Careful selection of charge materials and nodularisers is often negated by the use of the incorrect

inoculant. Due consideration should be given to this essential part of the process and the following
points should be taken into account: • Which kind of nodulariser and treatment process has been
used. • The fade time of the metal, that is the time from adding the inoculant to pouring the last
metal from the ladle. • The Rare Earth content of the nodulariser (or otherwise added RE). Pure Mg
processes, such as plunging, cored wires or converters, reduce the number density of inherent nuclei
in the iron making the iron difficult to inoculate. MgFeSi processes have a net effect of adding nuclei
to the iron. Typically, a higher inoculant addition will be required when pure Mg processes are
employed. Rare Earth's serve to neutralise the effects of some subversive elements found in steel
scrap used in the furnace charge, however, they can have the same effect on certain elements added
as integral parts of the inoculant. Inevitably, inoculation of ductile iron requires greater amounts of
treatment agent than grey iron, principally due to the carbide stabilizing properties of the
magnesium used during nodularisation. Whereas the graphite flakes govern the properties of grey
iron, ductile iron characteristics are dominated by the matrix. Formation of even, rounded nodules is
therefore essential to obtain the best properties.