.2 wt. % and at 950 °C 1.4 wt. %. During the heat treatment carbon diffuses from cast iron into the pure iron and the diffusion gradient grows with time and temperature. Furthermore, the samples were air cooled or water quenched. In the ductile cast iron, graphite nodules are surrounded by ferrite. During the heat treatment graphite is dissolved and pores are observed. In the diffusion gradient layer, a broad range of microstructures observed in hyper- and hypoeutectoid steels could be found. The microstructures were revealed by different etchants and moreover, hardness measurements were performed.

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to inspect microstructure, mechanical properties and impact toughness of ductile cast iron grade FCD450 produced by austempering process. The study focused on austempering parameter, which effected impact toughness of material at low temperature. The FCD450 was initially temperature austenized at 885°C (1625˚F) for 2 hours. Austempering was carried out at three different temperatures of 271°C (520˚F), 313°C (560˚F) and 357°C (675˚F). The austempering temperature were varied at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 hours. X-ray diffraction was showed that the austempered ductile cast iron (ADI) microstructure consists of austenite and ferrite. The results showed that when austempered at 357°C (675˚F) for 2.5 hours has highest hardness and impact energy at low temperature. The dimple ductile fracture of ADI fracture surfaces was revealed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Abstract: This chapter presents a novel method for analysis and optimization of the in-situ formation of TiC-reinforced composite surface layers (TRL) on a ductile cast iron substrate during the laser surface alloying process, combining the experimental approach with the computational thermodynamics. The microstructure of the TRLs has been assessed by light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results of thermodynamic calculations with the Scheil-Gulliver model showed a good agreement with the experimental results, indicating that the actual solidification path for the analyzed Fe-C-Si-Ti alloy systems under the investigated range of laser processing conditions is close to the Scheil-Gulliver assumption.

Abstract: Time-resolved and in-situ observations using synchrotron radiation X-rays were performed to observe solidification of cast iron (CE=4.5, 0.02mass%Mg). Morphology of graphite particles was influenced by specimen holder material. In the Al₂O₃ holder, graphite particles were spheroidal at the beginning and then deviated from the spheroidal shape. In addition, the coupled eutectic solidification of austenite and graphite occurred at the final stage. In contrast, the divorced eutectic solidification, in which graphite particles and austenite dendrites independently grew, was selected until the end of solidification in MgO holder. Spheroidal graphite particles were engulfed by austenite. Consequently, typical microstructure observed in ductile cast iron was reproduced in the in-situ observation. The results suggested that oxygen potential, which was determined by Al₂O₃ or MgO (specimen holder) in the observations, could be an important factor for the selection of eutectic growth mode and graphite morphology.

Abstract: Ferritic ductile cast iron (FDI) microstructure is composed by graphite nodules embedded in a ferritic matrix. It is usual to assume that the ferritic matrix is homogeneous. However, the experimental analysis shows impurities and in some cases a high degree of heterogeneity. It is necessary to investigate the influence of these heterogeneities on the mechanical properties of FDI.This work focusses on the characterization of the elastoplastic properties of different zones of the ferritic matrix of FDI and the identification of the sequence and extent of the damage mechanisms at the micro-scale under uniaxial tensile loading.The methodologies for the characterization of the material micro constituents and micro-segregated zones involve nano-indentation and atomic force microscopy techniques in combination with computational modelling. The analysis is performed by applying inverse analysis algorithms proposed in the literature. The microsegregated zones are identified by using color etching. The assessment of the micro-scale damage mechanisms was performed by in-situ optical microscopy observation of tensile tests of very small specimens.The results led to the quantification of the differences in mechanical properties along the metallic matrix as a result of the existing heterogeneities and allow for a better understanding of the ductile iron damage mechanism.

Abstract: In this work the effects of stirring/vigorous shearing on matrix and graphite phase in nodular cast iron melt during solidification were studied. Several experiments were conducted for different cooling and stirring times. Samples were prepared and examinations of the microstructure were conducted and compared using Leica Optical Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In addition, a chemical analysis of the graphite precipitate was performed using EDX equipment mounted on SEM. Oxidation of the melt and formation of oxide nuclei during stirring were observed and analysed. The influence of melt shearing on the structure, nodule count, distribution, area fraction and on overall graphite precipitation was observed and examined with the help of respective computer programs and soft wares. Stirring resulted in increasing the nucleation sites for graphite precipitation thereby increasing the nodule count and area fraction of carbide and transforming the structure from pearlitic matrix to ferritic matrix.