Ductile Iron Castings
Ductile iron is also referred to as nodular iron or spheroidal graphite iron. The graphite microstructure appears as spheroids (or nodules) instead of flakes as in gray iron, making this material suitable for applications requiring:
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Excellent tensile strength
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Excellent impact properties
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Improved ductility which gives this iron a “steel-like” property with the benefits of the gray iron.
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Good machinability
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Low cost alternative to steel
J.R. Hoe produces the following grades of ductile iron:
ASTM A536
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Grade 60-40-18 Annealed
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Grade 65-45-12
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Grade 80-55-06
A side-by-side comparison of the two most commonly cast ferrous alloys can help purchasers and designers choose correctly between gray and ductile iron. Follow the link below for an excellent from Metal Casting Design & Purchasing magazine.