Iron alloys can be described as alloys which have iron as the principal component. Iron is used as a constituent in majority of the commercial alloys. For example, iron is the major component of wrought and cast iron and wrought and cast steel. Iron can also be alloyed with manganese, silicon, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, niobium, selenium, titanium, phosphorus, or other elements for commercial applications. Some iron alloys are also used as addition agents in the process of steel-making. There are special-purpose iron alloys which demonstrate superior characteristics, like - magnetic properties, electrical resistance, thermal expansion, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance, etc.
Iron Alloy Castings
Iron castings are produced by molding iron alloys or molten iron. Gray iron is possibly one of the oldest worked metals used for casting. The metal is also one of the most abundant and least expensive materials.
Gray iron was the original cast iron, though it has recently been replaced in various applications by other iron-carbon alloys which have higher tensile strength. Ductile iron, as the name suggests, has high ductility than traditional iron materials, such as gray iron. These materials incline to be brittle and are prone to fracture under high tensile stress.
Iron is cast as like any other metal. It is poured into a mold and extracted after cools down. There are various types of casting methods, through which iron can be molded; some of these methods include shell molding, green sand molding, and centrifugal molding. The procedure through which the iron is caste can affect the mechanical properties of the metal, especially in regard to its cooling rate. Iron castings are used in a wide array of applications, including:
· Automotive
· Appliance
· Agriculture
· Machinery industries
Cast iron components are also used for pump housings, engine blocks, electrical boxes, decorative castings, and more.
Related pages
· Steel Alloy
· Grey Iron
· Ductile Iron
