CAST IRON /STEEL (ALLOY OF Fe & C)

If C%

Hardness
Brittleness
Ductility
Castability
Formability
Weldability
Machinability

Increases
Decreases

PROPERTIES OF CAST IRON

High Compressive strength .
High Damping capacity . ( generally
with Gray C.I from which lathe bed
are made .)
High Casting capability.
High Machinability .( even it is hard
and brittle ) , so its exception .
Poor Weldability because of high %
of carbon .
Poor Formability .

IRON
STEEL

CAST IRON

.008% to 2%
Carbon

2% to 6.67% C

ALLOY STEEL

PLAIN STEEL

Low Carbon
Steel

Medium Carbon
Steel

High Carbon
Steel

Upto .35% C

.35% to .83% C

.83% to 2% C

Parts ,
Components

Screw drivers,
Knife, Shafts,
Chiesels

HIGH Speed
Steel

Stainless Steel
18 : 8
Cr : Ni

TUNGSTEN
BASED

MOLEYBEDNUM
BASED

Syringes,knifes,
Cutting tools,Single
point , Chiesel, Dril
bits, Hacksaw Blade

Shaving Blades.
(Diificult to
machine , difficult
to weld ) . More
tougher and
harder.

W : Cr : V
18 : 4 : 1

Cutting tool
materials

10 % TO 12%
Moleybednum

Used in industries
nowdays, Cheaper

TUNGSTEN based
H.S.S
W : Cr : V

TUNGSTEN

Has Hot hardness Property

( W)

( improved hardness even at

high temperatures)

CHROMIUM
(Cr)

Improves Corrosion
Resistance as well as
Strength of material.

(18 : 4 : 1)
VANADIUM
(V)

Improves Impact Strength ,

Fatigue Strength of the
Material

IRON

STEEL

CAST IRON

.008% to 2%
Carbon

2% to 6.67% C

Through Hardening
(Quenching)

GRAY C.I
(soft)

Through Annealing

WHITE
C.I(hard)

MALLEABLE
C.I

DUCTILE
C.I
(spheroidical

ALLOY C.I

C.I)

1. Self Lubricating
Property.
2. when cut , Gray
colour appears on
cutting portion.
3. Carbon content is in
the form of Graphite
4.In Lathe Stock , where
tailstock move (
sideways) , made up of
Gray C.I

1.mostly
water
quenching.
(rapid cooling
in water)
2.Railway
Tracks,
Railway
wheels.

1. As
compared to
other C.I ,
Malleable C.I
has more
malleability

1.By small addition

of magnesium or
cerium .
2.Has more fluidity
and castibility.
3.In general it is
used for intricated
castings as well as
big sized castings
due to excellent
casting property.

1. By small
addition of
alloying
elements like
Nickel ,
Chromium ,
Moleybednu
m,
Vanadium.

NICKEL

Improves machinability
and corrosion resistance .

CHROMIUM

Improves corrosion
resistance and prevents
formation of graphite .

MOLEYBEDNUM

Improves strength and

wear reasistance property
, but decrease the
machinability.

ALLOY C.I

VANADIUM

Improves carbide
formation and this
improves the impact
strength and hardness .

ANNEALING
(furnace cooling)

1.For softening , improving the

ductility of metals through
very slow cooling in furnace .
2.internal stresses can be
relieved.

3.Remove surface defects.

NORMALIZING
(air cooling)

HARDENING

HEAT TREATMENT
PROCESSES

(rapid cooling)or
(Quenching)

1.Similar to annealing, but

cooling rate is higher than
annealing.
2.So, softness is less
compared to annealing.
1.Rapid cooling in the form of
water quenching or oil
quenching .
2. More internal stresses
produced .
3.Surface cracks produced .

TEMPERING

HEATING ABOVE CRITICAL

TEMPERATURES.

1. Always done after

hardening process to remove
internal stresses and surface
defects

2.Improves toughness

ALWAYS DONE BELOW

LOWER CRITICAL
TEMPERATURE. (Heat
around 200 deg - 300 deg
celsius , maintain temp.
for long period of time
and furnace cooling is
done .)

3. But loss in surface hardness

occurs .

CASE HARDENING

1. Used to generate outer

surface hardening .

Carburizing , Nitriding ,
Cyaniding , Flame
Hardening , Induction
Hardening .

AUSTENITE (727
deg celsius)

Water Quenching
will form

Oil Quenching
/cooling

( Martensite Structure )

will form

( More hard and brittle)

( Very fine Pearlite )

Air cooling

Furnace cooling

will form

will form

( Fine Pearlite )

( Coarse Pearlite )

Lower critical
temp.

Critical temp.

( after this phase

change ,
properties change
occurs)
upper critical
temp.
( after this no
change occurs)

Temperatures

Recrystallization
temp.

It is approxi.
equal to 40% of
melting point of
the metal , but it
depend upon
prior working of
the metal

Working on metal
below rec. temp. is
called Cold Working
and above this temp. is
called hot working
processes.

1539

BCC

delta -Iron

1403

TEMP

FCC

Non-magnetic

gamma - Iron

908
768

BCC

magnetic

IRON

alpha - Iron