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ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Gray, Ductile, and Malleable Iron Castings—Current Capabilities
By
H. J. Heine
H. J. Heine
1
Technical director
,
Malleable Founders Society
,
Cleveland, Ohio
;
chairman
, ASTM Task Force.
Search for other works by this author on:
ISBN-10:
0-8031-6648-6
ISBN:
978-0-8031-6648-6
No. of Pages:
99
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
1969

Gray iron is the most versatile of all foundry metals. The high carbon content is responsible for ease of melting and casting in the foundry and for ease of machining in subsequent manufacturing. The low degree or absence of shrinkage and high fluidity provide maximum freedom of design for the engineer. By suitable adjustment in composition and selection of casting method, tensile strength can be varied from less than 20,000 psi to over 60,000 psi and hardness from 100 to 300 BHN in the as-cast condition. By subsequent heat treatment, the hardness can be increased to HRc 60. If the service life of a gray iron part is considered to be too short, the design of the casting should be carefully reviewed before specifying a higher strength and hardness grade of iron. An unnecessary increase in strength and hardness may increase the cost of the casting as well as increase the cost of machining through lower machining rates. Although the relationship between Brinell hardness and tensile strength for gray iron is not constant, data are shown which will allow use of the Brinell hardness test to estimate the minimum tensile strength of the iron in a casting.

1.
MacKenzie
,
J. T.
, “
Gray Iron-Steel plus Graphite
,”
Foundry
, Vol.
72
, No.
8
,
08
1944
, pp. 86–88, 154;
MacKenzie
,
J. T.
, “
Gray Iron-Steel plus Graphite
,”
Foundry
, Vol.
72
, No.
9
,
09
1944
, pp. 70–72;
MacKenzie
,
J. T.
, “
Gray Iron-Steel plus Graphite
,”
Foundry
, Vol.
72
, No.
10
,
10
1944
, pp. 86–88.
2.
Boyles
,
Alfred
,
The Structure of Cast Iron
,
American Society for Metals
,
Metals Park, Ohio
,
1947
.
3.
Gray Iron Castings Handbook
,
Gray and Ductile Iron Founder's Society
, Cleveland, Ohio,
1958
.
4.
ASM Metals Handbook
, 8th ed., Vol.
1
,
American Society for Metals
, Metals Park, Ohio,
1961
, pp. 349–365.
5.
Angus
,
H. T.
,
Physical and Engineering Properties of Cast Iron
,
The British Cast Iron Research Assn.
,
Birmingham, England
,
1960
.
6.
Cast Metals Handbook
,
American Foundrymen's Society
, Des Plaines, Ill.,
1957
.
7.
Typical Microstructures of Cast Metals
, 2nd ed.,
The Institute of British Foundrymen
, London,
1966
.
8.
Wieser
,
P. F.
,
Bates
,
C. E.
, and
Wallace
,
J. F.
,
Mechanism of Graphite Formation in Iron-Silicon-Carbon Alloys
,
Malleable Founders Society
,
Cleveland, Ohio
,
1967
.
9.
Rehder
,
J. E.
, “
The Critical Temperature Range in Cast Irons
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
73
,
1965
, pp. 473–487.
10.
Collaud
,
A.
and
Thieme
,
J. C.
, “
Toughness of Flake-Graphite Cast Iron as an Index of Quality, and New Methods for Improving the Toughness
,”
Foundry Trade Journal
 0015-9042, Vol.
122
, No.
2619
,
16
02
1967
, pp. 183–191;
Collaud
,
A.
and
Thieme
,
J. C.
, “
Toughness of Flake-Graphite Cast Iron as an Index of Quality, and New Methods for Improving the Toughness
,”
Foundry Trade Journal
 0015-9042, Vol.
122
, No.
2623
,
16
03
1967
, pp. 315–323.
11.
Davis
,
J. A.
,
Krause
,
D. E.
,
Lownie
,
H. W.
, Jr.
, “
Tin as an Alloy in Gray Cast Iron
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
65
,
1957
, pp. 590–597.
12.
Tache
,
A. J.
and
Cage
,
R. M.
, “
Tin-Alloying Speeds Production of Gray-Iron Cylinder Blocks
,”
Journal, Society of Automotive Engineers
, Vol.
73
, No.
1
,
01
1965
, pp. 66–69.
13.
Sissener
,
John
and
Eriksson
,
John
, “
The Influence of Titanium Reduced from Titanium Oxide Containing Slags on the Mechanical Properties of Cast Iron
,”
Proceedings
, 34th International Foundry Congress; Paper No. 1,
Editions Techniques des Industries de la Fonderie
,
Paris
,
1967
.
14.
Morrogh
,
H.
, “
The Status of the Metallurgy of Cast Irons
,”
Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute
 0021-1567,
01
1968
, pp. 1–10.
15.
Boyles
,
Alfred
, “
The Pearlite Interval in Gray Cast Iron
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
48
,
1940
, pp. 531–573.
16.
Frye
,
G. R.
, “
Permanent Mold Process as Applied to Production of Gray Iron Castings
,”
Modern Castings
 0026-7562, Vol.
54
, No.
4
,
10
1968
, pp. 52–55.
17.
Caine
,
J. B.
,
Design of Ferrous Castings
,
American Foundrymen's Society
,
Des Plaines, Ill.
,
1963
.
18.
A Practical Guide to the Design of Gray Iron Castings for Engineering Purposes
.
The Council of Ironfoundry Associations
, London,
1960
.
19.
Casting Design Handbook
,
American Society for Metals
, Metals Park, Ohio,
1962
.
20.
Grotto
,
L. A.
, “
Engine Castings Development by Experimental Stress Analysis
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
69
,
1961
, pp. 636–645.
21.
MacKenzie
,
J. T.
, “
Brinell Hardness of Gray Cast Iron-Its Relation to Other Properties
,”
Foundry
, Vol.
74
, No.
10
,
10
1946
, pp. 88–93;
MacKenzie
,
J. T.
, “
Brinell Hardness of Gray Cast Iron-Its Relation to Other Properties
,”
Foundry
, Vol.
74
, No.
10
,
10
1946
, pp. 191–194.
22.
ASM Metals Handbook
, 8th ed., Vol.
2
,
American Society for Metals
, Metals Park, Ohio,
1964
, pp. 203–213.
23.
ASM Metals Handbook
, 8th ed., Vol.
3
,
American Society for Metals
, Metals Park, Ohio,
1967
.
24.
Machining Data Handbook
,
Metcut Research Associates, Inc.
, Cincinnati, Ohio,
1966
.
25.
Walz
,
W.
, “
Today's Engineering Designs Create a Challenge to Foundry Cast Metals Industry
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
72
,
1964
, pp. 914–922.
26.
Zlatin
,
Norman
, “
The Machinability of an Unalloyed and an Alloyed Gray Iron
,”
Gray and Ductile Iron News
,
03
1965
, pp. 5–14.
27.
Lamb
,
A. D.
, “
Material and Technique Factors in the Machining of Iron Castings
,”
Gray and Ductile Iron News
, Part I,
04
1967
, pp. 5–13;
Lamb
,
A. D.
,
Gray and Ductile Iron News
, Part II,
05
1967
, pp. 11–20.
28.
Field
,
M.
and
Kahles
,
J. F.
, “
Factors Influencing Machined Finish of Gray Iron
,”
Gray and Ductile Iron News
,
04
1966
, pp. 5–23.
29.
De Sy
.
A.
, “
Oxygen, Oxides, Superheating and Graphite Nucleation in Cast Iron
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
75
,
1967
, pp. 161–172.
30.
Redshaw
,
A. A.
,
Payne
,
C. A.
, and
Hoskins
,
J. A.
, “
Gray Cast Iron Control by Cooling Curve Techniques
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
70
,
1962
, pp. 89–96.
31.
Kasch
,
F. E.
, “
Carbon Equivalent by Cooling Curves\3-A Rapid and Practical Test
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
71
,
1963
, pp. 266–274.
32.
Walter
,
G. H.
, “
Correlation of Structure Characteristics and Resonant Frequency Measurements with the Engineering Properties of Gray Iron
,” Publication 650519,
Society of Automotive Engineers
,
1965
.
33.
Abar
,
J. W.
,
Cellitti
,
R. A.
, and
Spengler
,
A. F.
, “
The Use of Sonics to Predict the Mechanical Properties of Gray Iron
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
74
,
1966
, pp. 7–12.
34.
Carter
,
K. D.
, “
Non-Destructive Eddy Current Testing of Gray Iron
,”
Gray and Ductile Iron News
,
02
1966
, pp. 8–10.
35.
Barto
,
R. L.
,
Hurd
,
D. T.
, and
Stoltenberg
,
J. P.
, “
The Pressure Die Casting of Iron and Steels
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
75
,
1967
, pp. 181–185.
36.
Morrogh
,
H.
, “
Progress and Problems in the Understanding of Cast Irons
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
70
,
1962
, pp. 449–458.
37.
Bates
,
C. E.
and
Wallace
,
J. F.
, “
Effects and Neutralization of Trace Elements in Gray, Ductile and Malleable Iron
,”
Transactions, American Foundrymen's Society
 0065-8375, Vol.
75
,
1967
, pp. 815–846.
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