Review of current research and application of ductile cast iron quality monitoring technologies in Chinese foundry industry

Abstract

There is a long history of studying and making use of ductile cast iron in China. Over the years, the foundrymen in China have carried out a lot of valuable research and development work for measuring parameters and controlling the quality in ductile cast iron production. Many methods, such as rapid metallographic phase, thermal analysis, eutectic expansion ratio, surface tension measurement, melt electrical resistivity, oxygen and sulfur activity measurement, ultrasonic measurement and sound frequency measurement, have been used and have played important roles in Chinese casting production in the past. These methods can be generally classified as liquid testing and solid testing according to the sample state. Based on the analysis of the present situation of these methods applied in the Chinese metal casting industry, the authors consider that there are two difficult technical problems to be currently solved in monitoring ductile iron quality. One is to seek an effective method for quickly evaluating the nodularizing result through on-the-spot sample analysis before the liquid iron is poured into the mould. The other is to find a nondestructive method for accurately identifying casting quality before castings are delivered.

Keywords

• Chinese foundry; ductile cast iron; quality monitoring; evaluation method