FERROUS

AIRCRAFT
MATERIALS

INTRODUCTION
Iron is a very important metal in engineering.
Little used in its pure form it is however
The main constituent of steel. Iron ore
(magnetite and haematite) is quarried or mined
from the earths crust and converted by a
series of processes into pig iron.

IRON PRODUCTION
Pig iron is produced by smelting iron ore in a blast furnace
Iron Ore added to the blast furnace together with high quality
coke, low in sulphur content and limestone, which combines
with impurities and forms a slag.
The oxygen in the air causes the coke to burn fiercely,
generating heat and producing carbon monoxide gas which
reduces the ore to metal.
Iron, which is the heaviest product, drips to the bottom of the
furnace. The lighter slag floats on top of the iron. When the
iron reaches the level of the slag tapping hole, the slag is run
off. The iron is then tapped out from the bottom of the furnace.

BLAST FURNACE

BOP STEEL MAKING

Steel is made from pig iron, but in modern steel making,

large amounts of scrap steel can be used up if required.
Normally steel is made using the Basic Oxygen Process or
the Electric Furnace Process.

ELECTRIC FURNACE

COMPOSITION OF STEEL