Ductile Iron Casting
Ductile iron casting is a casting type that offers better strength than grey iron casting. CFS Foundry is the leading China ductile iron casting manufactuer, we are committed to delivering high-quality ductile iron castings with competitive prices.
- Utilizing Sand Casting or Lost Foam Casting Processes.
- Can Cast Different Ductile Cast Iron Alloys.
- Custom Casting Solutions & CNC Machining.
What Is Ductile Iron Casting?
Ductile iron is a widely used iron casting material only second to gray cast iron. It contains a small amount of magnesium, which can convert the graphite structure from a sheet to a spherical structure. This unique microstructure significantly improves the strength, ductility and impact resistance of the material. Therefore, ductile iron casting can remain the excellent casting properties of gray iron and has mechanical properties close to steel, making it an ideal solution for manufacturing complex parts that require toughness and flexibility.
Compared with steel casting, ductile iron casting has the advantages of good casting performance and relatively low cost. Due to the increasing applications of ductile iron castings and low cost advantages, it has gradually replaced steel forging and steel casting, and has become a common metal casting material at CFS Foundry.
Common Ductile Iron Casting Material Grades
| Grade | Carbon (C) % | Silicon (Si) % | Manganese (Mn) % | Phosphorus (P) % | Sulfur (S) % | Magnesium (Mg) % |
| QT 400-18 | 3.5–3.9 | 2.5–3.0 | ≤ 0.5 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 0.025 | 0.03–0.06 |
| QT 450-10 | 3.5–3.8 | 2.5–2.9 | ≤ 0.5 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 0.025 | 0.03–0.06 |
| QT 500-7 | 3.5–3.8 | 2.4–2.8 | ≤ 0.5 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 0.025 | 0.03–0.06 |
| QT 600-3 | 3.4–3.8 | 2.3–2.7 | ≤ 0.5 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 0.025 | 0.03–0.06 |
| QT 700-2 | 3.4–3.7 | 2.2–2.6 | ≤ 0.5 | ≤ 0.08 | ≤ 0.025 | 0.03–0.06 |
Ductile Iron Casting Process At CFS Foundry
The ductile iron casting process at CFS Foundry begins with the mold preparation, whose cavity is an exact copy of the desired shape. Next, high quality scrap iron with extra added alloys are added together for melting to form molten metal. In this step, magnesium element should be added to transform the graphite from flakes to spherical nodules, which will be helpful to improve the properties of the parts, such as enchanced strength and ductility.
Once the molten metal is ready, it is poured into the molds for solification. At CFS Foundry, we use advanced lost foam casting and sand casting technique. In sand casting, molds are created from a mixture of sand and binders, providing excellent dimensional accuracy for larger components. On the other hand, lost foam casting involves creating foam patterns that are coated in refractory material and surrounded by sand before being replaced by molten iron during pouring. This method allows for the production of complex geometries with a smooth surface finish, reducing the need for additional machining and delivering cost-effective solutions.
After the initial casting, the components may still undergo various finishing processes to achieve finished parts. Heat treatment may be applied to enchance the mechanical properties of the ductile iron, ensuring it meets the desired strength and toughness requirements. Quality inspections, including material compostions inspection, dimensional inspection and mechanical properties inspection, are carried out to verify that each casting is qualified before delivery. This commitment to precision and quality allows CFS Foundry to deliver high-performance ductile iron castings for any applications.
Key Advantages of Ductile Iron Casting
CFS Foundry’s ductile iron castings offer several key advantages over traditional cast iron or other materials. These advantages make them an excellent choice for a wide range of industrial applications:
The castability of ductile iron allows CFS Foundry to produce high quality parts at a lower cost than steel. We utilizes advanced casting techniques to customize ductile iron castings from our client’s drawings or samples. The superior machinability of ductile iron castings allows for more accurate and intricate designs. Of course, not all the ductile iron castings need to be post machined, which mainly depend on the drawing’s requirements.
Ductile iron casting offers excellent strength and ductility, which is not evident in grey iron casting. Due to its good yield strength and tensile strength, ductile iron castings can withstand immense physical stress without changing shape or breaking. Moreover, its high ductility allows it to withstand greater deformation under stress, making it ideal for components subject to shock loads or dynamic forces. This unique advantage makes ductile iron castings suitable for heavy duty applications, not only limited to automotive industry.
By adding specific alloying elements, the ductile iron castings made by CFS Foundry exhibit good corrosion resistance, making them ideal for applications exposed to moisture, chemicals, or other corrosive environments. We can further enchance its corrosion resistance by applying anti-corrosion coatings, such as painting, powder coating, zinc plating, and so on, thus to improve the longevity of ductile iron castings.
Ductile iron also has good wear resistance, especially suitable for casting parts in abrasive environments. These wear-resistant ductile iron parts can withstand harsh working conditions and extend their service life.
Ductile iron is an ideal alternative casting material to steel and aluminum when the budget is limited. It has a good balance in performance and cost. As a China casting company, CFS Foundry always provided custom solutions with the best possible low prices, while not compromising quality. This cost advantage is particularly beneficial for high volume production runs.
Why CFS Foundry for Ductile Iron Casting Services?
As one of the top iron casting companies in China, CFS Foundry provides one-stop service for ductile iron casting, machining, heat treatment and surface treatment. In addition, CFS also provides design, material selection, and shipment services.
With decades of experience in the foundry industry, we are skilled in producing ductile iron castings. Our engineering team specializes in designing and optimizing castings for any given application, ensuring the highest level of performance and longevity. All of our team members work closely with our customers to understand their needs in detail and provide detailed casting production solutions for their products.
We understand our customers’ need for consistent, high quality castings and have established a strict and well-established quality control system to ensure the high quality products required. We are committed to being your preferred China ductile iron casting manufacturer.
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