Flake cast iron and ductile cast iron
Flake cast iron iron and ductile cast iron are the two main types of cast iron used in industrial processes and mechanical construction. Their distinction stems primarily from the shape of the graphite within the metal structure, an element that significantly influences the mechanical, physical, and technological characteristics of the finished material.
Fonderia Quaglia & Colombo uses these types of cast iron to meet a variety of production needs, ensuring consistent quality, process control, and compliance with the technical specifications required by the application sectors.
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Graphite as a distinctive element of cast iron
Cast iron is an iron-carbon alloy in which the carbon can appear in the form of graphite with different morphologies.
It is precisely the structure of the graphite that determines the behavior of the material during the processing phase and during the final use of the casting.
In flake cast iron, the graphite takes on an elongated and branched shape, while in ductile cast iron, the carbon appears in the form of spherical nodules. This structural difference generates specific mechanical performances, making each type suitable for well-defined application contexts.
Flake cast iron: characteristics and application advantages
Flake graphite cast iron, commonly known as gray cast iron, is one of the most widely used materials in the mechanical engineering industry due to its balance of performance and cost. It is an easily cast and workable cast iron, particularly popular for medium- to high-volume production components.
Among the main technical characteristics of flake cast iron are:
- High vibration damping capacity, ideal for foundations and mechanical structures
- Good structural rigidity, which guarantees dimensional stability
- Resistance to compression, shear and wear, useful for parts subjected to static stresses
- Excellent machinability with machine tools, with reduced finishing times.
These properties make flake cast iron a consolidated solution for the production of components intended for industrial machinery, systems and applications where reliability and low costs are required.
Spheroidal cast iron: advanced mechanical performance
Spheroidal graphite cast iron is an iron-carbon alloy in which the graphite takes on a globular shape, achieved through specific metallurgical treatments during the casting process. This structural configuration allows for superior mechanical performance, bringing the material's behavior closer to that of molten steel. Distinctive features of spheroidal graphite cast iron include:
- High tensile and fatigue strength, even in the presence of dynamic loads
- Good ductility and resilience, which reduce the risk of sudden breakage
- Excellent workability, despite the high mechanical characteristics
- Possibility of modifying the metal matrix through dedicated heat treatments.
A particularly important element is the ability of ductile iron to adapt to different technical needs thanks to heat treatment cycles, which allow for the obtaining of ferritic, pearlitic or mixed structures depending on the required performance.
