Applications of Ductile Iron Castings

Cast iron is an alloy that contains more than 2 to 2.5% carbon. It is also called as grey cast iron. The second type of cast iron is ductile cast iron that contains magnesium in addition to the carbon. As the name implies, ductile iron castings are more ductile than the normal cast iron. While the graphite content of cast iron makes it brittle, the magnesium in the cast iron makes ductile iron more malleable. It is therefore commonly used where pliability over strength is desired.

Ductile iron derives its name from the fact that it exhibits measurable ductility. By contrast, neither white nor gray iron exhibits significant ductility in a standard tensile test.

The liquid treatment of ductile iron is more complex than that of gray iron. The two stages for the liquid treatment of ductile iron are:

Features of Ductile Iron Castings:

Since it is malleable than cast iron, ductile cast iron is used wherever resilience is required.

Ductile cast iron is finding increased use in the automobile sector. Car engine parts like bushings, differential shell, and steering parts like control arm shafts, crankshafts and even gears are made of ductile cast iron.

Ductile cast iron finds use in fluid power applications, glands and rod guides and the machine tool industry.

The piping industry uses ductile cast iron for a wide range of applications. Pressure pipes and fittings, various types of joints like push-on joints, mechanical joints, and flanged joints all can be cast of ductile iron.

Pulleys and brackets that are needed by the agricultural industry, paper manufacturing units, etc. Require ductile cast iron in one form or other.

Here are a few industries that use ductile iron castings: