Lecturers: Prof. Ingvar L. Svensson, Prof. Magnus Wessén, School of Engineering of the Joenkoeping University

The goal of the course is to give a basic understanding about cast iron material and processing of cast irons.

Learning Outcomes
After the course you will possess knowledge about the following topics:

• Characteristics of different cast iron types
• Cast iron materials and properties with respect to processing conditions and alloy content
  • Grey irons
  • Compacted graphite cast irons
  • Ductile irons ( nodular cast iron)
  • Other cast iron types
• Inoculation of graphite in cast irons
• Solidification and solid state transformations in different cast iron types
• Defect formation in cast irons
  • Porosities
  • Metal penetration
  • Fin formation
• What can be predicted by means of computer simulation of cast irons?
• and much more...

Lectures included in the course

1. Introduction to cast iron: this is an introduction to the course and a short description on the casting research at Component Casting at Joenkoeping University, Sweden.

2. Cast Irons – differences by graphite morphology. Introduction to where are cast iron are used. The Fe-C-Si phase-diagram. Growth of different morphologies of graphite. Inoculation of graphite. Fading of inoculation. Thermal conductivity of cast irons.

3. Inoculation, Eutectoid transformations and mechanical properties of cast irons. Purpose to promote nucleation of graphite. Effect of inoculation on microstructure formation. Solid state (eutectoid) transformation to ferrite and pearlite. Effect of alloying elements on pearlite formation.

4. Mechanical properties of cast irons. Main factors influencing structure formation and mechanical properties:

• Chemical composition
• Cooling rate
• Liquid treatment
• Heat treatment

5. Cast Iron defect formation. Defects and defect formation:

• Gas and slag reaction in cast iron melts
• Gas and shrinkage porosities
• Metal penetrations

6. Cast Iron fin formation. What can be made to decrease fin formation when casting cast irons?

7. Simulation of cast iron material. Use of simulation for predicting microstructure and properties in cast iron components:

• Microstructure in a ductile iron bearing housing
• White chill wedge (grey iron)
• Simulating an experimental series of ductile iron plate castings
• Simulation of nodularity in CGI castings
• An example showing how a complex heat flow may affect structure formation in a ductile iron castings

The course is lectured in english.

Total duration of the 7 lectures is about 4 hours. The total number of slides presented in the lectures is over 220.

This course is an outcome of the European Community Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci project METRO - MEtallurgical TRaining On-line and it is supported by the TCN Consortium for higher education.

The METRO project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the Author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.