Introduction To Grey Iron Castings

Iron castings are generally manufactured using a variety of melting methods and different types of castings are produced with varying properties. Some common types of iron castings manufactured are grey iron, ductile iron, and malleable iron. The most commonly used castings amongst these are the grey iron castings due to their inherent benefits. Grey iron castings are typically made by smelting pig iron and they are an alloy of iron and carbon. Grey iron castings also possess traces of phosphorous, sulfur, silicon and manganese in them. The main reasons as to why grey iron castings are a popular choice are their cost efficiency and capability to be made into complex frameworks. Let’s take a look at some of their basic characteristics, features, and applications.

• Grey iron castings are available in different tensile strengths such as 5 tons per square inch or even 19 tons per square inch. The average tensile strength is around 7 tons per square inch and it is possible to increase their strength easily by adding vanadium, if needed for specific applications.
• Grey iron castings possess the ability to withstand large amounts of compressive forces and thus have a high compressive strength, which is about three times more than its tensile strength. This is the foremost reason as to why they are a premier choice for huge posts and columns in big buildings.
• Grey iron castings have high damping capacity and excellent machining capabilities, which make them perfectly suitable for all types of machine bases, cylinder blocks as well as brake parts. Since its damping capacity is about 20-25 times higher than steel and also other iron types, it reduces vibration, inaccuracies as well as excessive wear and tear on machinery and bearings.
• Another important characteristic of grey iron castings are that they are highly resistant to oxidation, which in turn leads to prevention of rust. Grey iron castings are the ideal solution to overcome problems of corrosion.
• There are numerous uses for grey iron castings and they are usually classified into categories based on their class. Class 300 Grey Iron is mostly used in the production of beds, gears, cylinder blocks, heavy-duty machine tools, high-pressure hydraulic components, cylinder heads, bushings, piston rings etc. Class 200 and Class 250 are mostly suitable for manufacturing cylinder bases and liners, brake wheel, gearboxes, coupling plate, flywheel and pressure valves. Class 100 and Class 150 category are typically utilized for creating hammers, pipes, pulleys, protective covers, hand wheels, bearings and pumps. Grey iron castings are the optimal choice for the construction of highly durable and strong products.

The flake graphite in grey iron castings is the reason for its excellent machinability and superior wear-resistant characteristics. All the above-mentioned characteristics and the applications make grey iron castings the most widely used type of cast iron. Calmet specializes in manufacturing superior quality gray iron castings at its state of the art iron castings foundries in India and China.