 |
A family of
materials capable of meeting a wide variety of engineering and
manufacturing requirements (the "family" includes Gray Iron,
Ductile Iron, Compacted Graphite Iron, Malleable Iron, and White Iron) |
|
|
Available
in a wide range of mechanical/physical properties, i.e. tensile strength
from 20 KSI to over 200 KSI, hardness from 120 to about 300 Brinell in
standard grades and up to about 600 Brinell in special abrasion resistant
grades |
|
|
Good
strength to weight ratio |
|
|
Typically
lower cost than competing materials and relatively low cost per unit of
strength than other materials |
|
|
Lower
density and higher thermal conductivity than steels at comparable tensile
strength levels |
|
|
Excellent
machinability, allowing for high speeds and feeds and reduced (minimal)
energy due to the presence of free graphite |
|
|
Many
iron castings can be used without heat treatment (as-cast) but, when
needed, can be heat treated to enhance overall properties or localized
properties such as surface hardness |
|
|
Excellent
damping capacity, especially in Gray Irons |
|
|
Chemical
analysis can be modified to provide improved special properties such as
corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, wear or abrasion resistance,
etc. |
|
|
Rapid
transition from design to finished product |
|
|
Capability
of producing highly complex geometries and section sizes in a wide range
of sizes, from ounces to over 100 tons |
|
|
Flexibility
in design and ability to optimize appearance for sales appeal |
|
|
Possibility
of casting intricate shapes as well as very thin to very thick section
sizes |
|
|
Capability
of redesigning and combining two or more components from other materials
into a single casting, thus reducing assembly cost and time |
|
|
Capability
of casting with inserts of other materials |
|
|
Variety
of casting processes for low, medium or high production |
|
|
Reduced
tendency toward residual stresses and warpage than some competitive
materials |
|
