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of

ISSN (1897-3310)
Volume 8
Issue 1/2008

FOUNDRY ENGINEERING
Published quarterly as the organ of the Foundry Commission of the Polish Academy of Sciences

101 108

21/1

Computer-aided control of high-quality

cast iron
S. Pietrowski*, B. Pisarek, G. Gumienny
Chair of Materials Engineering and Production Systems, Technical University of Lodz,
ul. Stefanowskiego 1/15, 90-924 d, Poland
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: [Link]@[Link]
Received 03.07.2007; accepted in revised form 20.08.2007

Abstract
The study discusses the possibility of control of the high-quality grey cast iron and ductile iron using the authors genuine computer
programs. The programs have been developed with the help of algorithms based on statistical relationships that are said to exist between
the characteristic parameters of DTA curves and properties, like Rp0,2, Rm, A5 and HB. It has been proved that the spheroidisation and
inoculation treatment of cast iron changes in an important way the characteristic parameters of DTA curves, thus enabling a control of
these operations as regards their correctness and effectiveness, along with the related changes in microstructure and mechanical properties
of cast iron. Moreover, some examples of statistical relationships existing between the typical properties of ductile iron and its control
process were given for cases of the melts consistent and inconsistent with the adopted technology.
A test stand for control of the high-quality cast iron and respective melts has been schematically depicted.
Keywords: High-quality cast iron; DTA; Control

1. Introduction
To be able to assess the alloy quality before pouring of
foundry moulds is of primary importance for the successful
process of making castings. Knowing the properties of castings
still before their manufacture enables us to avoid missed melts,
rejects caused by improper metal quality, as well as laborious and
expensive laboratory examinations and control tests made on the
ready product. The quality control can be easier and more
effective using genuine computer programs assigned for
monitoring of alloy behavior. Programs of this type were
designed by the Chair of Materials Engineering and Production
Systems of the Technical University of Lodz [1-22]. Computer
programs control and assist the melting process of high-quality
metal alloys, operating within the range of physico-chemical
properties available in liquid state and predicting the future

mechanical and physical properties that the alloys are expected to

offer while in solid state. In their structure, the programs are
based on a derivative thermal analysis (DTA). The characteristic
parameters of the alloy cooling and solidification curves serve as
a starting point for the development of statistical relationships
between these curves, the alloy chemical composition and the
required utilization properties of castings, e.g. Rp0,2, Rm, A5, HB,
etc. The relationships are an essential element in construction of
algorithms for computer programs of molten metal control

2. Methods of research
A stand for computer-aided control of high-qaulity cast iron
in depicted in Figure 1.
.

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101

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of a stand for computer-aided control of high-quality cast iron
The stand is provided with a Crystalldigraph apparatus which
records changes of metal temperature in time, i.e. t=f(), and
computes the first derivative after time, i.e. dt/d=f(). A signal to
Crystalldigraph is transmitted by a PtRh10-Pt or NiCr-Ni
thermocouple, the second terminal of which has been fixed in a
tripod. The tripod holds a DTA probe with quartz pipe, which is
put on the thermocouple. On pouring of metal into a probe, the
electric signal is transmitted through the thermocouple to a
Crystalldigraph, wherefrom it passes to computer which processes
the received information, plotting two curves: a cooling curve
[t=f()] and a solidification curve [dt/d=f()]. Both curves are
displayed on the monitor; they can also be printed on a printer.

3. The results
The DTA curves of grey cast iron, grade EN-GJL-250, before
and after inoculation with SB5 inoculant are shown in Figure 2.
From the diagram it follows that before inoculation the cast iron
is hypoeutectic; the crystallisation of its eutectic is proceeding at
a slower rate, lower temperature and over a longer period of time
than after the inoculation. The austenitepearlite transformation
also takes place at a lower temperature but in a shorter span of
time. After the treatment of graphitising inoculation, the cast iron
becomes hypereutectic, the eutectic crystallisation point raises,
the time of the crystallisation is reduced, and the rate of its
growth raises. In a like manner, also the temperature of the

102

austenitepearlite transformation increases and it becomes

longer in duration.
Figure 3 shows the DTA curves of base cast iron assigned for
spheroidization with magnesium and the same cast iron after
magnesium spheroidisation and graphitising inoculation.
Some significant differences occur in the DTA curves after each
successive treatment. The spheroidising treatment of cast iron
with magnesium, resulting in its solidification in metastable
system, prolongs the time of ledeburite eutectic crystallisation
and, compared with base cast iron, reduces the temperature and
crystallisation rate. The eutectoid transformation takes place at
the highest temperature and in the shortest span of time. After
graphitising inoculation of cast iron, the temperature of eutectic
crystallisation is comprised between the eutectic temperature of
base cast iron and that of cast iron after spheroidisation, the
crystallisation rate is the highest and the crystallisation time - the
shortest. The temperature of eutectoid transformation is similar to
the base cast iron but time of its duration is the longest.

ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING Volume 8, Issue 1/2008, 101-108

t, C

Temperatur
e

tA
tD
tF
tF-tD
tH
tJ
tK
tM
tM-tK
tN

t, C

Before graphitizing
inoculation

After graphitizing
inoculation

1150
1132
1134
2
1052
758
725
733
8
693

1164
1159
1159
0
1095
782
740
749
9
717
, s

Time

t=(2)-(1)

14
27
25
-2
47
24
15
16
1
24
, s
=(2)-(1)

KP=H-Pk

202

164

-38

KW=N-J

126

143

17

Fig. 2. DTA curves of grey cast iron, grade EN-GJL-250, before and after inoculation

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103

t, C

Temperature
Before
spheroidization
1
1150
1160
10
1111
773
752
757
5
728

tD
tF
tF-tD
tH
tJ
tK
tM
tM-tK
tN (tL)
Time

t1=(2)(1)

After
spheroidization

After
graphitizing
inoculation

2
1118
1120
2
1032
833
799
799
0
762
, s

3
1143
1147
4
1065
778
751
751
0
721

t2=(3)(1)

t3=(3)(2)

-32
-40
-8
-79
60
47
42
-5
34
1=(2)(1)

-7
-13
-6
-46
5
-1
-6
-5
-7
2=(3)(1)

KP=H-Pk

193

254

164

61

s
-29

KW=N-J
(KW=L-J)

125

88

144

-37

19

25
27
2
33
-55
-48
-48
0
-41
3=(3)(2)
-90
56

Fig. 3. DTA curves of base cast iron assigned for spherodization and the same cast iron after this treatment and inoculation (the cast iron
of EN-GJS-450-10 grade)

104

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Fig. 4. Schematic representation of alloy control process

From the disclosed data it follows that treatment of cast iron melt
and changing its physico-chemical condition is responsible for
some important changes in the run of DTA curves. Therefore the
control of high-quality cast iron using DTA curves is fully
justified.
A schematic representation of the process of molten alloy control
is depicted in Figure 4. It shows the measuring procedure and
necessary corrections introduced to the melt.
An example of ductile iron control (EN-GJS-500-7 grade) is
described below. Basing on the results of examinations of the cast
iron chemical composition, mechanical properties Rp0,2, Rm, A5
and HB, and volume fraction of spheroidal graphite, the relevant
relationships between these parameters and the characteristic
parameters of DTA curves were derived. The relationships were
derived in a way such as to obtain the correlation coefficient of
R0,90. The results were based on examination of 100 samples
from the same number of melts, which ensured high statistical
compatibility with the real values.

The statistical relationships are expressed by formulae (1) (10).

(1)
statistical parameters:
dC = 0,69%; Cs = 3,569%; R = 0,95; F = 12,26; W = 5,64
(2)
statistical parameters:
dSi = 1,67%; Sis = 2,553%; R = 0,93; F = 8,85; W = 4,23
(3)
statistical parameters:

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dMn = 4,63%; Mns = 0,514%; R = 0,96; F = 15,07; W = 6,79

Test W is determined by relationship:

(4)

statistical parameters:
dCE = 1,62%; Mgs = 0,042%; R = 0,92; F = 11,40; W = 4,28

(11)
where:

variance of data set,

variance of function.

Minimum admissible value of the reliability test is 2.

(5)

statistical parameters:
dCE = 0,65%; CEs = 4,37%; R = 0,94; F = 21,02; W = 6,27
(6)
statistical parameters:
dRm = 0,66%; Rms = 577,4MPa; R = 0,98; F = 28,19; W = 13,08

Relationships (1) (10) served as a basis for construction of

algorithms on which the genuine computer program developed by
the author for control of ductile iron has been based.
Examples of computer printouts from the program of ductile iron
control for melts consistent and inconsistent with the adopted
technology are shown in Figures 5 (a, b) and 6 (a, b),
respectively.
a)

(7)
statistical parameters:
dRp0,2 = 0,99%; Rp0,2s = 355,0MPa; R = 0,98; F = 22,27; W =
11,01
(8)
statistical parameters:
dA5 = 1,98%; A5s = 7,26%; R = 0,93; F = 10,10; W = 4,54

b)
(9)

statistical parameters:
dHB = 1,30%; HBs = 244,5; R = 0,89; F = 7,44; W = 3,15
The volume fraction of spheroidal graphite is:
(10)
statistical parameters:
dNa09 = 12,42%; Na09s = 76,9%; R = 0,89; F = 16,98; W = 3,91

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Fig. 5 (a, b). Examples of printouts from monitor: DTA curves (a)
and results of computations (b) for EN-GJS-500-7 cast iron
consistent with the adopted technology

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a)

b)

Fig. 6 (a, b). Examples of printouts from monitor: DTA curves (a)
and results of computations (b) for EN-GJS-500-7 cast iron
inconsistent with the adopted technology
The printouts of statistical computations appear on monitor after
the recorded curves have been saved and program operator has
selected the type of algorithm for computations.

4. Conclusions
From the data presented in the study the followings
conclusions have been drawn:
the metallurgical treatment of cast iron melt, by
changing its physico-chemical state, causes certain
changes in the run and characteristic features of DTA
curves,
this enables the control of metal alloy melting process,
the control of alloy melting process and of the alloy
properties is done by means of the authors genine
computer programs, based on algorithms comprising
relevant statistical relationships.

References
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siluminw,V Midzynarodowa Konferencja Odlewnikw
WSPPRACA99

[2] S. Pietrowski, [Link], [Link], Crystallization,

structure and properties of silumins with cobalt, chromium,
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77-83
[3] S.
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[Link],
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sferoidalnego ferrytycznego, Archiwum Odlewnictwa, vol. 8,
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107-112
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wysokojakociowych
stopw
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[17] S. Pietrowski, G. Gumienny, B. Pisarek, R. Wadysiak,
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with TDA method, Worldwide Congress on Materials and

Manufacturing Engineering and Technology, 2005, s. 114116
[18] S. Pietrowski, G. Gumienny, B. Pisarek, R. Wadysiak,
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